Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-11-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
written and compiled for the HERALD

rwritten and compiled for the HERALD
WASHINGTON, Nov. 90, 1893 With
the exception of a few Senators and
REPRESENTATIVES. from the states in which
"a elections are held this week, who have
remained here for the purpose of trying
to pick ups - patronage for their
constituents, congressman are today as
scarce in Washington AS though it were
midsummer. The sum totai OF extra ses
sion legislation was sixteen joint resolu-
tions and seventeen bills, all Of which
were approved by the President. The
administration got all it asked for from
the extra session-ths unconditional re-
peal of the purchasing clause of the Sher-
man law and the amendments of the Geary |
Chinese law and although it did not
specifically ask for it the adjournment
Was 10 accordance with It's known wiLhes.
Some days ago it locked as though the
United States might have to take stand
in relation to the revolution in Brazil that
would have made war probable with one
or more European nations. Later infor
nation, hewever, changed the aspect OF
sffalrs and from what Is now said by
officials showed the first information 10
have been the result OF our Minister to
Brazil, who has lot been there lopg
enough to become acquainted with the
character of those who "fll him up
with alleged in formation, Of conrse-haY-
ing become slightly panic stricken at
what he thought was an attempt by
Europeans to overthrow the republic and
establish a monarchy that would not
encourage American commercial snprem
acy in Brazil. Just as Uncle Sam wa
bout to say something saucy concerniLs
the Monroe doctrine he found out that 1t
" as unnecessary. Calls well that ends
we'll" but it would seem that men cou Id
be found to send abroad as ministers who
would not get ratified
Quite batch of more or less important
nominations were lett Enacted upon by
the Senate. 1t is IN the power of the
President to give recess commissions to-
all of the left-oS ers, and such commissions
have already been issued to those who
come under the Treasury Department.
The President may and probably will
| again send the most if not all of these
nominations to the Senate at the regular
session. The most important OF those IN
acted upon is that of Mr. HOrIGiower to
the Supreme Court vacancy. There are
the best of reasons for believing that
this nomination would have been confirm
ed by large majority had it been re-
ported to the Senate, but Senator Hill
who Is credited with not wishing to have
the nomination confr med before election
day because of the attitude of Mr.. Horn
blower towards Judge Maynard, and who
is a member of the Judiciary committee,
| to which the nomination was referred,
prevented its being acted upon by using !
his influence to prevent the attendance OF
q quorum at the committee meetings.
There Is little doubt that Mr.. HornblOwers
| nomination will be again sent to the
Senate in December, and less that it will
BE- confirmed. Next in Importance comes
that Of Robert E. Preston to be Director
OF the Mint. The silver Senators pre-
| vented action on this nomination, and say
they will try to defeat it when sent ID
again. The nominations of the two
negroes-Taylor to be Minister to Bolivia
and Astwoed to be Counsel at Calais.
Frauce-were very Objectionable to many
Senators who thought it highly improper
to send negro to fill diplomatic post
among white people. Taylor's nOmi ma
ton failed for lack Of action and AstwoOd
was rejected. 1t is not probable either
will be sent in again. Senator Vance
prevented action on the nominations of
two collectors of Internal Revenue III
North Carolina Senator Hill hung up a
whole batch of New York appointments
in tbs Customs and Revenue service.
If the talk of those men who are IN
positions to know what the democratic !
members of the House Ways and Means
committee are doing can be relied upon
there will be nothing radical about the
tariff bill soon to be completed and made
public. 1t will, according to these gentle
men, be a conservative and common sense
revision of the present tariff laws, some
thing between the high duties advocated
by ultra protectiOnists and the ideas Of
the absolute free-traders. 1t is most
deyoutly to be hoped that these prophesies
may prove true. 1t must be plain to
every observant man, whatever his own
tariff views may be, that the business of
the country is not at present in any con-
diton 20 stand radical tariff changes,
which always, even in the most prosper
GUS times, have depressing effect upon
general business. In tact, if the tariff
could be got out Of partisan politics and
kept out it would be one of the best
things that could possibly happen. The
late Senator Plumb had the right ide
about it, He wanted permanent, nom
partisan tariff commission established,
which shO1ld from time to time recon-
mend such tariff changes to Congress as
they might think would be beneficial.
The pOpulsts in the House and Senate
have issued silver address to the country,
which was signed by the Nevada Sena-
tors. The National Bi-Metallic League
has also issued an appeal in behalf of
silver.