Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-13
THE FINAL STRUGGLE.
Last Stages Before the Wilson Tariff
Bill Becomes a Law.
Abssntseism Increasing-A Prediction Regard
ing Re.sieciion Of 8feckinridge.

priced meat and increasing abSenCeclsln,
business goes right along, and congress
men talk with increasing confidence of
soon setting date for adjournment, that
much promised event which, like the
desert mirage, recedes as we move toward
it. Tho tariff bill was rushed from the
house to the ways and means committee
back into the house and into conference
with dizzy rapidity in spite of the strug-
giles Of Republican parliamentarians to de-
lay it. Speaker Crisp late at night had a
long talk with tho president, and early
the next Gay it was known that an aggress-
i've policy was to be pursued by the house
and that there was to be no departure
from the usual rule in naming the con-
ferees. The rule has been to appoint them
according to seniority, and owing to the
long known fact that southern congress
men, as rule, serve many more terms III
succession than northern it has resulted
that the senior members of nearly all the
committees are southerners. 1t was there
fore urged by the conservatives that the
rule should be disregardcd to more nearly
equalize the sections. Between the two
evils what was thought the less was taken
and so the house is represented in tho con-
ference committee by Messrs. Wilson,
West Virginia; McMillin, Tennessee;
Turner, Georgia, and Montgomery, Ken
lucky, Democrats, and by Messrs. Reed,
Burrows and Payne. Republicans.
Changes In the Wilson Bill.
Senator Voorhees, and Mr.. Wilson got
together at once and arranged for continu-
Gus sessions by the Democrats Of the con
ference committee, and they have worked
industriously ever since Mr.. VOORHEES,
has stated that they will pursue the same
practice us with the original measure-that
is, the Democrats will decide, item by
item, what they intend to support before
they meet with their Republican col
leagues. OF course it was known from
the start that the income tax amendments
the merely verbal changes and many minor
changes of rates would be agreed to at the
start, and that the struggle would be
chiefly confined to few schedules and q
few items in each.
The senate has made 634 changes, in all
Of which there are SO in the chemical
schedule 81 in iron, 3 in wool, ) in sugar
4 in tobacco, 1G in cotton, 10 in flax, 80 in
wool and i'll silk. Eighty nine changes
consist of transfers from tho free to the
taxable list. Hon. Tom johnson wanted
| specific instructions given that the con
ferees should insist on separate reports on
| the sugar amendments, so that each
might be voted on upon its merits and ev-
cry member OF both houses put on record.
The event is i'll the dark unforeseen, but
the old molnbers say, with a SMILE when
there is u long fight between the houses,
tho senate always wins"
| Abscntceisln has greatly increased, and
the cases are rare when u yea and nay vote
shows no more than 100 not voting Con
ventions arc coming on rapidly, in the
south and southwest especially, and in
Alabama the campaign is already pretty
lively. Mr.. Bankhcad went homo not to
return this session, he thinks, and some
what disguised at the treatment accorded
to all his bills for new public buildings.
| The death of Hon Marcus Claiborne Lislc
of kentucky and the departure of the
| funeral remains caused several moro va
| canccs for the time. He was, next to Mr..
Bailey of Texas and Mr. Settle of North
| Carolina, the youngest man in the house
and had been in failing health for some
| time.
Breckinridge's Chances.
| The strikes and complications herewith
| in other parts of the country arc also re-
| sponsiblc for much absenteeism, as all
| members liable to be affected are in an OK
| tremely nervous state about the feeling in
their districts Mr.. Brcckinridge of Ken
lucky may be called chronic absentee.
as he is making the fight of his life and
for his life, and is reported as saying that
there is ono good thing about the strikes
they give him and his district much
needed rest Strangely enough, an increas-
ing number of political experts believe he
will be reelected in spite of the women,
tho preachers and the Republicans.
| Society has long been fitting and now
| it is fiat. Early this week Vice President
| Stevenson returned from North Carolina
having left his family at Charlestown,
w. Va, where he visited a few days on
| his return. DR.. Thomas c. Mcndenhall
superintendent of the coast and geodctic
| survey, sailed with his wife for Europe a
few days ago, and now it is announced
that he has resigned and is to take a posi-
ton at the Worcester Mass. Polytechnic
| institute, which will leave an attractive
vacancy for some good man. All the Vir-
ginians in this city, members of congress
| or otherwise had their annual racket at
Marshall Hall this week, with speeches by
Senator Daniel and Cyclone Jim" Mar
shall of the Ninth district. The Mexican
minister and Nine. Romero have departed
for Cape May, and their present intention
is, after remaining there awhile, to visit
the Catskill mountains. The Guatemalan
minister and Nine. Lao Arriago are also
at Cape May, and the Chilean minister
| and Nine. Cana expect to pass few
weeks there
The Political Outlook.
While the fitting society people rise SUI
perior to the terrors of the strike, those
who are left behind are by no means easy
in their minds despite the daily promises
of rapid improvement. Every railroad
man in the city and every visitor of promi
ncncc is bcsought for his opinion, and the
question of the hour among members of
the house is, Is there only brief lull, or is
the thing over, and how has it affected the
vote in my district? OF course there is
great deal of wild and foolish talk, and
some of the interviews, given sin strict
confidence" would make very queer read
Ing year hence. The interest in General
Miles is almost as great as it was in Grant
Sarly in 1864, and in army circles many
remarkable statements are made about
him. 1t is said that he is by all odds the
most interesting personality among the
volunteer orncers or the clvn war; that on