The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-01-16
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.

among the republicans of the Senate
as it was in the House, but it had to
be heavily laid upon some of the re
publican Senators before they would
agree to support the tariff bill arrang
ed by MIR. Reed and passed by his
House, without amendment, They
swore through two long caucuses that
some Mckinley amendments should
be attached to the bill or they would
not support it, but at the third caucus
Boss Qnay's welding of the combine
whip was more than they could stand
and they agreed to support the bill
without amendment, thus scoring
another decisive victory for the Quay
Platt- Reed combine. But this does
not make it certain that Mr.. Reeds
tariff bill will pass the Senate, Some
votes will have to be gotten either
from the democrats or the populists
to pass it, and if it passes President
cleveland will never sign it.
There is a very decided difference
Of opinion in Washington as to how
that call for bids for the purchase of
bonds will result, the majority seeming
to be on the side of those who think
private individuals will not bid, be
cause they haven't the gold.
Senator Gray, of Del, jumped up.
on the idvotic idea advanced by
Lodge, of Mass, and supported by
Chandler ("Little Billee ", of N. II
that the editor of the New York
World had committed high treason by
obtaining and publishing the views of
prominent EngIshmen on the
Venezuela matter and the issue Of
bonds, with the following vigorous
language "Now, in the evening of
the nineteenth century, you cannot
bark back on the track Of the dead
centuries and attempt to stifle expires.
sion or effort to obtain expression in
this country or abroad. In this coun.
try and in all civilized countries a just
public opinion is the final arbiter of
all questions. 1t is not necessary for
me to say, if this suggestion is serious
Iy made, that it is impossible in this
day and hour to attempt any inquis-
torial Interpretation of a statute for
the purpose of sitting an expression
of public opinion"
There are lots of lawyers in both
House and Senate who regard the
Supreme Court decision against the
constitutionality Of the income tax as
a mistaken one, but Senator Vest is
the first one of them who has openly
attacked the decision. In the course
of speech, answering Senator Sher-
mans recent financial speech, Senator
Vest said of it: in my judgment
40 Judgment has ever in the history
Of the country been rendered which
las done so much to destroy the in
duence of that high tribunal and ex-
cite dlstrust on the part of the people
If this country" He declared that
he would not trust himself to say in
the Senate what he thought of that
lecision, but would leave it to mem.
,ers of the court who dissented there
rom, and he read from two of those
opinions. Referring to the effect of
he decision he said: 1t marks
aew era, and | greatly mistake if the
lime does not come when neither soft
words nor honeyed praises will prove
sufficient apology"
That 60 Hnu cnnoh hinep uoc Et
ing name for the gang who secured
Ill the Offices of the House was made
apparent to all when it attempted to
reate 48 new Offices, in order to
provide for that many more Of their
followers. But the dose was too big,
1r the members of the Committee on
Accounts, which has charge of the
House contingent fund from which it
vas proposed to pay these 4S addi-
tional officers, were not fixed" AT
my rate to the surprise of the " "hog
combine" the committee reported
that I" in view of the low ebb of the
contingent fund, and the utter need
cessness of most of the places it
could only recommend the appoint
nent of three of the 4S new officials
provided for in the resolution. Spirit
d attacks were made on the +" hog
combine " by Johnson, of Ind, and
Walker, of Mass, the latter declaring
hat officers of the House were no.
appointed by majority of the mem
'ers, nor by the Speaker, but were
)arceled out by the combine.
Senator Mills, of Texas, has beer
joilying the republicans unspar
ngly about that House tariff bill, nov
n the Senate. He offers his congratu
iations to the republicans of tn,
House for having, after may year
,buse of the democratic idea of
ariff Tor revenue only, passed the onl
strictly revenue tariff bill that eve
vent through either branch of Con
ress. The republicans try to escap
he charge of inconsistency by claim
ing the bill to be an emergency