The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-02-20
W%ashington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is, 1898.

dent in either House of Congress
we're more more cowardly than those
which have been and are now being
made upon President Cleveland for
having bought gold, which he on
sidered necessary for the p%reserva-
ton of the credit of the government,
upon the best o~btainable terms. Tie
attacks are cowardly, because those
who make them know that the Presi-
dent cannot fully reply to them with
out saying things which they are Ger
tain his patriotism will prevent his
saying. There are not two men IN
the United States, whose reputation
for honesty and integrity are higher
than those of Grover Cleveland and
John G. Carlisle, and they have both
said in the most positive terms that
the contract for the issue of those
bonds to purchase the needed gold,
was the bess to be obtained. Repub-
licans in both House and Senate have
stated that the bonds could have been
exchanged for gold in this country
upon better terms. To resort to
abuse of these men is too much like
adopting their methods. but they
must have knewn when they made
those statements that they were false.
1t is not expected that either Presl-
dent Cleveland or Secretary Carlisle
will ever publicly say that American
capitalists were appealed to, and ap,,
pealed to in vain, to furnish the gold
needed by the government and take
bonds to pay for it Such a state
ment from the President or the Secse-
tary of the Treasury would have a
tendency to injure the credit of the
United States abroad, and it is not
likely to be made, no matter how
much abuse may be heaped upon
them. But it is none the less COW
ardly to take advantage of that.
Ex-Speaker Reed isn't the clipper
man he was. He was forced to show
his hand on the gold bond bill, which
was defeated by the House. and
thereby be lost the support of all the
silver republicans, as a Presidential
candidate. He thought he had a
walk,over for the nomination; now he
sees defeat in sight.
The republican Senators a yell
1.sugar trust as loud as anybody
when trying to catch votes. but
when it comes to passing a bill like
that for the repeal of the diferential
duty on sugar which has been
passed by the House and which
would, while beneitting cur trade
with Germany and the other CONT
MENTAL European countries, strike
the pocket of the sugar trust, they
at once assume the role of obstruc-
tionists. The intelligent people of
this country will have no difficulty III
spotting the friends Of the sugar
trust in the Senate. The democrats
have favorably reported this bill and
want it to pass ; The republicans are
determined to kill it without voting
upon it.
The House committee on Rules has
a difficult task in deciding which
bills shall be given the time that will
not be consumed by the appropria-
ton bills during the remaining two
weeks of the session. Some impor-
liant bills are being called to the
attention Of the committee, among
them being the Nicaragua canal bill,
which has been reported to the
House as a substitute for the bill
that passed the Senate: the Pacific
Railroad funding bill, which was
once sent back to committee by vote
of the House !; the free ship bill.
bills for reorganization of the army
and navy, bill for surveys of deep
water canals, labor arbitration bill,
and the bill for the amendment of the
copyright laws. which has been 80
strongly urged by the big newspaper
publishers.
Representative Springer, who re-
tires with this Congress, declares
that he is not a candidate for the
vacancy made by the sudden and
lamented deate of Hon. Isaac Pussy
Gray, late u. S Minister to Mexico,
and he adds that be would not accept
any executive appointment that
would take him out Of this country,
which he considers quite good
enough for MIN. A strong effort is
being made to get Senator Ransom
as Minister to Mexico
Senator Hill is making a gallant
fight for his resolution, which
reiterates tie determination of this
country 10 endeavor to maintain
silver and gold at a parity and de-
clares that in the event of failure it
will pay its obligations IN the best
money, but there is not much pro-