St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-04-02

upon at the request of Senator Hale and
Senator Allison Of Iowa.
Senators and representatives, whether
displeased at young Mr.. Hales selection
or Indifferent to it, are inclined to think
that 1t would have been much more in
harmony with the fitness Of things had
he been sert to Madrid, where, owing to
bis fathers warm friendship for Spain,
and his championship in congress of Its
Cuban poll cy, he would have been per-
soma grata.
The hitch which has occurred over
the appointment of General Draper of
Massachusetts may have had some bear
Ing upon the determination of the presi-
dent In locating Mr.. Hale. There seems to
be some serious trouble in locating Cen
eral Draper. He was first slated for the
German ambassadorship; then it was
said that circumstances made it neces-
sary that he should go to Italy. Finally
he got an offer to be consul-general to
Cuba, succeeding General Lee, which he
somewhat testify declined.
1t Is said that for climatic reasons Cen
eral Draper prefers not to go to Italy, but
as he has been told that the German mis-
sion is out Of his reach he may finally
decide to accept the Italian mission, and
thus be able to avail himself Of the valu
able diplomatic knowledge and expert
ence Of young Mr. Hale of Ellsworth, Me.
1t Is very evident that not very much
general legislation will be undertaken at
this the extra session Of the Fifty-ffth
congress. Speaker Reed has named only
the necessary committees to arganize the
house for the passage of the new tariff
bill, and none of the standing commit
tees have been announced and probably
will not be until the first regular session
in December next.
The vote on the tariff bill in the house
will come March 81. 1t will pass, as
nearly everyone knows by this time. 1t
will be in the hands Of the senate April
and there exc itself into existence.
The senate will probably remodel the
bill in all its salient features and when
1t is returned to the house the latter body
will hardly recognize its offspring. The
history of recent tariff bills has been
that the upper branch Of the national leg
islature has greatly altered them as
originally drafted in the house. THIS
vas true of the Mckinley bill. 1t wal
also so true Of the Wilson law Of 1894
that a new name-the Wilson-Gorman
law-had to be given 1t, so sweeping
were the senate changes to 1t. 1t Is 60
ing to be true of the new Dingley bill.
1t has been related that the senate
intends to strike out all but the enact
ing clause and insert an entirely different
set of schedules from those which the
house propose to enact into law.
This and previous revisions of tariff
laws in the senate simply goes to show
that the house of representatives seems
to be losing its constitutional preroga-
tive of formulating revenue measures
The constitution expressly sta tes that all
revenue producing measures shall origi-
nate in the house, but what a parody or
constitutional franchise to have the
house draft a bill and have the senate
throw that draft overheard and exercise
its own sweet will in perfecting tariff
bill to become the law of the land. Tha
is what is apt to be done in the presen
case, though, following in the course
pursued by the Mckinley and Wilson
German laws.
One of the schedules in which New En-
gland is interested in the pending bill Il
that dealing with monumental granite
Representatives of the various Interest,"
of this kind of work have been here al
the week, and if the Republicans hav
not got some sort of information on tn
subject it must be because they are dea
or are not possessed of the ordinary de
grees of comprehension.
The present rate is 40 per cent ad
valorem, that is as reported by the way
and means committee. The American
manufacturers claim that nothing shor
OF 100 per cent advalorem will affor'
adequate protection, saying that tn
cheap wages paid in Scotland enable
the manufacturers there to produc
I work much cheaper, and, therefore, sen
: 1t over here to compete with the produc
made by our high-priced America
labor
This portion of the granite schedule
I made up along the lines made up by tn
Mckinley bill. A proposition to rails
the rate to 100 per cent, thereby protect
Ing our manufacturers against foreig
e competition was strenuously fought b
IL Qllterenl HTmS located III ~ ulIIeTeI
= sections of the United States, and forme
, into an organization known as the Bos
\ ton wholesale Granite Dealers associe
ton.
, 1t is in this connection that the Quinc
e men now here introduce their bombshel
( They claim that this Boston associatio
has a contract to handle the product {
t the Scotland quarrymen, also formed q
= an organization, known as the Aberdee
I Granite association. The Quincy men sa
t that naturally the firms in the Bosto
association are opposed to making til
Scotland quarrymen pay higher rate
!, of duty, when they, the members of IL
Boston association, have a contract
a handle the Scotland product Hight
! duty means higher prices to the II firm
= In America who have agreed to sell IL
/. product of the quarries at Aberdeen.
= The alleged existence of this contra
is said to have opened the eyes Of IL
:, ways and means committee to the d.
STABILITY of making higher rate, ar
= the Quincy men here produced a copy
10 the agreement entered into between I'll
- Boston association and the Aberdeen a.
ISOLATION.
, Senator Proctor of Vermont will ha'
= especial charge of this matter in the sci
ia ate, and he expresses the belief that
n will be able to have the matter satisfa