The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-03-23
ashingiOn Letter.

WAsHINGroN, ID. c., March Il, 1S94.-
Well, the expected has happened. The
senate has passed the Bland bill for
the coinage of the Seignorage in the
Treasury, without amendment, and the
measure Is now in the hands of Presi-
dent Cleveland. 1t was well known
that when this matter was first broached
the President thought 1t an unwise step
to take and so stated To members of con
| gress, but he has been careful t. express
no opinion since the bill has been pend
ing in congress, and now those who are
! usually well informed express the belief
| that the President will, in Difference to
the large number of Democrats who
voted for the bill in both House and sen
ate, allow the bill To become law with
out his signature, thus giving them the
| benefit of the doubt IN his mind as to
| the wisdom of the bill.
| The Democratic members of the SEN
ate finance committee had TO resort To
the very unusual eXpedient of asking
| the committee to adopt resolution
| pledging each member to- secrecy while
the tariff bill is under consideration he
before they could stop the making pub
| lie by the Republican senators of every
|
meetings. Since the adoption of that
resolution very little has leaked out Of
the committee room. The Democrats
| on the committee wish, in accordance
with senatorial custom, to reach an
| agreement with the Republicans on the
committee as to when the bill shall be
reported and when the senate shall begin
its consideration. This they have up to
| Ia. 70, do 10,
the unreasonable demands of the Repub-
licans who act as though they represent
ed the majority instead of the minority.
The Democrats will wait until next week
and if the Republicans continue obsti-
nate will then report the bill and make
their own arrangements as to when the
debate shall begin. The Democrats on
the committee are istill confident that
| the bill will become a law by June 30.
1t may be necessary to change the
wording of the clause of the tariff bill
which repeals the reciprocity law, on
account of the marked difference among
Democratic senators as to what would
be the effect if the bill becomes a law as
it now stands Senator Norhees says it
will repeal the law but will not affect the
treaties made under that law; while Sen
ator Vest, Caffery and others say that
the repeal of the law will abrogate the
treaties. This is a very serious question
to the sugar makers; also in its effect
upon the revenue expected from the
tariff bill, inasmuch as about two thirds
if the foreign sugar we use will come in
free, regardless of the duty imposed by
the tariff bill, if the treaties now in eX-
istence, Includinging that with Hawaii,
are to continue in force. The senate
finance committee has inserted a clause
in the tariff bill providing for the abro-
CATION of the treaty with Hawaii, but 1t
will be opposed by Democratic senators
and it Is by no means certain that 1t
will be in the bill when it is passed.
Representative Tucker, of Virginia, Is
happy. His joint resolution providing
for an amendment to the constitution
authorizing the election of senators by
direct vote of the people will be fayora-
bly, reported to the House.
Speaker Crisp has promised to recog-
nize Delegate Joseph next Monday for
the purpose of calling up the bill for the
admission of New Mexico as state
The Republicans are opposed to the bill
and will break n quorum if 1t is in their
power, in order to prevent its passage.
Efforts are now being made to have a
quorum of Democrats present when the
bill is called. If they are successful
there is no doubt of the passage of the
bill, as ii Will receive the vote of every
Democrat present.
Secretary Herbert welcomes the OPP
portunity given him by the House To
officially lay bebore that body and the
country all of the facts connected with
the fine imposed upon the Carnegie steel
company because of its failure to keep
the armor plates 1t made for the govern
ment up to the highest possible standard
of quality. There is popular misap-
prehension concerning those armor
plates which caused the contractors to
be fined. They We're not defective.
They all came within the contract re-
quirements, but they were below the
best stan dard that the contractors could
produce; hence the fine.
The sensation lovers are enjoying the
testimony in the Pollard d-Breckenridge
case, now being tried here, but, thanks
; to Judge Bradley who is presiding Ovel
the court, the women are excluded from
the court room and have to get the testi
mony from the newspapers. 1t is {
dirty mess which should never have
been carried into court. NJ