The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-02-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.


A Joint caucus Of Republican Senators
and Representatives was held this week
to select the members Of the new Con-
gressional Campaign Committee, and in.
cidentlly there was some talk about
pending legislation, especially the tariff
bill, which Senator Carter, one of tho
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 action, but it was
plain that the sentiment of the caucus
was almost unanimous that the bill
ought to be put 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 $500, 900 of the peoples money, by
deciding that the bonds upon which the
original bidders defaulted in the first
payment-about $1,000, O0O-should go
to Mr.. Morgan at his bid, notwithstand.
ing the offer Of higher price by others
for them. Secretary Carlisle should
have to answer before the bar of the U.
8. Senate, sitting as court of impeach.
ment, for this extraordinary and costly
favor conferred upon M. 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 LII when they could have
been sold in the open market (see cur.
rent quotations) for LII, difference of
six 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 re.
ject any or all bids sent in. 1t is per.
fectly clear that Mr.. Morgan had abso.
lutely no claim whatever to have these
bonds upon which higher bidders de.
faulted awarded to him, and the infer
ence 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.
Senator Hill made a bid for the
whiskey vote by speaking against the
presentation of petitions from temper
ance prople to the Senate and giving
notice OF his intention to move that the
Senate rules be so amended that pc.
titions should be handed to the clerk of
the Senate and not be presented in open
Senate and have their titles read, as has
been the invariable custom.
The hearings before the Senate Pacific
Railroads committee, on the various
propositions for the settlement of the
debt of those roads to the government,
have made the railroad lobbyists very
conspicuous in Washington, but so far,
little hss been brought out that was
new and there is nothing in sight to in
dictate the nature of the bill that will
finally be reported. 1t is, of course,
certain that bills will be reported both
from the House and Senate committees,
but whether both committees 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 q
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 appropri-
ated the money. A number Of gentle.
men helped along the amusement, but
the efforts of Representative Cousins, of
Iowa, seemed to be most appreciated by
the House. He offered an amendment
to the Agricultural appropriation bill,
providing that the salary of the Secretary
of Agriculture be reduced to $25 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 Secre.
tary Morton's course was the grossest
I
usurpation 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
will not be any seed distribution this
year of our Lord, not if he knows him.
SELF" and again, that the most powerful
branch of the government was that re.
presented by the Secretly Of Agriculture,
who took Congress and the President
into his lap and.supervised and ultimate.
ly decided everything. Mr.. Cousins
closed by saying: "This is no longer a
government of the people. 1t is gov.
eminent by ]. Pierrepont Morgan and
]. Sterling Morton"
Representative Walter Evans, of KY,
has introduced bill that ought to be.
come a law. It created the Lincoln