The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-01-27
WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON. Ian. q. 1903.

that strike you as a popular title for
the democratic tariff bill which is to
be passed by the Fifty-third Congress
Unless number of gentlemen who
are in positions to know are wrong in
their calculations Senator Carlisle,
whose resignation as Senator will take
effect the fourth of next month, is the
man who will frame that bill. The
great success of the Walker tariff bill,
framed by President Polk's Secretary
of the Treasury, was, it is said, what
induced Mr. Cleveland to follow the
same plan and entrust the framing of
tariff bill which is to be strictly in
accord with democratic ideas, to his
Secretary of the Treasury. 1t is not
to be understood or inferred that this
move is intended to deprive the Ways
and Means Committee of the next
House Of any of its rights. The idea
is merely to put into the hands of that
committee complete tariff bill, leav-
ing its members to decide whether it
shall be accepted as prepared or to be
amended before being reported to the
House. Whatever ones opinion Of
this method OF preparing the tariff bill
may be, it cannot be denied that John
G. Carlisle is by experience and abili-
ty specially well qualified to frame the
democratic bill. He has for many
years been a leading tariff reformer,
and his name attached to the bill
would Of itself make it popular with
the rank and file of the democratic
party.
Much curiosity is felt concerning
the answer that Secretary Foster will
make to Representative SCOTS resolu-
ton, which has been adopted by the
House, calling for information as to
the delay in the erection of Public
buildings for which the money has
been appropriated by Congress. Mr..
Scott says he is satisfied that the delay
has been caused by the lack of money
in the Treasury, and the facts are all
with him /; but it is hardly
probable that the willy Secretary Of the
Treasury will admit that.
Representative Bynum's resolution,
which has been adopted by the House,
calling on the Ciyll Service Commits.
sion to furnish list Of all the men re-
instated in the classified service of the
Government, under rule 10, since
March 4, 1889, together with the date
of their dismissal or resignation from
the service, tie States they were from
and the States charged with their ap.
pointment, the date of their reinstate-
ment, and the departments in which
they were reinsta.ed. Rule 10, re-
ferred to in this resolution was gotten
up by republicans ostensibly to allow
the reinstatement within one year OF
their dismissal or resignation of ex-
soldiers, but if the information called
for by the resolution he truthfully Civ
en- it will be seen that it has been ter
ribly stretched, both as to time and
persons. 1t would be much better to
absolutely suspend the Civil Service
law so far as it relates to appoint,
ments and removals, for the first year
Of every administration, as proposed
by Representative Diamonds bill,
now in the hands of House commit
tee, than to evade it. as has been done
under this administration besides, II
would be much more manly and hon
orable.
The favorable report to the House
on the bill repeating all federal elec
ton laws contains some very strong lar
guage, but, as the report. .truthfully says
"these laws are a continued menace
to the peace and welfare of the coun
try, and nothing said against then
can be too strong. The House viii
pass this bill, not with any expectation
that it can get through the Senate a
this session, but to emphasize the po
sitlon Of the democratic party agains
these laws.
The republicans Of the Senate hav,
apparently adopted sort Of go-as you
| please pace. Two attempts have beer
made within the last week by mean
of caucuses, to get them together, bu
they were both failures. The most O
them appear to wish to avoid doinl
anything, aside from some special bill
in which they are interested, and to b.
unable to interest sufficient numbe
of their colleagues in any one measure
to gel it endorsed by caucus. Hav
ing given mp the silver question entire
ly they will this week caucus on tn,
admission Of new States. When th'
results of the last election are consid
cred the republicans are excusable TO
being slightly demoralized'
Senator Wolcott has been havin.
some fun at the expense Of the Post
master General. He doesn't like tn,
Columbus stamps, and Saturday h,
made humorous speech in favor o
his Joint resolution directing the Post