Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-01-31
WASHINGTON LETTER

wAsHIsoros. y z 81.

slppr VINO are In sympathy with II.
Cleveland's policy towards HamS.,
but they are the only men 4 4
senate who have even pretendas
defend that policy during the dis
sions which We're feature II ~
morning hour in the senate ~
week. Senator Hale has otfaraa
amendment to the diplomatic ~
consular appropriation bill anr.
priating 100000 for the survar ~ I.
cable route connecting the Hawa;;
islands and the United states aaa
has given notice Of his intention
press 1t to a vote before the nm
disposed Of. From the sentiments !.
opposition expressed in connectios
with Mr.. Cleveland's endorsement
the acquisition Of one of the H.
waiian islands by Great Britain i.
q cable station, there appears Il n.
good prospect for the adopfion I.
Senator Hale's amendment
Since the failure of Senator ~
som, on his financial mission u ans
bassabor from the democratic sana
tors to His Majesty, Grover 7 ;.
bring about an agreement az I'M
kind, those senators appear "a bavo
adopted a sort of go-as-you-nlaaso
every -man-for-himself idea az ~
situation, and the result is the intro
duction of two new financial h;lIs
one by Senator Jones, of Arkansas
and the other by Senator smith ~
n. j., both providing for the issus y
3 per cent. bonds up to $S00a0om.
but there the resemblance stons
The Smith bill is for non-partisan
currency commission, to make a "a.
port next December on changes
which might be anyantageouslv
made in the currency system, while
the Jones bill provides for the I'm.
limited coinage of silver, the govern.
ment to retain the difference be-
tween the market value Of the hull
lion and the money coined, as a
seigniorage; the reduction of the
tax on national bank currency 10
one-fourth Of per cent, and allows
the banks to issue currency to The
par value of the bonds they deposit
with the treasury.
A decision of Assistant Secretary
Reynolds, Of the interior depart.
ment, practically drops 10000 Mis-.
souri, pensioners from the rolls, Or
rather, it would drop them if con.
gress was not in session to prevent
it. mall the pension laws previous
to that Of 1890, the provisional mil.
tia of Missouri, although it was
never formally enrolled as a part Of
the regular u. 5. army, has been Rec
ogn1zed as n part OF the army, which
1t actually was so far as the perform.
ance of duty was concerned, in the
granting Of pensions to those who
served therein, and about 10000 Of
them have been drawing pensions
under the act of 1890; but Mr.. Rey.
nolds decides that they can no long.
er do so, because they are not specif-
ically mentioned in that act. 4 joint
resolution was promptly introduced
and passed placing these Missouri
pensioners under the act of 1890, so
as to save these veterans annoyance
from the decision Of Mr.. Reynolds.
Public Printer Benedict has been
called on for an explanation of his
discharge of Union veterans with
out cause, in violation of law, and as
the call is made by the e. s. senate
it will have to be answered. A bill
has also been introduced in the SEN
ate by Senator Quay, to abolish the
office of public printer, and elect
congressional printer, to superintend
the work Of the government print
ing office.
Two important court decisions
We're last week handed down in
Washington. The first was from the
u. =. supreme court, declaring that
the formation and operation of the
sugar trust was not a violation q
law. and was dissented from by JUS
tice Harlan, The second was that
OF the local judges, denying the IN
junction which was asked for to pre-
vent the collection of the income
tax. on the ground that the law
imposing that tax was unconstitu-
tional, and holding that the income
tax is valid. Notice of an appeal
was given. Although the L. 5. SUI
preme court only few years ago de-
cided in favor Of the constitutions
ity of an income tax it will have to
decide it again it seems.