Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-05-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Washington, May IS, 1894.
The public received its first knowledge
this week that in addition to other more
or less disreputable methods of defeat
ing tariff legislation attempts had been
made to bribe senators to vote against
the tariff bill, but the Democratic man.
ayers of the bill have known for some
time that an attempt had been made by
lobbyist named Buttz, once carpet
bag Republican member of the house
from South Carolina, to bribe Senators
Hunton, of Virginia, and Kyle, of South
Dakota, to vote against the bill. Buttz
claimed to represent wealthy syndi-
cate, which was prepared to spend ST.
100000 to defeat the tariff bill. He
went to the house of Senator Hunton
and told son of that gentleman that
his father could have $25, 600 if he would
agree to vote against the bill.
Buttz had the audacity to broach the
subject to Mr.. Kyle in person. That
gentleman referred him to his private
secretary, after instructing that function
ary to have a witness to their converse
ton, and in the presence of a witness
Buttz offered to give Mr.. Kyle $4,000
to vote against the bill. Mr.. Kyle at
once placed these facts in the hands of
the Democrotic senators and expressed
his willingness to aid in bringing this
would-be briber to justice. 1t has not
yet been decided what, if any, action will
be taken by the senate, but there is little
doubt that these attempts will hasten
the passage of the tariff bill.
1t is now easy to understand why
this government took such strong
grounds in favor of the government of
Brazil and against the insurgents,
although it was only this week that it
became so. From information that has
leaked ont through gossip in diplomatic
circles there is little doubt that the stand
taken and maintained by President
Cleveland during the Brazilian contest
was the only thing that prevented the
carrying out of the plot instigated and
backed by the government of Great
Britain, for the overthrow of the Brazil
ian republic and the setting up of a
monarchy that would have been domi-
mated by Great Britain.
characterization Hatch pf AT,,so,,,; ie,
no longer a young man, having passed
his siXtieth milestone last September,
but his courage is just as young as it
ever was, and when accused by Repre-
sentative Hopkins, of Illinois, of trying
to juggle an increase of salary for
friend into the agricultural appropriation
bill, which is in his charge, he said,
shaking his fist significantly at Hopkins:
"If the gentleman from Illinois means
that word in its ordinary English signi-
fcance, l want to tell him that if he
should use it to me outside of this cham
Der, | would ram it down his throat"
Retrenchment in government expen-
ditures has been the watchword of the
Democrats who have made the regular
bills for this congress, and
the legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill, completed by the
house committee on appropriations this
week, shows how well they have work.
ed up to the watchword. This is the
bill that carries of all officials, and sos
fewer of them are provided for than
were in the bill for the current fiscal
year. 1t also carries S766, l99 less than
this years appropriation, very sub
stantial reduction when everything is
taken into consideration. S,
Picncs supplied with ice cream, cakes,
10 nYI a - i