The Penn's Grove record., 1896-04-03
Washington Letter.
Washington, d. c.. MSrch :

are making on him. Unless the POLL
ticians are all mistaken in the situa'
tion, the St. Louis convention promises
to be the scene Of as spirited a series oil
contests as took place at Cincinnati
twenty years ago. and resulted in tile
turning down OF Blaine and Grant aud
the nomination of Hayes. Certainl!
the republican situation today resembles
in many respects that which existed in
the early spring of '76. The contest
over the platform, especially the linan-
cial plank, may be qdite as spirited as
that over the candidate.
AT last the end of the Cuban resolu"
tions is in sight. This week the House
will follow the advice Of the conference
committee and agree TO accept the ori.
ginal senate resolution. Then Presi-
dent Cleveland will pigeon hole them,
unless his intentions are misrepresented
by those who ought to know something
about them.
The date of adjournment is being dis
cussed. 1t will not be as early as Sena-
tor Platt's resolution puts it May ?,
but it is likely to be within a month Of
that date, unless the spirit which ami
mated the House when it took the bit
in its teeth, so to speak, and turned
down the leaders by refusing 10 consid-
er an appropriation bill because it want
ed to devote a day to private bills be-
comes prevalent and forces legislation
to the front against the wishes OF the
leaders, thus delaying action Oh the APP
preparation bills.
Senator Hill, of n. Y, has introduc
ed a bill which had it been fathered by
a populist, would have been met with
a concerted cry of ridiculous" The
bill authorizes and directs The Secretary
of the treasury TO detail Il sufficient
number of revenue cutters to provide
for the safety of the participants in and
the spectators at International sailing
regattas. There would be Just about
as much common sense in a bill direct.
ing the Secretary Of War 10 detail a
company of infantry to protect the UNI
pire at each aud all of the games of
base ball that may be played between
American and Canadian clubs.
If members OF Congress were not
hari-leaded and difficult TO convince,
the statement of ex-senator Warner
Miller, president of the Nicaraguan
Canal Company, TO the House Com.
merce committee, would have left no
doubt of the philantbropic reasons of
The ex-senator Tor wishing Uncle Sam
to guarantee 500, 900, 600 of bonds to
be used by the Canal company, nor of
the prejudice OF the government COM
mission which made a report which did
not accord with the figures of the Canal
Company. Mr.. Miller also tried q lit.
tie high and lofty business, by telling
the committee that the canal company
had never asked for Congressional leg
islation, and that all it now wanted was
for Congress TO say whether it intended
TO take control or not, as private CAPT
tai could easily be secured if the inttn-
tion of this government not TO inter-
fere be plainly made known. That sort
of a bluff is worse than useless. Those
who know anything at all about the
scheme know it was because of the fail
ure TO secure private capital that the
plan of having bonds guaranteed by the
government was brought forward.
fl is difficult to get facts enough 10
say positively whether the reported in
tention 10 rush a bill through both
branches Of Congress during the last
days of the session, TO add 81 a barrel
to the internal revenue tax on beer, is
true or is only a ruse Of the lobbyists
employed by the brewers to look out for
their interests in Congress, TO make
their employers believe they are earn
ing their money. More than a year ago
Speaker Reed, in a speech made in New
York state, advocated that method Of
raising additional revenue, and it is be-
lieyed that the administration would be
glad to see such a bill pass, as it is very
well known that more money will be
needed thar will be brought in by pre-
sent methods of raising revenue. Prom.
inent democrats are credited with hav-
ing expressed their willingness to allow
such a measure to pass if the republi.
cans will assume responsibility for it.
Members who represent city districts
and who are candidates for reelection
will be sorry to see such a bill brought
up, because they know they will make
lots of enemies whichever way they may
decide lO vote.