The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-12-08
Washington Letter.

WAsHISGToN y. c. Dec. /, 1885
President Cleveland did not eat 4is
Than ksgiving day dinner at the White
House, although the stewart had OBJ
tanned a forty pound turkey for the oc-
casion He and MIS-. Cleveland dined
with Postmaster General and Mrs Bis
sell, as did Secretary and Mrs Gresham
and Secretary and Mrs. Carlisle, although
il was an innovation for the President
and his wife 10 dine with a member Of
the cabinet, except at "a regular cabinet
dinner.
The new tariff bin is the principal
topic Of conversation among congress
men, now quite plentiful In Washington.
aud becoming more so upon the arrival
of every train. There Is much less
kicking" among Democrats than the
members of the committee expected, and
very much less than existed ameng Re
publicans after the publication of the
Mckinley bill The fact Is generally
recognized 10y Democrats that the Viii
son bill Is one that viii IN the end be
generally beneficial to the entire cOun-
try, although like most great reforms 1t
Will necessarily carry temporary hard
ship 20 some individuals, and that Is
really where the great strength OF the
bill lies; IL Is "A tariff bill for the many,
not for the few The Democrats who
framed II are true believers in the doc
trine of the greatest good TO the great
est number. The Republicans who IN
dlsparagement of the bill SAID it was
built upon the lines of the Walker tariff
of 1916, could hardly have given the
bill greater praise, as the Walker tariff
was one of the best the country ever had,
and the people of all classes were never
more prosperous than while IL was in
existence
President Cleveland has congratulated
the Democrats of the ways and means
committee upon the stateSmanlike mans
ner in which they prepared the tariff
bill, in several Instance members voting
to put articles on the free list, such as
iron ore, coal and silver lead ore, that
their constituents would have preferred
having kept on the dutlable list and in
his message to congress he will officially
commend their work and urge that the
bill be speedily passed.
The Democrats of the committee on
ways and means are now at work upon
the internal revenue bill which IL to fur
nish the revenue that will be lost by re-
forming the tariff. 1t is estimated that
this loss will be somewhere between $50
900, 900 and 500, 900, 600 a year. The
Democrats of the committee have but
one thought in preparing, this bill, md
that Is, TO impose the taxes in such a
manner that they will bear the lightest
upon those who have to work for their
living, and as they are all men of wide
experience and great ability they will
doubtless report Il satisfactory bill.
Postmaster General Bissel has not an
nOunced whether he considers il proper
and advisable TO accept the bid submit
ted by the Bureau of engraving and
printing for printing the postage stamps
that Will be required next year, but the
other fellows are getting frightened and
are filling such of the local papers as
are open to such subsidized matter with
so-called arguments against the the gov
ernment printing its own postage
stamps. These arguments, which are
but repetition of those brought forward
(when the people begun to discuss the
question of the government printing its
own money by the agents Of the various
bank note companies which had grown
rich by printing government currency.
They are simply absurd, and if there are
no legal obstacles it Is probable that Gen.
Blssell Will accept the bid Of the Bureau
OF printing and engraving, which i
SlG9,u GOO below that of the lowest pri-
vate bidder. Even if the work could
not be done any cheaper it Is more hit
ting that the postage stamps should be
printed 10y the government
The peremtOIy removal OF Mr.. George
ID. Johnson, of Louisiana. the oulv
Democratic member of the civil service
commission, by President Cleveland was
surprising and has been the basis OF no
end Of gossip. No official reason has
been given out for the removal and il Is
not at all probable that any Will be Civ
en- out, but 1t comes from good authority
that the cause Of Mr.. Johuston's re-
moval was not discreditable to him, asa
man or Democrat. lie viii be sue
ceeded by Prof. j. r. Proctor. Of Ken
lucky, ana Commissioner LYMAN. who's.
has been, / am told. fully de
termiued upon, 10y a Democrat. There
Is ample cause for Lyman removal. IN
the report OF a congressional committee
TO President Harrison, and he probably
owes ms retention in office this long. as
many other Republicans do. to the fact
that President Cleveland has been con
stantly overwhelmed with more import
ant duties than the selection of success .
Sors to minor officials. But unless all /
signs are misleading, the most of the Re /
puhlicans will go before the flowers bloom I
again. ]