Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-12-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, December s, 1898.

Washington, December s, 1898.
Secretary Carlisle has not completed
his annual report and does not expect to
hnlsh it before next week. 1t will
probably be one of the longest and most
comprehensive papers of its kind ever
submitted to congress, owing to the bad
condition in which the Republicans left
the finances of the country. The ab-
sence of this report, although not the
only reason, was one the principal
reasons for the delay in getting the new
tariff bill before the house. 1t would
have been sufficient of itself, as it is
necessary for that report to be in the
hands of members before they take up
the tariff.
Chairman Wilson's present intention
is to report the tariff bill to the house
next Wednesday, and he hopes to make
public its twin measure, the internal
revenue bill, at about the same time.
The last named bill would have been
ready before this had not the revised es-
Inmates of the officials of the treasury
department shown that the deficiency in
revenue caused by the reductions in
duties and an extension of the free list
made by the new tariff bill would be in
the neighborhood of $6O,000,0O0, which
was some S25, 100000 more than had been
estimated by members of the ways and
means committee. This, of course,
necessitated a revision of the internal
revenue bill, which is to be made to
supply the deficiency caused by the
tariff bill.
AS there is no estimate for the ex-
penses of the bureau of American repub-
lies in the figures submitted by Secretary
Gresham, for the next fiscal year, it is
safe to say that there will soon be nc
bureau of American republics. 1t was a
sort of side attachment to the beautiful
on paper-Blaine reciprocity programme
Its cost has been annually about $50 900
principally for salaries, and the benefit
1t has been to the country has been un
discoverable. Secretary Morton regards
the money spent at the forty eight agri
cultural experimental stations-one il
each state and terrtory-as largely
wasted, and having recommended in hi
annual report that they be abolished h,
left this S720,000, which it would reouir,
to run them, out of his estimates for mex
year.
Governor-elect O'Ferrall, of Virginia
will retain his seat in the house unit
the Christmas recess, as his resignation
will not take effect until the 2Sth inst
He will be inaugurated governor on tn,
first day of January and WILL contrary
to custom, deliver an inaugural address
something that has been done by onl,
one other governor of that state since
the war. He has been warmly con
graduated by his colleagues with whom
he is deservedly popular.
Congress got down to work very
smoothly. The regular business in tn,
house is the Oats bankruptcy bill which
will be disposed of late this week OF
early in the coming week. The senate
has listened to some stump speeches on
the Hawaiin question, and taken up its
routine work in its usually leisurely
manner. A concurrent resolution was
unanimously adopted by congress accept
ing the bronze statue of General James
Shields, which was unveiled by daugh-
ter of General Shields, in the statuary
hall of the capitol, Wednesday after
noon, and thanking Illinois for having
presented the statue. The ceremonies
attending the unveiling were imposing
and interesting and were participated in
bp large number of prominent people,
including Governor Altgeld, whose ora
ton in honor of the warrior, jurist and
statesman" made splendid impression
upon those who heard it. S.
Examine McDonald's SC. cashimers.