Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-03-16
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
CLEVELAND DECLINES To Re
PLACED IN THE mid"

4 Republican Scheme which In me
10 Naught - Senators Vest and
McPhersOn ssIeiAe te ExpI.tn,,
i Bids for the Soldier Votc-A Saw.
ing I'm the Postal Service.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, March 8, 1894.
President Cleveland has, according
10 information from Trustworthy
source, positively refused to ac. as
mediator between the Democrats of the
Finance committee and the Demo
cratic Senators who have been fighting
Tor radical changes in the tariff bill, in
order to protect certain industries in
their States. When asked to do so he
is said to have INDUCED in some very
vigorous language concerning crit.
cisms which Democratic Senators have
made upon the floor of the Senate and
elsewhere about his alleged interior
ence with the legislative branch of the
government, and to have expressed
surprise that he should have asked to
have anything to do with the matter.
This Is in accord with my understanding
OF one OF the reasons for the Presidents
hunting trip. He wished to be away
from Washington while the Demo-
cratic Senators were agreeing upon the
tariff bill, and was both surprised and
disappointed when he returned to find
that an agreement had not been
reached, feelings probably shared by
ninety-tiye per cent. OF the Democratic
party.
1t seems difficult to convince the
Republican Senators that they do not
possess all of the parliamentary knowl-
edge and skill in that body, but they
were very cleverly outwitted by the
Democrats this week in a scheme of
their own putting up. A Republican
caucus decided to spring the i'm
mediate consideration of the Bland
bill Tor the coinage of the seigniorage,
which passed the House last week, on
the Senate, counting upon the votes of
the Populists, and upon forcing the
silver Democrats to choose between
tariff and silver, their idea being to
keep the Bland bill before the Senate
for an indefinite period, in order to
prevent consideration of the tariff bill.
The Democrats learned of this pro-
gramme and gave the Republicans
surprise they have not yet recovered
from, by taking the initiative in get
ting the Bland bill before the Senate,
Senator Voorhees, stating that as it
would probably be about ten days be-
fore the tariff bill (now before the full
Finance committee) would be ready
for the consideration of the Senate,
and that time was ample for the dis
position of the Bland bill. Senator
Sherman made an Intellectual effort to
have the Bland bill sent to committee.
Senators Vest and Mcpherson made
personal explanations in the Senate
this week concerning charges made
against them, in New York paper, of
having speculsted in the stock of the
sugar trust on their knowledge OF
what the sugar clause OF the tariff bill
was to be. Senator Vest said: "II
may as we'll say now, once for all, that
such publication as this is a vile
SANDER, and the man who repeats it is
a willful and malicious liar" Senator
Mcpherson said that he did sometimes
buy stocks, for investment, not specula-
ton, and that when he was in the
South some weeks ago his brokers, act
ing under standing order to buy
certain stocks when they could be had
at certain prices, bought 1000 shares
of sugar stock for him. AS soon as he
returned and learned of the purchase
he instructed his brokers to sell the
stock and 10 buy no more, as he did
not wish TO hold it while sugar was be-
ing discussed by the Finance commit.
tee.
The usual bids for the soldier vote
were made by the Republican members
OF the House during the debate on the
pension appropriation bill. 1t was the
old, old story.
Postmaster General Bissell doesn't
accept any hallway business from con.
tractors under his department. The
President OF the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company was made aware of this
fact. this week, through an official
notification that the contract between
the Government and his company for
the transportation of mails between
New York and the Isthmus OF Panama,
and between San Francisco and the
Japanese and Chinese ports, made
under the subsidy act of the notorious
billion-dollar Congress, would be
Cancelled, because OF the failure of the
company to comply with the terms of
the contract. Mails will continue to
be sent by the steamers OF this line,
but only the usual prices will be paid
for carrying them, instead of an extra
subsidy OF 81 mile for all the dis
lance covered. The canceling OF this
contract leaves only two lines-the
Red ID line, between New York and
the north coast OF South America, and
the Ward line, between New York,
Cuba and Mexico-operating under
the subsidy law, as the American line
between New York and Southampton
will not begin to receive its subsidy
until next October.
The House Democratic caucus held
this week TO consider the ACCESSIBILITY
of making some change in the rules,
looking towards an easier way of
getting and keeping a quorum, &C.
complished nothing because it was not
itself attended by quorum. There is
one way in which the Democrats of
the House could largely increase their
popularity, help the party, and always
have quorum-by simply attending
the sessions Of the House; but this
seems to have been entirely overlooked
by some OF them. Dem.
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