The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1897-04-02
He of all in Leavenng Powef-Lae U. S Govt Report
k3H!aa!I! q! Rs%asSE RRskiRS
ABSOLUTELY PURE
ashIBgioB Letter.

The Mckinley tariff bill number two got
some very hard knocks in the house this
week, and the outside pressure was so
heavy that Mr.. DINGHY was compelled to
announce that the ways and means COM
mittee had decided to strike out that
clause of the bill placing duty on books
and scientific instruments for education
al institutions and add an amendment
putting those articles on the free list, as
they are at present The Democrats OF
the house made the most of the almost
numbeIless unjust and uncalled for dis
ordinations made by the bill in favor
of the few against the many, but the
speech made by Representative McMillin
naturally received the most atten ion,
both from the opponents and friends of
the bill, because of his position as the
ranking Democrat of the ways and
means committee, and because on &C
count of his long experience in tariff
matters he had been requested by Repre-
sentative Bailey to make the leading
speech against the bill In replying tn
Representative Dingley's statement thai
the increased burden of taxation i'm
posed by the bill was on luxuries, Mr.
McMilln said: ''The claim that the in
creased burden is on luxuries is not sus
tanned by the facts. Are coarse shawls
and knit goods luxuries? Are wool hats
and overcoats luxuries? Are knives and
forks in this urbane age luXuries? And
| beg with all Difference to ask whether
in the state of Maine clean shirt has be
come such a rarity that it is classed with
the Injuries? | ask him when. among
Americans, the sugar that sweetens tea
and coffee became a luxury to farmers?
Sir, not only is the bill itself higher, but
the different schedules average above
those of the Mckinley bill" Mr. Nc
Millin also called attention to the fact
that foreign governments are already
preparing to resist this new assault upon
commerce. He also reminded the Re
publicans that a purchased veI dict, such
as they obtained last November, would
not be allowed to stand.
Senators and representatives have had
an excellent opportunity to observe the
sublime cheek and impudence of the in
dividual who bobbed up in the late cam
paigD as Cousin Osborne" and who
has secured the position of consul gener-
al to London, one of the best paying DO
sitiOns at the disposal of his cousin. Mr.
obtaining this position cousin Os-
borne" had overlooked an order OF Sc
cretary Olney, issued last October. regu-
lating consular fees, which has resulted
in reducing the income of consdl gener-
al to London from $50, 900 to SAC, 900 a
year to about $12 600 When Cousin
Osborne" found this out he was indig-
nant, although tehre are people who say
that the reduced income of the office is
about six or seven times as much as he
has ever been able to earn in private life
Be that as it may, cousin Osborne
applied to Mr.. Mckinley to have that
order of Secretary Olney's set aside and
the old scale of consular fees resumed
but Mr.. Mckinley feared the scanda ,
that would follow such action on his
part, and said ne would not do it unless
congress directed it to be done. This
week Cousin Osborne has been per
sonally canvassing senators and Repre-
sentauves to get their support for what
would be practically making him pres
ent of something like sos, 900 a year.
He hasn't received much encourage
ment.
Whether the administration will make G
| any use of the decision of the L. S.
supreme court sustaining the Sherman
antitrust law and including railway pools
and agreements within its scope, is a
| question that many men in congress are
| much interested in. 1t was maintained
by Mr.. Cleveland's two Attorney Gener.
| als-Olney and Harmon-that nothing
/ could be done under the Sherman law
I because of the decisions of courts against
ITS validity. Now that the highest
| court has reversed those decisions al
peclared the law valid. there is an op.
dortunlty for this administration to clear
itself of the charge of being too friendly
the trusts, by vigorously prosecuting
them, if it isn't afraid to do so.
The civil service law which stands be.
tween the Republicans and the offices
was very viCiously attacked by Senator
iallinger and others in the debate which
preceded the adoption without dissent
ing vote of Senator Aliens resolution
Tor an investigation of the methods Dur
| sued by the civil service commission
and the end is not yet. Senator Cor
man was the only Democrat who tool
part In the debate and he merely tool
advantage of the opportunity to good
naturedly nag the Republicans littl,
about their anxiety to get at the offices
If 1t comes to a direct vote on the re
peal of the present civil service law
there are plenty of Democrats who will
vote "aye, although they know that i
would mean the replacing of every Dem
ocrat In federal office by a Republican
A bill to repeal has been introduced
| NJ.