The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-07-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsH1NeToN. D. G.. July 7. 1898

WASHINGTON. ID. u, July z, 1885,
Secretary Gresham is probably the only mem.
ber of the Cabinet who will remain continuous
ly in Washington until the opening of the
extra session of Congress. on August 7th. The
rest of them will endeavOr to get little rest
between now and then. Secretary Lamont is
now in Maine with his family. and Secretaries
Carlisle and Herbert are at the W World's Fair,
while the Attorney General is in Massachusetts
Secretary Hoke Smith will combine business
with his vacation, by making a trip through
the West and visiting various subordinates of
his department. President Cleveland does not
expect to return until just before the assem-
bling of Congress, as he wishes to prepare his
message TO Con gress, which will be in some re-
spects the Imost important he ever wrote. free
from Interruption.
Notwithstanding all the newspaper talk about
an administration programme Ior the extra
session of Congress. it can be positively stated
that there will be no such thing as an admins
ration programme. President Cleveland will
in his message, endeavor to make the necessity
for the repeal OF the Sherm man silver law per.
fectly plain to Congress, and in that he will not
oVerstep the bounds of his constitutional rights
but he mas NO idea of attempting to dictate q
programme to Congress. He will merely point
out what. in his Judgment, ought to be done,
leaving Congress to consider ways and means
of how it shall be done, or whether it shall be
done at all. The programme Tor the extra ses
sion will be arranged by Congress after it
meets and not by any single individual. and any
attempt to outline it tefore the members of
Congress have had an opportunity to consult
upon 1t is nothing more nor less than guess
work,
Representative Holman, whose ideas OF econ
I'M n nd tern
wi0ely known. says nothing would be more
conductive to economy than the imposition of
an income tax by Congress. Speaking on the
subject this week he said: The possibilities
for wealth in the United States are beyond all
calculation. They are enormous. If we tried
to live mp to them in our public expense we
would inaugurate an era of extravaganza In
the midst of which free institutions could not
live. Behind Congress is the wealthier class of
citizens. 1t is to their interests that the ex.
penditures Of the government should be lavish
They are the gamers by building contracts. by
river and harbor contracts, and SO on. You see
plenty of lobbies of rich men their repre-
sentatives here at each session OF Congress
You never see a lobby of poor men, You may
not know it, but there is not evening that
member of Cong ress cannot dine at one of the
clubs in this city. The men who support these
clubs are not m en- who contribute their fair
share to the support OF the overnment. They
are the people who profit by the expenditures OF
large sums of public money. That is the
strongest argument. think. in favor of the es
tablishment OF an income tax. If we make
heavy appropriations now, the weight of them
falls with the greatest force ON the poor. Ifthe
government was supported by an income tax,
these same people who are here urging us to
spend money now, would be here in the same
force urging us TO econC mize Their interests
then would be in economy" This argument
may be new to many, but it is none the less in
teresting on that account.
The recent shake up in the Weather Bureau
by which several of its highest officials were
rcd 10 private life, is believed to be but the
beginning of an entire reorganization of that
branch OF the public service. Secretary Nor
ton thinks it has been too extravaganlly run.
Many unsuccessful attempts were made while |
Speaker Crisp was in town this week to get q
hint from him as to who would be chairman of |
the most import tant committees in the House |
his own reelection to be Speaker being taken |
for granted. There has been lots of talk about |
resident Cleveland being opposed to this or |
that chairman of the last House being given |
the same place in tine new House. but mem |
ber of the Cabinet stated several days ago that |
Mr.. Cleveland had never made any request or |
even a suggestion 10 MIR Crisp concerning who |
should be chairman of any House committee. |
1t is altogether probable that some of the old |
chairmen will fail to get back their places. but
1t " ill be because the Judgment of Mr.. Crisp is
in favor of change. and not because of any in
reference on the part of Mr.. Clevelan d. who.
although a wonderfully industrious man. could
never find time to do one. tenth of the things he
Is redited with doing.