Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-03-20
AID TO SPECULATION.
The Washington Atmosphere Greatly
Agitated By Burners.
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slsa Ialk-uay T. Deal wIlh Trssts.

WAsHTyC-oy, March 49, Especial. =
The atmosphere of Washington Is gently
agitatcd by runsors that some great seas,.
dsl or scandaIs are about 70 come cut.
Sometimes 1t IS In the sugar line and some
times In some other lines affected by the
tariff, but the favorirc banning place 81
gossip just now appears to BE-. about the
agricultural department. 1t isanegcd that
advance Wedge Of the department re-
ports In regard to crops and the amount
Of grain aud other tbings IN the cGuntry
has leaked out and been used to aid spec
ulatfoD.
To our friend the man mp tree, who II
far enough up the tree to overlook the pro
ceedings in New York and Chicago, this
scandal seems altogether too high COM
pliment to the agricultural department.
for it would imply that said department
really knows more aboIit the CROPS and the
grain on hand than the spectators know
from their own sources Of information "a
fact which Is very seriously questioned.
Wien these things are mentioned TO MEM
beers, they either indulge in sneer OF in
credulity or say In ocular way: "Let's
lay Il on our friend Breckinridge. lie has
NO much on his shoulders now that put
ting few tons more won't make any DIFF
ference, because he cannot possibly be fiat
tened out any worse than he il. - Already
the calculators are estimating the chances
Of the different aspirants who want to sue
coed him, for II IL universally taken fol
granted that he will never again represent
the fine old Ashland Henry Clay district
OF Kentucky.
Kate Field on Utah.
In the general dizziness prevailing, while
the house droned over the appropriation
bills and the senate got ready for its fun
on the tariff, the territories applying fol
statehood made another desperate effort,
but the Indications are that they have met
with pretty serious rebuff. Miss Kate
Field has run amuck mt the Mormons, and
It II noted that her lectures have been at
tended by several senators, who appeared
much impressed with her views, and
whether that be the cause or not they
shake their heads and hint that perhaps
another year or two out In the cold are
needed to get Utah thoroughly disinfect-
ed. Il must be said In Justice however,
that Miss Field is arguing upon state
OF facts which prevailed In Utah score OF
so OF years ago, and that the gentiles OF
that territory who formerly opposed state
hood are now pretty generally in favop OF 1t.
The appropriations billAare now so far
along that the Democratic leaders, after
swinging around the circle and admitting
various lapses here and there, have come
back TO their original assertion and declare
with positiveness that the expenditures for
1895 will be hess than those of the current
year by at least $40, 900 600 and possibly
$40, 600, 900 more. Many Republican menu
bers also, after interposing variety OF OBJ
iections to the Wilson bill, have come back
to the idea OF a tariff commission with ex-
tensive modern improvements.
A Sensible Plan.
In general discussion heard by your
correspondent, In smoking room where
many northwestern members were gather
ed, one Of them presented thisplan, which
he admitted was too late to be considered
now, but he believed it could be urged to
adoption next year or in the next congress.
az am, said he, sin favor Of a permanent
nonpartisan commission on an entirely
new system. would have 1t like the sii-
preme court Of the United States---a con-
tinuing body, its members subject to re-
moyal only by impeachment. would have
one third of them observation-disclosures
II you please--one-third experienced iinnn
c;e1s and one-third manufacturers willing
to give their time and ability TO the sub
ject or course would have the different
SECTIONS equally represented This com
mission should be authorized to bring in a
tariff bill every year all the changes from
the bill OF the preceding year being Limit
ed to small per cents. And this bill con-
gress ought TO pass just as it passes an un-
questioned appropriation bill The COM
mission should settle how to preserve es-
tablished Industries and build up new ones
and yet not allow the formation of trusts,
and when any trust Is formed under the
tariff existing the rate should be reduced
Immediately.
a Fixity of Policy.
aUnder the existing system stable tar
i'll is an impossibility. It is not ut all Ger.
tain that stable tariff can be established
anyhow, but we can come very near it.
The chief difficulty Is this: Traders cun
open new lines of trade. inventors can get
up new articles, and tricksters can devise
new methods OF fraud faster than con
gress. unwieldy as it has got to be, can
possibly change the tariff to suit. To these
natural elements of instability Is now add
ell the instability Of politics. 1t is not in
human wisdom to foresee what party will
be in possession Of the government, Il, few
years hence, and even II we could know it
Is not possible to deduce from that party's
past what its tariff policy for the future IS
going to be.
s'And why should not this thing be prac-
ticables The system Of running the post
Offices was long ago taken out OF politics,
and the only changes now made are in the
ofliccholders. The common schools OF the
various states, which were once the sub
ject IF political contention, have long since
ceased to be so. and this Is true of many
other things. Why, then, is it not posi-
HE to establish a similar fixity Of purpose
In our customs dutiess And IL it should
work well. as have no doubt it would. |
think the people would favor similar ar
rangcmcnt Tor the managemento of the rail-
roads and the telegraph.
Such views. which are not at all uncom-
mon among congressman, would seem to
indicate that Bellamyism and other move
ments of that kind. or rather the nrgu-
n,cnts advanced by that class Of reform
ers. have greatly influenced the thought Of
legislators. Another point Of floating opin-
bon worth noting Is that since the heat OF
the battle on that subject abated many
Democrats are willing to admit that an
nexation of Hawaii would be good thing
Ms. So