The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-01-04
from our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, December 81, 1894
Although there have not been at
the outside more than seventy-fv
members Of Congress in Washington
at any one time during the present
week, that has not prevented those
industrious gentleman who make
business Of manufacturing Washington
news for sensational papers sending
out detailed pfogrammes-each en-
tirely different from the other of
what disposition Congress will make
OF the Carlisle Currency reform bill.
As that distinguished philosopher,
Josh Billings, used to say, it is
better to be ignorant than to know
so darn much that amt So" While
President Cleveland and Secretary
Carlisle, as well as Chairman Springer,
who is in charge of the currency bill,
hope and believe that the bill will
pass the House in some shape, neither
Of them would attempt to positively
say that the House would or would
not pass it, although these irresponsi
BILE scribblers do so daily.
AS a matter of fact, no man living
is in a position to state with reason
able degree Of certainty what will be
the fate Of the currency bill, and all
attempts to do so are but guesses. 1t
was well understood by The democrats
of the House when the adjournment
for the holidays took place that the
recess would be devoted to a study
of how the bill might be improved,
and that no conclusion was to be
reached until they came together
again. 1t is believed, but even that
has not been definitely determined
upon, that the fate of the currency
bill will be settled at democratic
caucus to be held as soon as Congress
meets again At any rate it can be
set down as certain that the demo
Gratis, and not the sensation mongers,
will decide the matter.
If Spain persists in making the duty
upon Canadian flour shipped to Cuba
IS cents barrel less than the amount
charged upon flour shipped from the
United States, she may wake up some
fine morning and find herself reading
proclamation issued by President
Cleveland that will shut Cuban sugar
out of the United States markets.
There is no doubt about the Presi.
dent having ample authority for this
retaliation, and little that he will
exercise it, if the Spanish government
refuses to favorably respond to the
representations which Minister Taylor
has been directed by Secretary Ores
ham to make on the subject.
Secretary Carlisle made public this
week the plan for the reorganization
of the Office of the Supervising Archi
tect of the Treasury, which is to take
effect January I, 1895. Under the
new plan the Architect will have to
deal only with matters which should
properly come under him all the
rest will go where they properly be
long. Everybody who knows anything
about the business of the Office admits
the proposed change to be beneficial
in every respect The Office of Archi-
tect is now vacant, but 1t is expected
to be filled soon after the Ieorgani-
zation of the office. There are twenty
five written applications for the office
on file.
They are making things lively for
Representative Asher Caruth, of
Kentucky, around his usual Washing
ton haunts, because of his having told
guileless reporter for local paper
that he had no use for present sent
hiu from Philadelphia. The aforesaid
present was In the shape of a book
and had title reading: "Chips tnat
Pass in the Night; by Jack Pot
Inside, instead OF reading matter, was
poker layout, including cards and
ivory chips. The Col. is accused by
his friends of trying to bunco that
poor reporter and through him the
public, and the reporter is SAID to
have been discharged for accepting as
true the statement that Kentucky
Congressman had no use for poker
layout.
Gov Oates, of Alabama, is spend
ing the holidays in Washington, but
his visit is one of business as well as
pleasure. When asked what brought
HIM to Washington at this time, he
said: g My chief aim and ambition is
to help contribute to the material
development of Alabama, which is SO
rich in natural resources. National
legislation is needed to help on the
good work. The people of the South
are short Of the capital required in
building up that section, and so hope
that at the present session Congress
will do something to relieve the nee
esslties of the country by some kind
OF financial legislation The Carlisle