Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-02-26
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Something That Will Interest the
Labor Organizations.
The Public Works 10 b Completed by the
con!rack System.

this congress" said Massachusetts, con-
gresham this morning. ''We Yankees are
by common consent left out. and there is a
growing feeling among western and south
rrn men that New York Democrats are
vnIy Democrats in name. The fact is, we
ore all opposed to their silver schemes and
pot at all enthusiastic about any of Mr.
iiatch's pet measures for making all the
farmers happy. One consolation we have,
and that is, we are tolerably well treated
In the river and harbor bill. P"
Rivers and Harbors.
The committee declares that this bill
Is complete and in shape TO go rapidly
through both houses with little or no
amendment, and it will be reported in
day or two. The total amount is about
s.. 00O, 900, but a sum almost as large
goes for substantially the same purposes
in the sundry civil bill, and there is
clause In the report thereon which will
probably interest labor organizations
nightly. IL may even stir up a very live
ly discussion among labor's champions
here. IL concerns the contract system,
which the committee thinks TO be by far
the wisest and most economical method OF
completing public works. The committee
CldlIDS Iudl II HtiltIdl VI ~ pNi h'ih
or more is effected by the contract system
which is enforced row on Is rivers and
harbors-that is, saving over the meth
cd Of previous years. The other side, how
ever have a good deal to say about the
greater efficiency of the work when done
directly by the government. or course
there are the usual remarks about favorit-
ism and "fellows who are let ill.," etc, and
altogether it is highly probable that the
committees rosy view Of the contract sys-
tenn will be severely criticised.
OF the ''pet bills of Mr.. Hatch, men
toned by the New Highlander, the most
noted, of course, is the antioption bill, of
which the public has heard quite enough.
Next to it is the amendment of the old
oleomargarne bill, as it really is, though
brought in as a separate bill. This pro
poses to put oleotargarine and all imita-
lions OF butter under the same regulations
AZ Intoxicating liquors were put by the so
called Wilson bill-that is, that when ship
ped from state to state they shall be under
the police regulations of the state into
which they are shipped. This bill, it will
be remembered, was brought in by Sena-
tor Wilson of Iowa and passed by the Fiji
ty first congress, the intent thereof being
to defeat the ''original package" trick by
which strong liquors from other states
were sold in Iowa. As the new oleomar-
garine bill was brought in ostensibly I'm
der the principles of the interstate COM
merce law, it was referred to the commit
tee on commerce, but Mr. Hatch has striv-
en- vigorously to get il before his commit
tee in the interests of agriculture.
The Russian Thistle.
The Hatch committee, as it Is called for
snort, is also wrestling with three bills.
which will be reduced to one, providing
for the eradication of the Russian thistle.
1t is hard to believe what was said before
the committee on the extraordinary nature
of this pest, but as it was testified TO by
high officials of Nebraska and the Dako-
tas there must be something in it. They
claim that the thistle has spread over 10,
00O square miles, and that it is advancing
southwark at rate of 10 miles per year
and laterelly Mt n somSvhat slower rate.
They estimate that in five years from this
time it will cover $50. 900 square miles,
and that the finest part of the three states
will be ruined. These figures are SO star
Ting that the committee is inclined to
make the work of determination nation
al, and this is one of tho few eases i'll
which the New England members seem
interested equally with those of the west
Indeed il is evident that there is growing
up in all t,e middle western states avery
strong objection to taxing themselves any
more to open up rival fields. In fact, one
western member says if not another farnl
were opened for 90 years it would be Il
blessing to the country.
Some new spaper man has Dragged too.
sonn and the indications are that we are
TO have another of those periodical flare
ups in the senate over the secrets of ex-
ecutive sessions. There hasn't been much
secrecy about it for years, but Of late the
fellows who got inside information have
got altogether too bold. Not only have
the votes and speeches of the executive
session been published in u Washington
paper within an hour after the session
ended, but they have been telegraphed to
distant cities within, as is alleged, 30 min
utes after they were taken and finally it
has reached such pitch that the execu-
tive sessions in the cases of Wheeler Peck
ham and Judge White were reported with
much more accuracy than the proceedings
Of a regular session generally are. Several
senators say tussle must be had, and two
or three of them add, with n sickly at
tempt at humor, that it will probably end
just as it did before, only little more so.
Texas and Louisiana.
Some Texas members are in a state of
mind over the condition in their state, and
the Populsts are really getting hilarious
at the prospects. 1t is alleged that the
breach between the Hogg and Clarke fac
tons in the big state is irreparable, ana
that it will run down through nomina-
tons Of oil grades even to town constable,
in which case, say these congressman, not
one of them is sure of reelection. 1.-THE
trouble with us, says an old Texas mem
her, sis that we have had a brutally large
majority. and the natural results have fol-
lowed But this talk of the boys that we
shall all be beaten is only the pessimism
that comes with the first realization of
an evil. When they have chewed over it
awhile, things will look much more hope
full. OF course, if there should be two
Democratic candidates in each district,
,hy, the Populists in some of the districts
would likely come in, but there is plenty of
time yet to see that that doesn't happen.
Far otherwise is the condition i'll the
neiahboring state of Louisiana, where
there is one senator to appoint and three
TO elect by a peculiar and unusual combi-
nation. Judge White successor will hold
by appointment till the legislature meets
in May. and as Senator Caffery was APP