The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1894-08-03
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent.

Washington, July %, 1894.
Since the beginning of time great men
lave on momentous occasions resorted to
methods of focusing public
lttention upon certain things. One OF
hose occasions was when President Cleve-
and's letter to Chairman Wilson. point
ng out the betrayal of the democratic party
by certain of the Senate amendments and
urging him and his colleagues on the part
of the House to stand by the House bill,
which is strictly In accordance with the
principles professed by long line of DEM
ocratic national platforms. There are DEM
ocra's who regret that the necessity arose
for writing and making public such
letter, but it is not difficult for even the
most Indifferent observer 10 see that the
rank and file of the democratic party Is be-
hind President Cleveland and the House,
and consequently opposed to the hand full
of democratic Senators who forced the ac-
ceptance of undemocratic amendments up
on their colleagues.
As matters now stand it is in the power
of that hand full of democratic Senators to
prevent any tariff legislation and leave the
obnoxious Mckinley law on the statute
books, and some of them have gone so far
as to publicly announce that they would
not vote against any report made from the
conference that changed the Senate amend
ments, but the hope still remains tina, they
will, after careful thought, discover that
Senator Hill spoke words of wisdom when
he told them that they were wrong and
President Cleveland right and that sooner
or later they would be compelled to sur
render, because the President in demand
ing that the tariff bill provide for free raw
materials was but reiterating the demand
today, and for years past, of nineiy-6ve
per cent of the democratic party. the
conference committee will again try tc
reach an agreement this week, but it must
be admitted that the prospects for success
are not promising, although some of th'
most leve! headed democrats in both Hous'
and Senate are earnestly working to calm
the irritation and arouse the party feeling
of those democrats who feel rersonall!
agrieved a, the tone and language Of Pres
i]ent Cleveland's letter.
The House passed on Saturday by yot,
of l37 to 40 two-thirds vote being re
quired-the Tucker resolution providing
for an amendment to the Constitution, fo
the election of Z S Senator'S by direct vot
of the people. This is the second time tn,
House has put itself on record on this quss
ton. but the Senate has never even takel
, it up seriously and there is little probabili
ty that it will do so now, although ther
are a dozen or mora Senators who hav
publicly endorsed the idea.
1t is but an act of justice for the Hous
to pass the bill authorizing the Post Mas.
ter General to re;ns,ate without sxamina
ton or csr,ifcation by the Civil Servie
Commission any person who was dismiss.
ed from the Railway Mail Service betweel
March Is, and May /, 1889, or who wa
dismissed from the service after The las
named date, rpo7 any order made prio
thereto.
/, is vel known hat huadre6s o, som
pe,ent and efficient democrats were dis
missed between the dates named. just afte
the Harrison standardization came int
power, in order that their places might b
filed by republicans before the s.rvio
under civil service rules In iecordance with
President Cleveland order issued Just be
fore the close of his first administration
and such OF these democrats Who wisL /
, re-n'er ths service certainly have a geo
claim to the vacancies without having /.
go through the civil service mill
No sPro;ntmens made by P.esid=n
Cievelsni has been more cordially approve
than that of Representative B:eckinridg,
Of Ark, to be Minister to Russia. Tn
nomination was promptly Confirmed by th
Senate, but Mr. Breekinrieee will 10. resig
his seat in The House until Congress aC
ourns.
Senator Gray, chairman Of the Inv Aes,i
CATION Committee, has been misrepresenie
, in connection with TIE reoPeaing of tn
i sugar trust Investigation. He has hee
! anxious from the first to get TO the vhol
, ruth, no matter who it migh; affect. an
when a Representative of the New Yor
Herald, which made Ihe cuarge that S:na
tors COMMITTED perjury in tes;ify;ng ths
they had not purchased stock in the suga
trust. agreed to furnish the names of wi
! nesses who ccu'd thIoz lieb: on he charSe
Mr. Gray at once accepted tie tffsr cn be
half Of the Committee, and the invtstigai
ion was reopen=d. Ins'ead of aniagonizin
the news paper n." by trying 10 compe
them to violate confidence reposed In ther
tie committee will endeavor to secur
their cooperation ir. obtaining vi nesse
who can talk IL they will.