Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-12-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, Dec. 4, 1893.


that accounts for the space he devotes
to it in his message to Congress. It's
not for the democratic members Of
Congress that he intends his argu-
ments in favor of the tariff monstros-
ity which he has compelled the demo-
Gratis of the House Ways and Means
committee to father, but for the bust
ness interests of the country which
have kept the telegraph wires hot
with protests against the proposed
outrage ever since it was made public
week ago. He doesn't mind the OPP
position from democratic Congress
men; he knows by experience that a
few appointments judiciousIy placed
will silence the most of that. 1t is the
aroused public sentiment of the coun-
try that he fears.
Democratic Senators and Represen-
tatives who have been among their
constituents since the close of the ex-
ira session bring no consolation to the
administration; on the contrary, they
bring news of the most doleful nature.
At a private conference Of the admin
istration democrats held last night, it
was generally admitted that the next
House of Represe natives would al
most certainly be republican. Instead
of that knowledge making them more
conservative, as it would wiser men,
it has made them more determined
than ever to force the whole admins
tration program through Congress re-
gardless of consequences.
Republican leaders take little or no
stock in the idea that disconnected
democrats will aid them to modify the
Cleveland tariff bill. They have heard
democratic Senators and Representa-
tves talk one way and vote another
too often to place any reliance upon
them.
They intend, however, that the de-
bate on the bill shall make plain to
the country the full extent of the
damage such a law will infict upon
every man III the United States. Ow
ing to the House Rules and that the
House committee on Rules is COM
pletely under Mr.. Cleveland's thumb, |
it is certain that the bill will be rail-
roaded through the House with but a
semblance of general debate, but Mr..
Cleveland does not control the SEN
ate which has rules, that will not be
changed to aid in hurrying this bill
through, under which full debate may
be had. If democratic Senators choose
they may with the aid of the solid re-
70
get, if they ask for tit will not be
rendered to them-remove some of the
ruinous sections of the bill; but few
republicans are counting upon their
doing anything SO sensible.
1t is not yet certain when the Cleve
land tariff bill will be reported to the
House. A resolution adopted by the
House just before the close OF the ex-
ira session provided that the repub!i-
can members of the Ways and Means
committee should have ten days from
the time they were furnished with 3
complete copy Of the bill to prepare
their report against it. If that reso-
luton is to be binding the bill will not
be reported to the House until we'll
into next week, as the republicans
have not vet been furnished a com
plete bill-the internal revenue part
of it has not been finished by the dem
ocrats, and the figures of the Treasury
Department showing the estimated
effect of the proposed bill on the rev
enues of the country were only fur
nished them to- day. The astounding
statement is, however, I'M officially
made that the democrats will make a
bill of the internal revenuo
changes, in order that the ten days
may date from last Monday, when the
tariff schedule was first made public.
To do such thing would be manifest
ly unfair.
The reason why the internal part Of
the tariff bill has not been completed
is that Mr.. Cleveland and his hereto
fore willing tools, the democrats on
the Ways and Means committee, have {
locked horns over the proposition to
include therein an income tax, to
which Mr.. Cleveland is opposed. Up
to this time all efforts to reach a COM
promise have been unsuccessful, and
some shrewd men are predicting that
the income tax will be the rock upon
which the Cleveland and anti Cleve-
land democrats in Congress will split
for good and all. We shall see
One OF the members OF the staff of
Governor elect Greenhalge, OF Mass
achusetts, is Everett @. Benton, of
WaVerly who is an old time Essex