Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-07-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.

WASHINGTON, July 10Th, 1897.
Speaker Reed would be more than
human if he did not get little bit
swelled on account Of the several open
references made on the floor of the Sen
ate to his power as exercised over the
House, and the open acknowledgment
on the part of Senators that he had sue
ceeded in coerclng the Senate, not only
in pushing the tariff bill through, but
in shaping the bill itself. These &C
acknowledgements are among the most re-
markable ever made in the Senate,
which has heretofore prided itself on
always having its own way in all mat
tiers pertaining to legislation. The
Speaker Of the House has always been
the most powerful individual factor in
the control of Congressional legislation,
but unless these Senators are badly
mista ken, Speaker Reed has been more
than factor; he has been a dictator.
think his power in this case has been
greatly exaggerated.
The extra session of Congress that
met IN March is now part OF the
country's legislative history. and the
tariff bill, upon which the continuation
of the republican party in power de-
ponds, is now the law of the land, That
portion of the administration that ID
welded to the currency commission
idea is not entirely satisfied with the
work of the extra session, because no
such commission was authorized, and
those who wished Congress to 60 into
general legislation are not at all pleased
but those who wished legislation con.
fined to the tariff bill regard the session
as having been entirely successful.
| What the people think Of the work OF
the session will not be known for some
time yet, and will depend upon their
experience under the workings of the
new tariff. The average citizen is not
a bitter partisan, and is always ready
to say good word for the bridge that
carries him safely over rough waters
regardless of the builder. If the tariff
helps him he will pronounce it good,
if not, he will pronounce it bad and
help to overthrow those responsible for
it.
Senator Morgan added to his repnta,
ton as man of common sense by the
manner in which he announced the
abandonment of the attempt to delay
a vote on the conference report on the
tariff bill until cotton ties and bagglng
we're restored to the free list and the
duty on white pine lumber was reduced
from So to 81. He frankly stated that
he would have been willing to haye re-
NAMED all summer and to have kept
Congress in session had his support been
sufficient to justify hope of final sue
cess, but not having that he did not care
to have the batteries of the press con.
centrated upon him, and was therefore
willing to vote on the report.
One thing that was done while the
new tariff law was before the confer
ence committee is sure to be widely
commended. That is the insertion OF
clause prohibiting the manufacturers
of tobacco or cigarettes offering any sort
of prize or premium with their goods.
The only pity is that similar law
could not be made to apply to every
thing else, for there is little doubt that
the introduction of lottery methods into
business, which has grown to a great
evil, is demoralizing in its effects upon
our people as whole.
Oral testimony is now being taken
in the disbarment case against John
| Wedderburn Il Co. The Patent Office
claims to have ample proof of every
charge of fraud it has made against
Wedderburn & Co. The hearings are
attracting wide attention, and there is
not room in the Patent Office to accom-
modate all the patent lawyers who wish