The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-12-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
prMoyRATIO CAUCUS POSTPONED.
AMENDMENTS TO WILSON BILL.
Knights of Labor, Bankruptcy Bill, Inter-
nal Revenue.
dFrom our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec. t3, ISo,


decided not to call the caucus which
i has been determined to hold to con-
slider the Wilson bill, until after the
Christmas recess. There are several
reasons, all good, for this decision.
Many democrats have already gone
home to spend Christmas and if the
caucus had been held this week, it
would consequently have been slmly
attended. Besides, those who spend
their holiday at home will get an op.
portunity to learn just how the Wilson
bill has been received by their con
sttuents which will enable them to
lay before the caucus any objections
which may exist. 1t is in fact very
fortunate that the bill has been delay
cd. 1t will enable the democrats to
do what has never been done before
consult the people about the details
of a tariff bill.
The republicans of the House have
announced with great flourish of
uumpe,s that they will not vote with
democrats who oppose any section of
the Wilson bill to amend the measure.
A more unnecessary announcement
was never made. 1t was, of course,
made solely for the purpose of mis-
leading the country into the belief that
there are enough democrats who wish
to amend the bill TO succeed in doing
so, if the republicans would only vote
with them. There are, it is true,
number of democratic representatives
mot SO large, however, as the repub.
icans would like the country to be-
lieve-who will endeavor to get the
bill amended in caucus, but failing in
that, there are not five of them who
will refuse to vote for the bill.
The House has shown itself to be
thoroughly in accord with the policy
of the democratic party by taking ad-
vantage of the unavoidable delay in
getting the tariff bill ready, to pass
bills admitting to statehood Utah, Ari-
zona and New Mexico, although re-
publican filibustering made Unnecessary
for the committee on rules to report
continuing orders before it could be
done. The people of these territories
are not likely to forget this republican
flibustering.
Congressman, particularly those who
have been so precipitate IN their cfiti-
cism, will do we'll to spend part of
their Christmas holiday in studying
President Cleveland's special message
and the Hawaiian documents of which
it treats. 1t will not be necessary for
them to indorse the Presidents Ha-
waian policy in its entirety to discover
how absurd Senator Hoar's recent re-
marks about impeachment were. There
has been neither technical nor actual
violation of either the letter or the
spirit of the Constitution by the Pres-
dent the idea that there had been
was conceived by malignant partisan
ship and nurtured by such men as
Hoar.
Mr.. J. r. Sovereign, the new head
OF the Knights of Labor, is in Wash
ington in attendance upon the confer
ence of the executive committee OF
the Bi-metallic League, with which he
is in sympathy. Speaking of the tariff
he said: 81 am an out and out free
trader. The so-called protection Of
American labor is deluson. Labor
is not protected. Invested capital re-
ceives bonus in the form of protec-
tion, and it is then optional with the
capitalist to give share of the bonus
to labor in the form of increased
wages. But this option is seldom, if
ever, exercised" There is no food
for reflection in these words of Mr..
Sovereign, who is certainly in posi-
ton to speak from the point of view
OF the American wage Garner.
Representative Culbertson, Chair
man of the House Judiciary commit
tee considers it very doubtful whether
a bankruptcy bill of any kind will get
through the House at this session, al
though representative Bailey will en-
deavor to push his voluntary bank
ruptcy bill, and representative Oates
will introduce a new bill modifying
the Torrey bill, which was recently
killed in the House.
1t has about been decided that the
internal revenue bill shall include an
inheritance tax, but it is still an open
question whether this tax shall take
the place of the proposed income tax
or shall be in addition thereto. 1t is
not considered probable by members
OF the Ways and Means committee
that the internal revenue bill will be
reported to the House until after the
holidays. The tariff bill will be re-
ported to the House to morrow, unless
something now unexpected shall pre-
vent, but it will not be called up for
debate until after the recess.
"a snake in the grass" is all the