The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-01-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 1898.

The most bitter opponent of Mr..
Cleveland anu the democratic majority
in congress- could not possibly have
wished them to occupy !. more humil-
iating position before thesconntry than
they stand-cower, would probably be
the most truly expressive word to use
in today. The majority Of the house
ways and means committee at the die
tation of Mr.. Cleveland prepared
monstrosity in the shape of the tariff
bill which was condemned from every
section of the country and by all classes
of citizens as soon as its nature was
known. Having done Mr. Cleveland's
bidding IN preparing the tariff bill, the
majority of the democrats on that COM
mittee concluded to do stroke of bust
ness on their own account, ami the out
come was the proposed income tax, to
which Mr.. Cleveland is as bitterly op-
Iposed as forty or fifty democrats are to
the Cleveland tariff bill. Result: a re-
volt Of formidable proportions in the
democratic ranks which appears to
threaten the very existence of the
lparty which has never in thirty years
} carried an election, except by making
promises that 1t had no idea of carrying
out Since last Wednesday the party
which has two thirds of the house has
been unable to get up the Cleveland
tariff bill because it could not get A
lquorum of democrats to vote, althoug h
there has been a quorum of democrats
in Washington all the while. Absent
democrats are to be brought in under
arrest this week, but they can't make
vote after they get them in, unless they
t, want to.
As If that condition of affairs were
, not sufficient to bring bushes of shame
to the checks of every misguided man
= who calls himself a democrat, along
comes the news that Minister Willis,
:, acting under Mr. Cleveland's instruc-
tions, had, after the matter had been
officially referred to congress, where
! General Harrison left it and where it
, properly belongs, commanded of the
7 provisional government of Hawaii
{; that it restore queen Liliuokalani and
that the demand had been very prop
erly refused. Official news was
l brought to Mr.. Cleveland Friday
night, but he had not allowed a wore
, to be given out, except tc
+ the ''cucoo" members of congress
S but some of them have leaked as us
e ual. There is the greatest indigna
: tion in congress,ssamong democrats a:
!, well as republicans, at this breach o.
faith on the part of the administration
for Willis act cannot. be truthfully
4 characterized by any other expression
0 The cucoos pretend that Mr.. Cleveland
t was surprised and shocked when he
g got the news, ,but that .will not b.
tswallowed by congress. Already Rep
resentative HIT, who stands at the
head of the republicans on the house
- committe on foreign affairs, has intro
:, duced a resolution calling on Mr.
n Cleveland for all of. the official infor-
: nation concerning Hawaii that has
come to him since his message o.
Dec. 18; also for information as tc
1 whose orders Willis acted under in his
latest attempt to overthrow friendly
y government. The probabilities o
I impeachment are stronger than at any
$ time since congress met, and the ad-
5 ministration has fewer friends.
Chairman Carter, of the republican