The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1894-07-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

since the beginning OF Tire RFcdI iAcu Lave
upon momentous occasions reso ted to extra
ordinary methods Of focusing public attention
upon certain things. One of those occasions
was when President Clevelands ! ter to
Chairman Wilson, pointing out the betrayal Of
the democratic party by certain Of the Senate
amendments and urging him and his coleag-
ues on the part of the House to stand by the
House bill, which is strictly in accordance
with the principles professed by a long line of
democratic national platforms. There are
democrats who regret that the necessity arose
for writing and for making public such let
ter, but it is not difficult for even the most in
different observer to see that the rank and file
Of the democratic party is behind President
Cleveland and the House, and consequently
opposed to the hand full of democratic Sena-
tors who forced the acceptance of undemo-
cratic amendments upon their colleagues.
As matters now stand it is in the power of
that hand full of democratic Senators to pre-
vent an; tariff legislation and leave the obnox-
ious Mckinley law on the statue books, and
some of them have gone so far as to publicly
announce that they would vote against any re-
port made from the conference that changed
the Senate amendments, but the hope still re-
mains that they will after careful thought dis
cover that Senator Hill spoke words of wisdom
when he told them that the President in DE-
handing that the tariff bill provide for free
raw materials was but 1eitersting the demand
tc- lay, and for years past. Of ninety-tye per
cent. of the democratic party. The conference
committee will again try to reach an agreement
this week. but it must be admitted that the
prospects for success are not promising, al
though some Of the most level headed demo
Gratis in both House and Senate are earnestly
working to calm the irritation and arouse
the party fealty of those democrats who feel
personally aggrieyed at the tone and language
of President Cleveland's letter.
The House passed on Saturday by vote of
1871 to IA twc-.birds vote being required
the Tucker resolution providing for an amend
ment to the Constitution, for the election of
e.. S. Senat ,rs by direct vote of the people.
This is the second time the House has put t.
self on record on this question, but the Sem
ate has never even taken 1t up seriously and
there is tile probability that it will do so
now, although there are dozen or more Sem
ators who have publicly endorsed the idea.
1t is but an act of justice for the House to
pass the bill authorizing the Post Master Gen.
eral to Ienstate without examination or certi-
fcation by the Civil Service Commission any
person who was dismissed from the Railway
Mail Service between March Is, and May !,
1889, or who was dismissed from the service
after the last named date, upon any order made
prior thereto.
1t is we'll known that hundreds Of compe-
tent and efficient democrats were dismissed
between the dates named, just after the Har-
rson administration came into power. in order
that their places might lie filled by republic
cans before the service passed under civil SER
vice rules in accordance with President Cleve-
land's order issued jus: before the cl )se Of his
first adminst ration, and such of those demo-
Gratis who wish to re- enter the service certain
ly have good claim to the vacancies without
having to 60 through the civil service mill.
No appointment made by President Cleve-
and has been more cordially approved than
that of Representative Breckenridge, of Arkar-
sas, to be Minister t. Russia. Tie nornins-
ton was promptly confirmed by the Senate,
but Mr.. Breckenridge will not resign his seat
in the House until Congress adjourns.
Senator Gray, charm an of the Investigating
committee, has been misrepresente in con-
nection with the reop ening of the sugar trust
investigation. He has beer anxious from the
first to get at the whole truth, DO matter who
it might affect, and when a representative of
the New York Herald, which made the charge
that some Senators committed perjury in tes-
tifying that they had not purchased stock in
the sugar trust, agreed to furnish the names of
witnesses who could throw light on that
charge, Mr.. Gray at once accepted the offer on
behalf OF the committee, and the invest cation
was reopened. Instead of antagonizing the
new. paper men by tying to compel item to
violate confidence reposed in them the
committee will endeavor to secure their CO.
operation in obtaining witnesses who can talk
if they " j.