The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1893-12-08
NO. 81.
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Dec. l, 1898.


From our regular Correspondent
Mr.. Cleveland's determination to
combine in his own person the func-
tions of both the legislative and execu-
tive branches of the government was
never more plainly shown than by the
new tariff bill, which is far more rad
| ical measure than it was generally ex
pected to be. Mr.. Cleveland has act
aally compelled democratic members
ii0f the House. Ways and Means COM
mittee to vote to put articles on the
free list, against the protes. 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 exagger-
ated 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 con-
stituents? The answer is easy. He
has done it by the use of patronage
and promises; he has given them petty
has promised them that if they fail
to get renominated and elected to the
Fifty Fourth Congress he will provide
for them personally-Chairman Will
son, of the committee on Ways and
Means, who has betrayed two of the
greatest industries of West Virginia,
by allowing coal and iron ore to be
placed on the free list, is understood to
have been promised lifetime position
on the bench of the U. 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 Cleve-
land tariff bill-it is misnomer to
call it by anybody's name-in the
House, and will probably succeed as
we'll as with the committee.
But when it comes to the Senate
those tactics will not necessarily sue
ceed. The average senator is always
more independent than a 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 ad-
ministration in case his action or vote
is unsatisfactory to his constituents.
There is not the slightest expectation
that the Senate will pass the tariff bill
as it is now, even if Mr.. Cleveland sue
ceeds IN his announced intention to
railroad it through the House, al
though, looking at the matter from a
purely political standpoint, it would be
the best thing that could happen for
the republican party for it to become
a law just as it now is, but it would be
a great hardship on the wage earners
of the country; consequently republi-
cans will try to defeat it, or in any
event to have it amended in many re-
spects.
Among the long list of articles plac-
ed on the free list are the following:
Wool, iron ore, coal, pig tin, hemp,
flax, jute, silver, lead ore, copper, salt,
crude borax, binding twine, cotton
ties. and lumber not advanced in pre-
paration beyond saving. The cut on
articles left on the dutiable list is deep
and will probably average somewhere
of forty percent.
No news is expected from Hawaii,
unless it is secured by special steam
er sent by some enterprising news
paper, before December II. The ad-
ministration would very gladly crawl
out of the unpleasant hole in which it
finds itself, but as it cannot its mem
bers pretend an Indifference they are
far from feeling. Secretary Gresham
is trying to sneak out by telling his
personal friends that Mr.. Cleveland
had determined to restore the queen
before he was sworn in and that
I BlCunt's instructions were prepared
in the White House and given to him
by Mr.. Cleveland, and that he Ceres
ham) had nothing whatever to do
with shaping the Hawaiian policy.
But even while trying to do the sneak
act he had proven his completely in
what will be regarded by posterity as
one of the most dastardly state crimes
in American history by ransacking the
State Department record and giving
out for publication in administration
newspapers isolated letters which seem
to bear out his theory, or, as he claims,
Mr.. Cleveland's theory, that the Har-
rison administration had knowledge
of the intention to overthrow the
queen long before that event took
place.
Just why the administration thinks
that its position would be completely
vindicated if this fact was proven is
more than l can see. 1t is probable
that nine intelligent citizens out of
every ten would say that this govern
ment did exactly what was right if it
had actually dethroned the queen, as
Mr.. Cleveland would like the country
! to believe.
Not satisfied with controlling the
Congressman now in Office MIR. Cleve-
land has entered into conspiracy
with Messrs. Harrity, Quincy and
Dickinson, of the Democratic Nation
al Committee to control the nomina-
ton of every democrat who runs for
the House of the Fifty-Fourth Con-
gress, through the machinery of the
national committee, which is to open
headquarters here solely for that pur-
pose. The democratic congressman
@S@SCCSSCo