Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-12-07
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
The New Free Trade Bill To Be Hur-
ried Through Many In
teresting Topics.
wAsHrseroN, D. C.. Dec. 4. 1898.

WARRINGTON, d. c., Dec 4, 1893.
The Wilson Tariff Bill is out of the bag
and the country at last knows just what
the committee has been doing. 1t has
aroused q good deal of comment, and
the wave of criticism that has swept
down upon it from many sections, does
not seem in any way to disturb the Sc
renity of Mr.. Wilson in the slightest de-
gree. The protests from his own dis
trict against placing coal on the free list,
had no effect whatever, and it joins hands
with iron ore, lumber and wool 1t is
good thing for the country that the bill
is at last made public, and although not
nearly as radical as the rank free traders
would like to have it, it is much more
radical than it will likely be when it be-
comes law. There will be some heavy
| firing all along the line when the bill
comes up, and there are many Democrats
who think the bill goes entirely too far
Just how far the President will endorse
the present bill will probably soon be
developed, as it is expected the message
will give broadside on the question that
will not be hard to understand. 1t seems
to be the intention of the friends
Of the bill to get it through both
houses of Congress, and to the President
by March 1st, as to give it chance to
work awhile before the next fall
elections, and also to give the business
world chance to know what is what, as
soon as possible. 1t will require lively
work to do this, but the rules of the
House are so arranged that it can be |
done without any great delay if the Dem
ocratic members hang together. Right
are so many members Of the majority
side of the House whose districts are az |
fected differently by this bill, that it will
will probably require party caucus to
keep them in line, and that might not |
hold them. When man gets seat in
Congress, he generally likes to hold on
for awhile, if it is possible; personal in
terests are stronger than party ties even,
and party ties are strong enough. But
the influence of President Cleveland
upon his party is powerful one, and if
he indorses the bill ia lots, it will greatly |
aid the leaders of the bill AS to the
Senate, we do not take much stock in the
prediction that the bill will be defeated
there. The Senate is Democratic, and
the Populist Senators Will almost to
man supports tariff reform (as it is call
ed) measure, and there are three OF four
Western Republican Senators who desire
lower tariff, and they will balance all loss
among Eastern Democratic Senators.
Yet it will be a tussle, and we can count
on one thing-the great mass of the Re-
publican Senators will not be found with
the administration in the support of this
BILL as they were found in the silver
battle.
-the-way, the silver battle is to be re-
opened as soon as Congress meets, it is
said. A determined effort is to be made
to change the present condition of the
silver question. 1t is said that Senator
Voorhees, will be one of the leaders in
more legislation for silver, and will keep
his promises made in debate on the floor
of the Senate, that as soon as the repeal
bill was passed he would enter the fight
for more silver legislation. 1t is already
seen that he is not with the administra-
tion on the Pension question, and recent
ly in his own State, has declared himself
squarely opposed to the pension policy
of Hoke Smith. 1t was supposed that the
President had an able ally in Dan, who
would stand by him through thick and
thin, but Dan has been home, and the
indications are that he has desire to
keep his own fence in good trim.
The fight that has been made for 80
long against Mr.. Powderly in the Knights
of Labor organization has finally been
successful, and Powderly is down and
out. The man that made the order what
it has been, has been overthrown by the
very men whom he made prominent. That
the end of the great order is near at hand
seems to be the general opinion here.
James r. Sovereign, of Des Moines, who
has been elected to Mr.. Powderly's late
position, is Labor Commissioner of the
State of Iowa, appointed by Gov. Boies.
He is an able man, and no doubt all his
abilities will be used to keep the order to-
gether, but it will probably be a useless ]
task.
The death of Charlie o'Neill, the faith $
er of the House, who died at his home in $
Philadelphia, has cast a gloom over the 6
city in which he Was so well and favora- {
bly, known. He has been a continuous
of the House since 1869. He
was business member, and hard
worker. He has long been q member of
the Committee on Commerce. Mr..
O'Neil was bachelor, and was famous
for his great love for children. He is
said to have known every man, woman
and child in his district.
The death of Uncle Jerry Rusk, who
became such familiar figure here dur T
ing President Harrison's administration, n
is most sincerely regretted. To all ap- e
pearances when he left here, Uncle Jerry /,
was good for score of years yet, but his
case only goes to show how uncertain
life is. His native State had honored the
old gentleman highly, and was especially b
dear to all Grand Army boys. But he a
has gone, as so many of the old veterans
are going year by year.
The circular of ex-Secretary Fairchild, Z,
of New York, calling for reorganiza- r,
tion of the State Democracy of New q
Y ork, is the first gun in the new move q
ment of the Cleveland wing of the New q
ork Democracy to overthrow the Hill
in the State. 1t seems to be