Middletown transcript., 1893-05-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, May 16, 1893.-The
administration program is at last COM
pleted, at least that is what those who
usually speak for the President say.
1t consists of only four heads, and
whatever else it may be is certainly
thoroughly Democratic. Here they
are: first, the repeal of the federal cleo
ton laws, SO as to keep the South solid
in both Congressional and Presidential
elections; second, the levying of an
| income tax, to replace the money that
will be lost by lowering the tariff on
| foreign manufactures; third, the repeal
| of the Sherman silver law and of the
tax on state bank currency; fourth, a
complete revision of the tariff, lower
ing the duties materially on everything.
This program is the result of MIR.
| Cleveland's deliberation, and he says
that he has no fear Of the refusal of
Congress to adopt any part of it except
| the tariff bill; he fears that the demand
| for protection for home manufactures
| may be so strong that Democratic Sem
ators and Representatives from manu-
featuring states will not support that.
Others, however, think that he has
been led into being over-sanguine by
the talk of Senators and Members in
tent upon pleasing him SO they might
pick up some crumbs of patronage.
1t is very certain that an income tax
cannot be gotten through Congress
without the hardest sort of fight,
although if it be endorsed by the Demo-
cratic Senate and House caucus it will
in the end, of course, be passed. 1t is
not believed that bill for the repeal of
the Sherman silver law can possibly be
passed without Republican votes in
both House and Senate, because that is
the one question upon which quite a
number of Democratic Senators and
Representatives will not be bound by
caucus; it was tried at the last session
of Congress; and it is absolutely GER
tain that not a single Republican in
either House or Senate will vote for he
bill if it be yoked to the repeal of the
tax on state bank currency, as at pres
ent proposed; they believe too strongly
in honest money to support bill that
if enacted into law that would give the
country an era Of wildcat money. As
to the repeal of the feder u election
law, unless the next House adopts
much more stringent rules against fill
busterin1 than the last one did, the
Republicans will defeat the attempt by
I'll clustering. All Of which makes it
plain that it is much easier to arrange
a program for Congress to follow than
it Will be to make Congress follow it.
At last the secret is out as to why
Commissioner Raum was asked for his
re .ignation weeks before his successor
was selected. AS long as he remaint d
at the head of the bureau applications
for pensions were granted just as
rapidly as they had been since the new
law went into effect, nearly three years
ago. One of the first things agreed
upon by the new Democratic cabinet
was that the number of original PEN
sions granted should be largely cut
down, and they have been from the
day that General Raum left the bureau,
the decrease being about seventy per
cent. And The present understanding
in the bureau is that the average Of
original ensions granted must not be-
more than one-third of what it was
under General Raum. That is one
kind of pension reform, but it will
hardly be popular with needy appli-
cants.
Secretary Carlisle is the most popu-
lar member of the administration with
the rank and ale Of the DemCc attic
party, because he defies The mugwump
alleged civil service rtfarmers and
openingly gives as his excuse for ak
ing for the resigna ion Of Republican
employees that he wants their places for
Democrats.
One Republican has resigned that
Secretary Carlisle would have been glad
to have retained as a member of his
staff, but fatter:ng offer was made to
Mr.. Edward q. Leeeh, by the wealthy
gentlemen, among them, ex-Srcretary
Whitney, who are to open the National
Union bank in New York city OH June
/, and he has resigned the posili ion of
Director of the Mint to become cashier
If the new bank. Mr. Leech, although
comparatively young man, has de-
voted years to the study of finance,
upon which he is justly regarded as
high authority.
There is long story behind the. re
fusal OF ex-Secretary Faircbild to serve
as member of the committee APP
pointed by Secretary Carlisle to inyes-