The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-04-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Democratic Senators Afraid to Take a
Test Vote.
From our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, april 10, 1884.
The free traders in the senate are on
the run and their decentralization in
creases daily. Senator Hills powerful
attack on the tariff bill and its income
tax rider carried CONSERVATION into their
ranks, which was increased by the re-
turns from the New York and New
Jersey municipal elections. They began
the week by threatening to test the sense
of the senate on proposition to have
the senate meet daily at IL o'clock and
sit until 6, but gladly weakened and
accepted the proposition made by the
republicans, to devote the time between
l and O'Clock to the tariff debate, with
out roll calls, until further notice. If
the free traders are already afraid to
take test vote in the senate, what will
be their condition few weeks hence?
Senator Brice has openly endorsed Hills
speech and said that he intended to
make one of a similar nature later on.
! Several other democratic senators who
have said nothing for publication. are
known to be in entire sympathy with
the position taken by Hill against the
tariff bill. 1t will surprise no one
who is familiar with the present panic
stricken condition of the free trade SEN
ators to see the present tariff bill ultim-
ately abandoned and a new bill modelled
on the old Mill's bill substituted there
for. The republican senators, knowing
from indisputable evidence-ballots-
that seven tenths of the people outside
of the solid south are behind them, are
as steadfast as mountains of granite. in
their determination to defeat the bill as
it now stands.
The democrats of the house are this
week having their usual trouble in get
ting and keeping a voting quorum
present, but that is really beneficial to
the country.
Certain democrats think they have
discovered a way in which the office
holders can be worked for political con-
tributions without actually violating the
letter of the civil service law. They
have organized sort of club and it is
said that it has been limited to all gov
ernment employees, regardless OF sex or
politics, that membership in this club
is good thing to have, and that the
annual dues in the club will aggregate a
larger sum than was ever assessed upon
office-holders by any political party, and
that all money received for dues will be
turned over to the democratic national
committee, as the club will have neither
pooQfirr T11oao nor
The attempt of the southern demo-
Gratis in the house to carry out the wild
cat money plank of the Chicago platform
by a caucus decree, made this week, was
not success. The caucus was only at
tended by about 100 democrats, and
almost as many served notice before the
caucus was held that they would neither
attend nor be bound by any action the
caucus might take. In view OF that
notice and the fact that no republican
will vote for wildcat money the passing
of resolution by the caucus declaring
in favor of the repeal of the tax on state
bank currency was almost farcical. The
tax will not be repealed.
Considerable interest is expressed here
in the answer that will be made by
Mexico to the proposition that will be
submitted to that government by Mr..
Cleveland, in accordance with Senator
Wolcott's resolution, this week adopted
by the senate, requesting the president
to open negotiations with view to se-
curing from Mexico authority to coin
standard Mexican dollars at U. S. mints
for export. 1t is believed that consid-
cradle outlet would be provided for
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