The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-08-20
DOINGS AT
WASHINGTON.
The New Tariff Bill to Go Into
Effect Next Friday.
RIVER AND HARBOR BILL
President Cleveland Allows II to Become
Law without His Signature-Mc-
PhersOn Threatens to Resign.
RIVER AND HARBOR BILL

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19-The treasury
department has mailed to customs officers
copies of the new tariff bill in order that
they might be able to properly assess
duties when the new bill becomes "a law.
The first copies secured by the department
were sent to far western points, and as
fast as the remaining copies were delivered
by the printer they were promptly mailed
to all other customs collectors and treas
ury agents.
The copies sent to San Francisco and
Portland, Or, will reach those cities next
Friday, and it is expected that the tariff
bill will become a law on that day.
No More Tariff Legislation.
The senate has decided that there shall
bo no further legislation over which there
Is a contest at this session of congress by
adopting Mr.. Murphys resolution to that
effect by good majority. Indeed, it is
doubtful if anything could have been done
even without the adoption of this resolu-
tion, for it was impossible to secure a
working quorum on any party division,
and other senators are about to leave the
city. The resolution appointing Mr.
White of California a member of the
finance committee met with no opposi-
tion and was agreed to unanimously.
Mr. Gray's resolution instruoting the
committee on finance to report the free
sugar bill Immediately with an amend
ment putting flat" duty upon sugar
did not fare so we'll and went over with
out action, owing TO the lack of q quo
rum.
Another resolution was offered by Mr.
Lindsay declaring that 1t was the sense of
the senate that congress should not ad-
journ without striking out of the tariff
bill the benefits it gives to the Sugar trust,
which was amended by including the
Whisky trust and as amended it went
over under objection.
River and Harbor Bill a Law.
The river and harbor BILL carrying S11,
476, 1870, became law at midnight last
night without President Cleveland's sig
nature, the legal limit of 10 days having
expired within which he could sign or
veto it, 1t is the third time during Mr.
Cleveland's two terms that river and
harbor bill has become law without his
approval, the only other bill of this kind
submitted to him having been vetoed
Fears were expressed up to a late hour
that the present bill would be vetoed, as
Mr., Cleveland made it known to the river
and harbor managers several months ago
that he did not want the total of the bill
to exceed SO, 600, 0O0 This led to pairing
down the appropriations on most of the
river and harbor projects about four -flfths
from the estimates, SO that the total of So
536, $50 allowed by the house was about
one-flfth of what the army engineers ask
ed to prosecute the work
In the senate the bill was raised to Sl2,-
T90, $50. This led TO an animated struggle
in conference the house men oontending
that the bill would be vetoed unless it
was much reduced. The conferees finally
reduced it to $11, 47S, 1sO, and thus it was
accepted in both houses and 30 went to
the president
No New Contracts.
Aside from the amount carried by the
bill the sundry civil appropriation bill
also carries Ss, 400, 600 for river and bar
Dor contracts making a total for this
class Of work of $40, S7S, $50. This is
about $4,000 900 less than the amount
given for river and harbor work at the
first session Of the last congress. An i'm
portant feature OF the new bill Is that it
authorizes no new contracts.
Senator Harris, acting chairman Of the
committee on finance, has called meeting
is understood the supplemental tariff bills |
will be taken up and an effort made to
have them reported Notwithstanding tho |
senate's adoption Of the Murphy resolu- |
tion declaring against the praoticability |
of all efforts at further contested legisla- |
tion during this session. The Democratic |
members of the committee say they do |
not consider the action of the senate on |
the Murphy resolution as binding upon |
the committee, and they will make an |
effort TO have the bills reported at least |
Some of the Democratic members who |
voted for reference are anxious that the |
committee should act, as such action |
would Justify their course, and they are !
hopeful that the Republican members will |
not antagonize them in this by seeking |
to secure delay in committee
McPhsrsOn Wanted to Resign.
Senator MCPHERSON came near rendering
his resig nation as senator from New
Jersey yesterday He went 80 far as to
produce blank form of resignation and
was preparing TO fill it out, when some Of
his friends, learning of his decision, went
to him and succeeded in persuading him
TO forego his resolution. They found him
at first quite determined upon resignation
and only after much argument Influenced
him TO change his mind.
The senator gave as his reason for de-
string TO be rid of his official responsible
ties that his health was very much broken,
and, as he desired to be absent for an in
definite length Of time he had concluded
that the honorable course for him was TO
yacate his seat that some one else might
be chosen TO act,
His friends represented to him that the
session was rauidlV drawing tn a close |
that the adoption of the Murphy resolu
tiOn was positive evidence that no further
important legislation could be enacted be-