The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-01-02
WASHINGTON.
From our Reguler correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Soth, ISo5.

w ASHINGTON, Dec. 3oth, 1909.
Spe aker Reeds muzzles are in
prime working order He mugEled
the members OF the Ways and Means
committee and compelled them to
report two bills prepared By him one
increasing the tariff upon wool,
woolens and lumber to 90 per cent of
what it wes in the Mckinley law,
and raising the tariff upon everything
else, excepting sugar, IS per cent
above present rates, and the other
providing tor the issue of three pei
cent coin bonds to replenish the gold
reserve whenever the Secretary of the
Treasury deems it necessary, and Of
$780, 600 in three per cent 3 year
Treasury certificates, or SO much
thereof as the Secretary OF the Treas
ury may need from time to time. He
muzzled the objecting republicans
who wanted the bills submitted TO
caucus before being reported to the
House, and lastly he muzaled the
House and had his bills passed, not
withstandiag that the democrats did
all the protesting they could under
the Reed rules, against the railroading
of such important legislation through
the House without debate. When
one of his own party went to Mr..
Reed and asked that a reasonable
time be allowed for debate on the
bills before they were passed Mr..
Reed dismissed him by saying sharply:
"The House isn't debating society"
In fact, for all practical purposes
there is no House. Its powers have
all been usurped by Mr.. Reed and its
only important duties are to obey his
orders.
But there are neither Reed rules
nor methods in the Senate, to which
these bills have now gone, and the
country may count upon their being
thoroughly debated before they are
acted upon. 1t is doubtful whether
either of them cen pass the Senate at
all, and certain that neither can get
through without being materially
amended.
The President this week formally
declined to accept the ram Katahdin,
built by the Bath Iron Works, because
of the failure of the vessel to make
the speed stipulated in the contract.
The rejection Is merely a technical
one, as the lministration and the
naval officers are entirely satisfied
with the boat and know that the
failure to reach the required speed
was no fault of the builders who mere
ly followed the government plans in
the construction of the vessel. Ii
would have set a precedent which
might make trouble in the future to
accept the vessel after its failure to
make the speed named in the con
tract, SO it was deemed best to refuse
to accept. But the administration
influence will be used to get the joint
resolution authorizing the President
to accept the Katahdin, which has
already been introduced, adopted BY
Congress, so there is little doubt tha
the Katahdin will soon be part O
Uncle Sans navy.
In creating three Election com
mittees to bounce those democrat
whose seats are being contested b
republicans and to give those republi
cans who are holding seats which ART
contested by democrats a valid It'll,
to their seats, Mr.. Reed overlooked
one thing that is already making
trouble. The committee on Election
has but one room, and each of tn
three committees claim the right t,
use it.
The union printers are not so gla'
about the extension of the Civi
Service rules to the Governmen
Printing Office as they were. AIread
four non union printers have secure,