Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-02-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON. ID. c., Feb. d leo

Oh no, j. Pierrepont Morgan hasno
pull" on this administration. That
was shown by the action of Secretary
Carlisle in presenting Mr.. Morgan
with about 100000 of the peonles
money, by deciding that the bonds
upon which the original bidders de.
faulted in the first payment-about
$5.000000-should go to Mr.. Morgan
at his bid, Notwithstanding the offer
of higher price by others for them.
Secretary Carlisle should have to
answer before the bar of the us
senate for this extraordinary and
costly favor conferred upon Mr.. Nor.
gan. Lest there should be any mis-
understanding as to this charge, here
are the figures: These bonds are
sold to Mr.. Morgan at less than LII,
when they could have been sold in
the open market (see current quo
tations) for LII a difference Of cents
upon every dollar of the bonds. This
too, in the face of the statement in
the original advertisement for bids,
that the government reserved the
right to reject any or all bids sent in.
1t is perfectly clear that Mr. Morgan
had absolutely no claim to have
these bonds upon which higher bid
ders 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 is
costly for the people.
The hearings before the senate
Pacific railroads committee, ON the
various propositions for the settle
ment of the debt of those roads to
the government, have made the rail-
road lobbyists very conspicuous in
Washington, but SO far very little
has been brought out that was new
and there is nothing in sight to indi-
cate the nature of the bill that will
finally be reported. The country will
be fortunate if this matter is disposed
of without congressional scandal.
The house had a 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
gentlemen helped along the amuse-
ment, but the efforts Of Representa-
tive Cousins, of Iowa, seemed to be
most appreciated by the house. He
offered an amendment to the agfi-
cultural appropriation bill, providing
that the salary of the secretary oil
agriculture be reduced to s25 year
until he should comply with the law
for the free distribution of seeds.
The amendment was, of course, ruled
out on point of order, but not until
Mr.. Cousins had had his say, which
was not altogether humorous. For
instance, he was serious enough
when he said Secretary Mortons
course was the grossest unsurpatioh
of modern times, and "the secretary
pats the house on the head, strokes
the gray beard of the senate, scowls
at the president, and says there VIII
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 represented by the secre'
tary of agriculture, who took con-
gress and the president into his zap
and supervised and ultimately de-
cided everything. Mr.. Cousins
closed by saying; This il no longer
a government of the people. II Is
government by J. Pierrepont Morgan
and j. Sterling Morton"
Representative Walter Evans q
Ky, has introduced a bill that oughs
to become law. 1t creates In
coin monument commission, Y con-
sist of the president, the vice presi.
dent, the speaker of the house ths
secretary of state and the secretary
of treasury, and authorizes said COM
mission to have constructed upon
ground belonging to the unilea
States monument to Abraham ihA.
coin that may appropriately anu
express the nations graz
tude for his illustsious and patrlo'N
and its exalted appreciatiea
Of his fame" $4,000 is appropriate"
by the bill.