Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-01-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.



gency legislative records republican
House can always be counted upon TO
do the business. When Mr.. Cleve-
land got ratified. and sstonished Con-
gress and the world by sending that
panlcy special message just 40 Con-
gress was about to adjourn for the
usual holiday recess, urging that in
stead OF taking recess Congress stay
and do something to relieve the
financial distress of the Treasury, he
thought he was playing a trump p0-
litical card, which would shift some
OF the responsibility, which belongs
solely tn the democratic party which
fat herd the present tariff law, for
the governments lack Of money upon
the Republicans In Congress. He
probably expected, as did many other
people, that Congress would ignore
his message, and 90 ahead with its
holiday arrangements, and such
would probably have been the result
IL there had not been republican
majority In the House. The Senate
had already adopted q resolution for
the recess, which only required adop-
tion by the House to have become q
fixed fact but Republicans never
shirk public duty. 1t is the duty
of the House to originate all legisla-
ton dealing with the revenues of the
government, and as soon as Mr. Cleve-
lands message was received the lead
ers of the House determined that no
recess should be taken, and that so
lar as the House could alone do so,
the relief asked by MIR. Cleveland
should be afforded, although not in
the way he would have preferred bsv-
ing 1t.
There began a week of legislative
work which smashed all previous rec
ords, and which i, not likely do be
outdone for a long time, II it ever is,
nOtwiths landing that the week In
cluded Christmas day, a day upon
which everybody except newspaper
men dislike to work-of course your
readers all know that newspaper men
love to work all the time. TO fully
appreciate the work accomplished
during the week by the Republicans
of the House, 1t must be remember ed
that Speaker Reed did not announce
the House committees until the day
after Mr.. Cleveland's message went
to Congress. Since then the House
Ways and Means committee has for
mulated two ILLS, and the House has
passed them, which will, II allowed
to become laws, give the country all
the revenue 1t will need, until the
Republicans are again in control Of
all branch 8 OF the government, and
provide the means to meet the pres
ent deficit in the Treasury, and keep
up the gold reserve.
The revenue ia to be raised by the
flrst bill which provides for an emer-
gency increase in the tariff-ranging
from 60 per cent of the Mckinley
tariff on wool and WOODEN manufac-
turees and lumber to an increase OF
Is per cent on the present tariff on
all articles, except sugar-to go into
effect upon the passage Of the act and
to remain in effect until August lst,
1898. The gold reserve is provided
for by the other bill which authorizes
the issue OF 3 per cent coin bonds, re-
deemable after years, and to be
used for no other purpose than the
purchase OF gold. The same bill pro-
vides for the ceflcit by authorizing
the issue of not more than $50, 900, 600
Ia three year treasury certificates,
bearing 3 per cent interest. What
the Senate will do with these bills Is
uncertain, but that is not the fault
of the Republicans, who have not a
majority OF that body. The Repub-
licans Of the House have met aud
called Mr.. Cleveland's bluff, and II
they controlled the Senate there
would be no doubt Of the action on
these bills. 1t is, OF course, possible
that Mr.. Cleveland may veto the
tariff bill, II it passes the Senate. but
there is an impression In Congress,
that he will allow it to become law
without bis signature. The other
bill he would gladly sign, although
he would like to substitute gold" for
@coin," but unless there Is q change
of opinion In the Senate, he Is not
likely to get the chance. Prominent
Senators have declared that no bond
bill shall pass that body.
While the belief, that the con.
troversy with Great Britain will be
settled without bloodshed Is on the
increase both in and out of Congress;
there is disposition In Congress to
follow the advice of the father Of
this country about preparing for wal
in time of peace. In addition To the