Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-06-16
WEDNESDAY, JUNE Is, 1897.

IFrom our Regular Correspondent

ii
WASHINGTON, June II, 1897
President Mckinley will digest the
official report of Consul General Lee
and the report of the special commits
sioner Calhoun, before his return to
Washington from the Nashville expo
.sition, and will then finally decide
upon his policy towards Cuba 1t is
not expected, however, that any pub
Tic announcement Of that policy will be
made until a new minister has been
sent to Spain. Ex-Governor Cox, of
Ohio, has been asked to take that
position and he will decide by the
lime the president returns to Wash
ington.
The Democrats cannot hide their
chagrin and disappointment at the
harmonious action Of the Republican
senators on the tariff BILL It has
entirely upset all Democratic calcu-
cations. They had expected that the
Republicans would be divided and
that taey-could take advantage of the
division to secure changes in the bill
and to prolong the debate indefinitely
Instead of that they ind the Repub-
4icans presenting a solid front, and
refusing to be tainted into unneces-
sary debate. Unless the Democrats
sShange their tactics and resort to
S3pen obstruction to delay the bill it
will probably pass the senate before
the first ofJuly, and, judging from the
spirit shown by the senators in steadily
drifting towards the schedules of the
house bill, not more than ten days
will be required to reach an agree
Enent in conference on the senate
amendments to the bill. Unfortu-
nately, it is in the power of the Demo
. Gratis, if they dare to face public
opinion and doit, to change this pleas
ing outlook, but as things now look it
Is not an exaggerated prediction to
say that the tariff bill may become a
law in month from this time.
Senator Bacon, of Georgia, has the
honor of having offered the first
amendment to the tariff bill that has
been adopted without the endorse
ment of the Republican steering COM
.nittee, and the first strictly protective
amendment to be fathered by Dem
socrat and voted for by as many as
six Democrats. Some of the steering
committee schedules have received
She votes of one or two Democrats,
but when Senator Bacon's amendment
putting duty of 20 per cent. ad va
loren on raw cotton was voted upon
ii was supported by the following
Democrats: Bacon and Clay, of
! Georgia; Tillman and McLaurin. of
South Carolina; McEnery, of Louisi-
ana, and RaWlins, of Utah, and by all
the Republicans present, and was
passed by a vote of AZ to 10. This
action on the part of these Democrats
nearly caused Senators Jones, of
Arkansas, and Vest, of Missouri, who
ARE jointly leading the Democrats, to
throw a fit or two right on the floor
of the senate. There are several
vote for protection if they had the
nerve to follow their inclinations.
Senators German and Jones and
other Democrats are crossing a bridge
before they get to it, by declaring
t5hat the Democrats will not allow
legislation authorizing the appoint
ment of a currency commission to
investigate and report to congress
their conclusions as to how our pres
48nt currency system might be i'm
proved, to be passed by congress at
this session.
The new sugar schedule of the tar
if bill, which with two changes is
the original Dingley schedule, is far