Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-05-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Tariff Bill Completed The An
nexation Of Hawaii.

The Civil Service Rules Arc For Demo-
cratic Advantage-spy System in the
war Department AboIished-Mc-
Kiniey starts tIpe Tennessee
Exposition Notes, Etc.
(From Our Regular Correspondent)
Washington, May, 3.-The Re-
publican members of the Senate
Finance Committee have completed
the work of amending the Dingley
tariff bill. and unless the Democra-
tic members of the committee cause
some unnecessary delay the bill will
be reported to the Senate this week.
The bill has not been made public,
but it is known that it has been
amended in nearly every schedule,
and that as a rule the amendments
provide for slightly lowering the
duties from those in the original
bill, although in some cases they
are raised. The bill is still dis
tinctly Republican protective mea-
sure, just as everybody knew it
would be, but whether on the whole
it is an Improvement upon the ori-
ginal bill is, of course, largely a
matter of personal opinion. The
average Republican only asks for a
tariff that will protect all American
industries and products alike, and
is not disposed to haggle over the
precise rate of duty to be imposed
on any particular article or articles.
1t is claimed by the Senators who
have framed these amendments that
they are intended to increase the re-
venues of the government without
any sacrifice of the principle of pro-
lection.
Senator Frye doesn't believe the
abrogation of the reciprocity treaty
with Hawaii, which the sugar trust
is demanding through its lobby, is
possible. He said: "The repre-
sentatives of the sugar trust are
.,>-1-1--c, a. -s---- 80 l.; 80 - 9 a. =
treaty with more than usual energy
and activity. They are deeply in
terested in abrogation, and l don't
know of any one else who is. In
their efforts to secure their own in
terests they are misrepresenting the
disadvantages to the United States
from this treaty and concealing the
advantages. The advantages are
manifold and the disadvantages
small"
There are few people around
Washington who do not believe that
the annexation of Hawaii is one of
the certainties of the near future.
Whether the recently reported atti-
tude of Japan towards Hawaii will
result in Fastening annexation is
yet to be determined. An official
speaking of the matter said: This
government is not alarmed or an
noyed by the reports of japanese
restlessness and loud war talk
That nation has not recovered from
its victory over China yet, and il
feels as if it owns the world. A lit.
tie buster win do no harm to any
one, but you may rest assured thai
the Japanese will do nothing more
than bluster. After the tariff bill
has been disposed of, the Senate may
have an opportunity to act upon O
treaty providing for the annexation
of Hawaii. Mean while you may b.
sure that the United States navy will
back Hawaii in enforcing its immi
grafton laws, against the Japanes'
or any other nationality.
President Mckinley touched thl
eletric button that started thi
machinery of the Tennessee Centen,
nial Exposition, at Nashville, ans
later he expects to visit the exposi
ton in person and to carry with hin
as many members of his cabinet a
can 90. He has expressed much in
terest in the success Of the exposi
fion.
If President Mckinley had neve
until within the last ten day though
of annuIling some of the extension
of the civil service rules made b.
Mr. Cleveland, the facts brough
ont during that time would hav
started him to thinking about il
Testimony taken by the Senate com
nittee that is investigating thi
subject has already made 1t plai
that the whole thing was manipui9
ted to the advantage of Democrat
and the disadvantage of Republican
and entirely regardless of the bes
interests of the public service. A
the last meeting of this e0mmitte
letters were read from Postmaste
General Gary and from Secretar
Long in faVOr Of changing, an
Public Printer Palmer fired thi
broadside: "As applied to TIL
office (CiOvernment Printing Ohlcs
which if simply great manufactul
ing plant, involving varied branche
of skilled labor Of high grade, th
civil service rules are, in my Judf
ment. an obstruction rather than a
aid TO efficiency and economy
my opinion the civil service rules