The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-03-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
wAsuIseros, D. o., March 18th, 's4.

mand Of the Democratic Senators. The
Democratic members OF the Finance
Committee are mad because they have
not succeeded in keeping secret the fact
that they are doing nothing at their
meetings, and the committee has adop.
tel resolution Of secrecy. The reason
that they are doing nothing is because
they ire afraid to grant the additional
concessions demanded by Hill, Brice,
German and the other Democratic
"kickers," and equally afraid to decide
to report the tariff bill without granting
them. While the Democrats on that
committee are trying to leave the public
under the impression that they are try
ing to reach an agreement with the
Republican members Of the committee
they are in reality trying to reach an
agreement with the Kicking Demo.
Gratis, The Republican members of the
committee really care very little when
the bill is reported, as they propose
making their principal fight on the floor
of the Senate. All that they have asked
in committee Is that the bill be allowed
to lie upon the table ten days or two
weeks after being reported, so as to give
them time to gather data and prepare
their speeches against it. The Repub'
lican Senators will comm and the situa
ton if the Democratic "kickers" are not
placated. While they may not be able
to defeat the bill thev can secure many
notifications of it, if they decide to vote
with the Democratic "kickers" who
have publicly announced their intention
to offer their amendments on the floor
of the Senate if the committee doesn't
put them in the bill. They have not
arrived at that decision yet. They are
awaiting the result OF the Democratic
fight before finally deciding upon their
plans. The bill may be reported next
week or it may be later, but no matter
when it is reported there is little or no
probability that the tariff bill will get to
the White House on its road to become
law before the reign of the dog star
sets in, Notwithstanding Democratic talk
about the new law taking effect July
1st.
If the talk of prominent Democrats
counts for anything Mr.. Cleveland has
at least been overruled in something.
Although 1t is known that he is violent.
ly opposed to the Bland coinage bill, it
is now stated that he has promised to
allow the bill to become law without
his signature, instead of vetoing it as
first intended to do. The cause of this
change is nothing more nor less than
fear. He knows that the loss of the
House this fall will be accepted by the
country as a condemnation of his ad-
ministration, and that the larger the
Republican majority in the next House
the greater that condemnation will ap
rear to- be in the eyes of everybody. He
was told by leading Democrats that ifhe
vetoed the Bland bill the party might
as we'll withdraw from the Congressional
campaign, so far as the south aud west
are concerned. That is said to have OBJ
tanned his promise that the bill should
become law. If the bill could muster
as large vote relatively in the House
as it got in the Senate it could become
law over Presidential veto.
Democratic stupidity was never more
strikingly displayed than in the treat
ment of lugar in the tariff bill. AS at
present constructed the duty of one
cent pound imposed upon raw sugar
will merely enable the sugar trust to
make the consumers pay one cent a
pound more for their sugar without
largely increasing the revenues of the
government, as about two-thirds of the
sugar which comes to this country is by
treaty entitled to free entry. The sugar
men did not make the discovery until
Senator Voorhees, let the cat out of the
bag by stating that the repeal OF the rec
iprocity clause of the Mckinley law, as
provided for in the new tariff bill, will
not abrogate any of the treaties made
under that law. This, in connection
with the knowledge that the clause of
the new tariff bin which abrogates the
commercial treaty with Hawaii is almost
certain to be struck out in the Senate
has stirred the sugar men up amazingly,
and they are stirring the Democrats up.
Senator Sherman has gone to Ashville,
N. c., to get rid OF cold and to gather
strength for the tariff fight in the Sen.
ate, in which he will take conspicuous
part. There is no truth in the rumors
saying that Mr.. Sherman's health is
breaking down and that he is seriously
contemplating retirement from the Sen.
ate. He simply has a cold which has
hung ON to him for a couple of weeks
and his physician thought it advisable
for him to seek dryer atmosphere and
to rest until he gets rid of it. That he
may retire from the Senate before the
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