The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-11-30
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
lrrem ,nr Nesu--.- cor-..naad.nl.l
WASHINGTON. Nov. u. 1898.


combine in his own persons the
functions of both the legislative
and executive 5ranches of the gov
eminent was never more plainly
shown than by the new tariff bill,
which is far more radical measure
than it was generally expected to
be. Mr.. Cleveland has actually
compelled Democratic members of
the House Wavs and Means COM
mittee,to vote to put all articles on
the free list against the protest OF
their Democratic constituents and
with the full knowledge that such
action would bring want to many
people in their districts and states.
This may seem a strong assertion,
but it is not exaggerated in the
slightest degree. How has Mr..
Cleveland obtained sufficient con-
troll over Democratic members of
the House to compel them to vote
away the welfare of their friends
and cor stltuents? The answer is
easy. He has done it by the use of
patronage and promise; he has
given them petty Offices for their
personal followers and has promised
them that if they fail to get renom-
mated and elected the Fifty
Fourth Congress he will provide for
them nallv-chairma Wilson.
of the committee on WAYS and
Means, who has betrayed two of the
greatest industries of West Vir-
ginia. by allowing coal and iron ore
to be placed on the free list, is un-
derstood to have been promised a
lifetime position on the bench Of
the q. S. Circuit or District Court
as a reward for his treachery to the
interests of his State and people.
The same policy is to be carried out
to get votes for the Cleveland tariff
bll-it is a misnomer to call it by
anybodyelse's name-in the House,
and will probably succeed as we'll us
with the committee.
But when it comes to the Senate
these tactics will not necessarily
succeed The average Senator is
always more independent than
member of the House. His term
is six years and if he has lately been
elected, will extend beyond that Of
the President, so that he does not
feel that he has any need of being
"taken care of" by the administra
ton in case his action of vote is un-
satisfactory to his constituents.
There is not the slightest expccta-
ton that the Senate VIII pass the
tariff bill as it is now, even il Mr..
Cleveland succeeds in his an
nounced intention to railroad it
through the House, although, look
ing at the matter from u purely po-
litlcal tandpoint, It would be the
best thing that could happen for
tho Republican party for It to be-
come q law just as il now is, but it
would be y great hardship on the
wage earners Of the country, conse-
quently Republicans will try to de-
feat it, or IN any event to have it
amended in many respects.
Among the long list of articles
placed on the free list 10y the new
bill are the following, Wool, iron
ore, coal, pig tin, hemp, fax, jute,
silver, lead ore, copper, salt, crude
boraX, binding twne, cotton ties,
and lumber not advanced in prepar-
alton beyond saving. The cut on
articles left on the dutable list is
deep and will probably average
somewhere about forty per cent.
No news is expected from Hawai-,
unless it be secured by 4 special
steamer sent by some enterprising
newspaper, before December II.
The administration would very
gladly crawl out Of the unpleasant
hole in which it finds itself, but as
1t cannot its members pretend an
Indifference they are far from feel
ing. Secretary Gresham IS trying
to sneak ont by telling his personal
friends that Mr.. Cleveland had de-
termined to restore the Queen be-
fore he was sworn in and that
Blount's instructions were prepared
in the White House and given to
him by Mr.. Cleveland, and that he
(Gresham) had nothing whatever
to do with shaping the Hawaiian
policy. But even while trying to
do the sneak act he has proven his
completely in what will be regarded
by postericy as one of the most
dastardly state crimes in American
history by ransacking the State De
partment record and giving out for
publication in administration news
papers isolated letters which seem
to bear out his theory, or, rs he
claims, Mr.. Cleyeland's theory,
that the Harrison administration
had knowledge of the intention to
overthrow the queen long before
that event took Mace.