Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-06-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, d. c., May 90, '96.

W|ASHiNdTON, ~. u, May ~, 49,.
While nc formal action has been taken
as to the date of adjournment it is easy
for old timers to see that Senators and
Representatives are expecting adjourn
ment in a few days. Unless Mr.. Cleye-
land shall, in the veto message he is now
preparing on the River and Harbor bill,
attempt to attack Congress in such q
name rs to provoke q reply, it is
probable that next week will be the
last week Of the session. 1t is regared
as certain, no matter what position MI.
Cleveland may take, that the River and
Harbor bill will be passed over his veto.
If he contents himself with vetoing it
without scolding Congress the bill will
merely be quietly passed over the veto,
without discussion; but if he does other
wise there will be discussion and plenty
of it before the bill is passed.
The Senate voted down Senator Du-
boies' proposition for an additional tax
of 10 cents n barrel on beer.
The Cleveland Democrats have about
abandoned open fighting against the
silver Democrats, and are now working
secret schemes by which they hope to
be able to control a sufficient number of
the silver delegates to the Chicago con
vention to prevent the adoption of a
free silver platform. The general opin-
ion in Washington is that there is bound
to be a bolt at Chicago.
The Virginia Senators, neither OF
whom was consulted before the nomina-
o was sent in, succeeded in getting
an adverse report from the Finance
committee on the nomination of w. II.
Fowle to succeed Gen. Fitz Lee as col
lector of internal revenue for the Sixth
Virginia District. AS the adverse re-
port was unanimous it indicates almost
to a certainty that the Senate will re-
fuse to confirm the nomination. The
fight on Fowle by the Virginia Senators
is merely an undermined fight on Fitz
Lee, who is his father in law, and whose
name is so powerful among Virginia
Democrats that the Senators did not
dare strike him direct. The charge
against Fowle is incompetency. 1t may
be perfectly true, why wasitn not brought
during the time that he was in charge
of the collectors Office as Gen. Lees
deputy 1t is well known that Gen. Lee
was only the ornamental collector and
that the work of the office was directed
by Fowle; also that Lee was named for
collector without consulting the Viz
ginia Senators.
Chairman Picker, of the House Com
mittee on Invalid Pensions, has reported
favorably to the House from that Com
mitttee a service pension bill. This bill
provides that every honorably dis
charged soldier and sailor who served
ninety days OF longer during the late
war shall receive SO a month, and one
cent a month additional for each day ex-
ceeding ninety that he served. Esti-
mates differ as to how much money
would be required to put this bill into
effect, the most conservative putting il
in the neighborhood of $20,0OO,000 a year
The friends of the bill say there is no in.
ton to push it at the present session
and that it has been reported so as to
allow the people a chance to discuss il
and express their views upon it before
1t comes up for final action, at the next
session.
One of the interested listeners to the
remarks made by Representative Dolli
yer, of Iowa, showing up the turncoar
political record of eX-Gov. Boies, of tina
State, was D. H. Stuhr, of Davenport
Afterwards Nj. Stuhr said "If ex-Gov
Boies should be the Democratic nominee
for the Presidency | think Iowa would
give Il Republican majority not short o,
100000. The Germans once voted fol
Boies because Of his stand against pro
hibition, but this time they would knife
him. The liquor question has beer
satisfactorily settled by the Republican
party, and BOies can no longer get votes
on his former anti-prohibition record
| think the Republicans will carr,
every Congressional District in Iowa
as they did in "a"
The House followed the recommenda
ton of the Ways and Means committe
and passed the bill repeating the claus
of the tariff law which provided for tn,
admission of alcohol to be used in tn
arts and in manufactures, free of duty
by n vote of l65 to 60, and it is eXpecte,
that the Senate will also pass it befor
adjournment. Treasury experts declares
the clause to be so drawn that it coul
not be enforced, and no attempt has eve
been made to enforce it.
Comptroller Bowler has given no ind.
cation of an attempt to resist the deci.
ion of the L. S. Supreme Court whic
knocked him off the pedestal upoI
which he placed himself when he refus
ed to pay the money appropriated b,
Congress for sugar ,bounties, by decid
ing that the money must be paid. Afte
all Bowler isn't the man to blame. III
was ordered to do what he did. Mr.. Cleye
land and Secretary Carlisle are the me,
who have. been sat upon by the Suprem
Court decision.
.-4-nmulsw