The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-04-13
Washington Letter.

Senator Harris of Tennessee, has been
by general admission, since the retire
ment OF Ingalls,, of Kansas, the ablest
parliamentarian in the senate. 1t Is
therefore no disparagement of Senator
Voorhees, whose hard work has entitled
him to a little rest. to say that the plac-
ing of the tariff bill in charge of Sena-
tor Harris was wise move. In addi-
ton to his parliamentary knowledge and
skill, he is full of aggressive less. He
has already shocked the Republicans
who attempted to raise needless obstacles
TO prolong the tariff debate 10y promptly
brushing them cut of the way and stat
ing firmly that no such tactics would be
permitted. He proposes that the senate
shall every day at the expiration of the
morning hour q O'Clock P. NJ talk
tariff as long as it remains in session,
until vote is reached on the dill, and
he will not willingly deviate from that
rule, except it be to take up something
important that demands immediate ac-
ton. This will make the work of pro-
longing the debate beyond a reasonable
time, just for the sake of delay, much
more arduous than the Republicans have
been calculating upon.
The House has once more got vot-
ing quorum of Democrats, and this week
the Democratic contestants whose claims
had been favorably reported upon by the
committee on electiOns-O'Neill, of
Missouri, and English, of California
were given their seats, and the Bland
bill settled by a vote of IA TO ia.
Representative Cooper, of Indiana,
thinks a great thing for silver was ac
Nt1cl, tla IIn.r-. tfaa
on coinage decided to favorably report
his bill providing that greenbacks shall
be subject to state and municipal taxa
ton, as coin now is. Representative
Hall, of Missouri, who was designated
by the committee to write the report in
favor of the bill, makes an accusation
against the banks which, unless proven
| to be erroneous, should of itself be
sufficient reason for the speedy passage
of the bill. He says: The greenback
was originally the peoples money, but
of late 1t has become the pet of the Ma
tional banks. They have kept it from
| circulation as its freedom from taxation
| made it more desirable to keep IN the
bank vaults than silver or gold. which
are subject to taxation. The anxiety of
| the banks to get hold of greenbacks has
| been SO great that a fraudulent practice
has grown up. There are only S346,
| 900. 600 of greenbacks in circulation, yet
official returns show that banks and in
! dividuals claim exemption on 5000
! 000, 900 of greenbackS The manner of
! conducting this fraud Is simple.
| package of greenbackS is passed from
bank to bank, ahead of the tax assessor,
| and at each bank he eXempts the same
| package of greenbacks. Mr.. Cooper
| bill is by no me ms a new idea. 1t has
twice been passed by the senate by
unanimous vote and has been endorsed
| by aumber of Democratic state con-
| ventiOnS.
| 1t would have been impossible for the
| governor of Georgia TO have selected an
other man outside of congress to serve
| the uneXpired time of the late Senator Col
| quit who would have been a satisfactory
| to Democrats in congress as Hon. Pat
rick Walsh, who will need few introduc-
| tiOnS among Democrats in congress. 1t
| is generally expected here that Speaker
| Crisp will be elected for the full term be-
ginning March t, 1895.
Secretary Morton has from the time
he took charge of the Agricultural De
| partment made it an inviOlable rule.
binding upon himself and every official
In his department, that there shall be no
oral understandings about public mat
| terS- He requires that everything said
and done shall appear in writing upon
| the records of the department, so that
| no man shall be able to even make
| pretense of misunderstanding the dis
| posal of any matter. The wisdom of
| the secretary is made apparent by the
! publication OF a story alleging a serious
conflict of authority between Prof. Har-
| ringtnn, chief of the weather bureau,
| and Secretary Morton. There was no
! conflict of authority. Prof. Harring-
| ton recommended that the civil service
! law be extended to- cover certain posi-
| tons under the weather bureau, and the
| secretary wrote letter do the civil ser
| vice commission endorsing the recon-
| mendatlOn. That's the whole story
| open to all in the records of the depart
| ment.
Senator Morgan, of Alabama, has in
| troduced a bill providing for a reOrgani-
zation of the state department, which
| Will give all subOrdinateS of that depart
ment, excepting the secretary, his first
assistant and ambassadors and ministers,
a life tenure and chances for promotion
| according to their merits.
President Cleveland and Secretary
Gresham were both pleased when the
senate passed unanimously and without
amendment the Bering Sea bill prepared
! by the latter to meet necessities connect
| ed with carrying out the agreement
reached by the court of arbitration which
| passed upon the claims of the United
States and of Great Britain, in Bering
Sea. 1t was a double pleasure to get the
bill unanimously approved and to get it
passed ahead of action upon similar
| bill now before the British Parliament.
| NJ.