The Opelousas courier., 1897-09-11
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. 6, 1S0


Such hubbub has been raised about
the construction that should be placed
upon Section 90 of the Dingley tariff
law. imposing discriminating duties,
which was amended by the Conference
Committee in way alleged to be more
or less mysterious, and which has been
referred to Attorney General Mckenna
for All official opinion, that MIR Mckin-
ley has been asked to return to Wash
ington at the earliest possible date, in
order that he and the entire cabinet
may take hand in determining the
opinion shall be gi ven out by the At
torney General. $30,00O.OO0 a year in
revenue is involved in this constrnc-
tioD, and possible decentralization of
almost our entire foreign commerce.
1t is understood that Mckinley has
promised to return shortly but has set
10 date. Attorney General McKenna,
probably thinking it a reflection upon
his legal ability to have the public
know that this matter is to be dis
cussetl by Mr.. Mckinley and his col
leagues of the Cabinet, has made pub
lie denial that the opinion was being
held back to await MIR. McKinley's re-
turn. All the same, nobody expects
the opinion to be rendered until Mr..
Mckinley returns and approves OF it.
A Kentucky Democrat, John G.
Woods, of Louisville, has put a portion
Of the administration on pins and
needles by bringing suit against the
Postmaster-Generai to prevent his re-
moval, without cause, from position
in the classified civil service. He OBJ
tained temporary restraining order
was to have taken place Saturday, but
the government asked for "A continuance
of one week, and got it. The case
will probably be appealed to the u. s.
Supreme Court, no matter how it may
be decided.
According to advices just received,
Senator Burrows has spent the entire
summer in trying to smooth the way for
his own return to the Senate, and 10
placing obstacles in the path of Gov.
Pingree. who thinks he would fill that
Senatorial chair much better than Bur
rows does, and he is not yet easy in his
mind. Pingrce has got Burrows
where lie has all other Michigan Repub-
Iicans-lfraid of him.
The Civil Service Commission has re-
ceived such an avalanche of cores
pondence from the army of would-be
recruits for Uncle Sans Civil Service,
concerning offers made to furnish in
formation, for fee, by private parties
that it has issued circular letter con-
tanning tue following pointed announce
ment mo person has any lnfOrma-
tiOn of Importance to applicants, con-
cerning examinations which cannot be
obtained without cost from the
Commission. All claims to the con-
trary. therefore, are misrepresenta-
tions."
The receipts of the government for
the month of August, 1896. under the
DingIey tariff law, were, ss6.538.5S2 less
than the receipts for August, 1896, nm
der the Wilson tariff law. 1t may be
that the claims of the Republicans as to
the revenue producing qualities of the
Dingley tariff will be realized at some
time in the future. but the above figures
show that they are, as yet, a long way
from being realized.
The Republicans are showing how
confideut they are of carrying Ohio by
colonizing voters there from West Vir-
ginia aud other adjacent States. The
Democrats are fully aware of what ia
being done in that line, aud Boss Han
mas henchmen will find it much easier
to carry men into Ohio aud give them
temporary work than it will be to reg
lister and vote them.
The Spanish Minister is still keep
ing the revenue cutters OF tue U: 5.
Government busy hunting for Cuban
filibusters. He informed Secretary
Gage that the filibusters had abaD-
doned Florida as a starting point and
were preparing to send several expedi-
tioDs from the Carolina coast, and Sec
retary Gage obediently issued an order
to the commissioners of all revenue cut
ters in Southern waters to keep an ex-
ira close watch ON the Carolina coast
for filibusters. This sort of work must
be more or less disgusting to the officers
and men in our revenue marine ser
vice, but they have no choice in the mat
ter. They must obey the orders Of the
Secretary OF the Treasury, even il
those orders are dictated by the Span
ish Minister.