The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1894-09-07
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


Secretary Carlisle is probably doing the
hardest work of his life, while the President
| and most of other members of the Cabinet are
seeking recreation they earned by their hard
work during the long session of Congress. 1t
is the administration of the new tariff law
that is keeping Secretary Carlisle in Washing
ton and working him so hard. Every hour
brings kilograms asking questions that must
be submitted to the Secretary befole being
answered and every mail adds its quota. Few
of these complications are important to the
general public, although they are very inn
portant to individuals and must be carefully
Strengthened out as the Secretary's decision
will set precedent which may involve the
gain or loss of thousands of dollars to the gov.
ernment. Probably the most import ant de-
cision that Secretary Carlisle has yet made was
that stopping the payment of the sugar bounty
on the day the new law went into effect re-
gardless of when the application for the boun-
ty was made. This decision principally al
tects the beet-sugar makers, who claim that
they should be paid the bounty upon all sugar
went into effect, and who are making strong
efforts TO get Secretary Carlisle to change his
Interpretation of the law, although it also
catches this years crop of maple sugar. Upon
this decision will depend whether about $780,,
600 that remains in the Treasury is to be paid
out to the sugar people.
Speaking of sugar, there is belief here that
a clause in the new tariff bill opens a way to
keep the sugar trust from raising the price of
sugar to an outrageous figure. The bill pro-
vides for 40 per cent. ad valorem duty on
raw sugar and an additional one-eighth of
cent pound Oh all sugar that has been dis
cclored-in plain English-upon refined sug
ar. But, in the next paragraph it is provided
that the dntY on all sugars after being refined
when ''tinctured, colored, or in any way adul
der this last paragraph it is believed that re-
fined sugar can be brought in, as it would be
easy to color It in some harmless manner. If
this shall turn out to be correct, it would COM
pei the sugar trust to keep its prices within Its
bounds for fear of the foreign competition. OF
course, it will depend largely upon the con-
struction put on the last named paragraph by
the customs officials of the Treasury depart
ment The difference was intended to be
made solely for the benefit of the confecton-
ers who desir red to use foreign refined sugar.
and the officials may interpret it to mean that
only sugar for the use of confectioners can be
imported under it.
The Departments are all closed today, Con-
gress having at the last session made the first
Monday in September a legal holiday, to be
known as Labor Day. The day was cele-
brated by the labor organizations which all
took part in big street parade.
Lots of tomfoolery is being sent out OF this
city concerning the alleged discord among the
democrats who compose the Congressional
Campaign Committee. There is no discord
in the committee, which is doing all that it
was expected to do in the campaign. Secre-
tary Gardner, who is constantly at the com
mittee headquarters, said when asked what he
thought of the outlook: at all depends upon
the tariff bill Nearly every Congressional
district in the United States is interested in
some way or another in this tariff bill. A par
asraph which will please the people in one
| district will not please in adjoining districts.
What will SUIT The voters in an Eastern State
Will not be satisfactory on the Pacific coast.
SO you can see how difficult it is to forecast
results until we know more of how the tariff
| bill is being received by the rank and file of
rank and file of the voters. We do not expect
to retain our present large majority in the
House, but we do expect to elect majority of
| its members"
| 1t has Just leaked out that eX-Speaker Reed,
before leayingW Washington, certified, in accord
| ance with the old rule revived at the last ses-
| sion, the humber of days he had been absent
| without leave and not on account OF sickness,
had it signed by Speaker Crisp and collected
the money due him from the Seargent-l,-
| Aims. The joke is that Mr.. Read had at every
opportunity ridcued the old revival dockin 6
members for being absent without leave, and
intimated that he would not obey. Whether
il was because the Sergeant Arms would
not pay him without it that Mr.. Reed prepar-
ed tina. certificate or because he thought the
plurality Of 81, by which he was last elected
too small to be mOnkeyed with is not known
but probably had something to do with 1t. At
any rate he made out that the certificate and
he will not be allowed to forget it at the next
session.
Chairman Wilson leaves for Europe this
week. He goes in search of health, and will
only remain four or five weeks. If strong
enough he will take an active part in the cam
! paign this winter