Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-03-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 90, '96.

A Joint caucus of Republican Sena-
tors and Representatives was held this
week to select the members of the new
Congressional Campaign Committee,
and incidentally there was some talk
about pending legislation, especially
the tariff bill, which Senator Carter,
one of the Republicans who voted
against taking that bill up last week,
has moved to send back to the Finance
Committee for further consideration.
No attempt was made to force any &C.
tion, but it was plain that the senti.
ment of the caucus was almost unapi
nous that the bill ought to be nut
through the Senate just as it passed
the House.
Oh no, j. Pierrepont Morgan has no
pull" on this administration. That
was shown by the action of Secretary
Carlisle in presenting Mr.. Morgan with
about $SOO,O of the people 8 money,
by deciding that the bonds upon which
the original bidders defaulted in the
first paymcnt-'about 50, ,0O0, 900. should
go to MIR. Morgan at his bid, notwith.
standing the offer of higher price by
others for them. Secretary Carlisle
should have to answer before the bar
OF the U. S. Senate, sitting as a court
of impeachment. for this extraordinary
and costly favor conferred upon Mr..
Morgan. Lest there should be any
misunderstanding as to this charge
here are the figures. These bonds are
sold to Mr.. Morgan at less than Ill
when they could have been sold in the
open market (see quotations) for III,
difference of cents upon every dol
lar of the bonds. This too, in the face
OF the statement in the original adver-
tisement for bids, that the Government
reserved the right to reject any or all
bids sent in. 1t is perfectly clear that
MIR. Morgan had absolutely no claim
to have these bonds upon which higher
bidders defaulted awarded to him, and
the inference is that they are given
him, because he didn't get as many
bonds as he and the administration
expected he would get But it lis cost.
ly for the people.
Senator Hill made bid for the
whisky vote by speaking against the
presentation of petitions from temper.
ance people to the Senate and giving
notice of his intention to move that the
Senate rules be 80 amended that peti.
tions should be handed to the clerk of
the Senate and not be presented in
open Senateand have their titles read,
as has been the invariable custom.
The hearings before the Senate Pa
cific Railroad Committee, on the vari-
GUS propositions for the settlement of
the debt of those roads to the Govern
ment, have made the railroad lobby
lists very CONSPICUOUS in Washington,
but so far little has been brought out
that was new and there is nothing in
sight to indicate the nature of the bill
that will finally be reported. 1t is, of
course, certain that bills will be re.
ported both from House and Senate
Committees, but whether both Com
mittees will report the same bill or
whether any bill will be passed is more
than can at this time be said The
country will be fortunate If this matter
is disposed of without Congressional
scandal.
The House this week had little fun
with Secretary Morton, in connection
with his refusal to buy and distribute
seeds after the last Congress appro-
priated the money. A number of gen.
tleman helped along the amusement,
but the efforts of Representative Cous-
ins, of Iowa, seemed to be most appre-
ciated by the House. He offered an
amendment to the Agricultural appro-
priation bill, providing that the salary
of the Secretary of Agriculture be re.
duced to $25 year until he should
comply with the law for the free distri-
button of seeds. The amendment was,
of course, ruled out on a point of order,
but not until Mr.. Cousins had his say,
which was not altogether humorous.
For instance, he was serious enough
when he said Secretary Morton g course
was the grossest usurpation of modern
times, and 1.-THE Secretary pats the
House on the head, strokes the gray
beard of the Senate, scowls at the
President, and says there will not be
any seed distribution this year of our
Lord, not if he knows himself" and
again, that the most powerful branch
of the Government was that represent
ed by the Secretary of Agriculture,
who took Congress and the President
into his lap and supervised and ulti-
mately decided everything. Mr.. Cous-
ins closed by saying, This is no longer
a government of the people. 1t is a
government by j. Pierrepont Morgan
and j. Sterling Morton"
Representative Walter Evans, of
Kentucky, has introduced bill that
ought to become a law. 1t creates
The Lincoln Monument Commission,
to consist of the President, the Vice
1
President, the Speaker of the House,
the Secretary of State and the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, and authorizes
said commission to have constructed
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