The Press., 1897-06-10
Washington Letter.
Washington, May s5th, 1s9'

Washington, May 18th, 1897.
 Quite a number of senators think with the late General Hancock, that tho tariff is local issue, and what is more impor tant, are voting that way, as the schedules. are reached containing protective duties upon products of their states. The most notable instances of this during the past week were the Georgia senators, Bacon and Clay, who both supported the tariff on lumber, notwithstanding the appeals of such leaders of their party as Senator Jones, of Ark, and Vest, of Mo, to keep lumber on free list. Senator Bacon qualified his support by saying that he was not protectionist, but that the stern necessities of the government required a tariff, and high tariff but his colleague, Senator Clay, in what was his maiden speech, declared himself emphatically against free trade and in favor of tariff sufficient to carry on the government eco- nomically administered, and of the strict est equality in levying this tariff. Of course neither gentleman said anything about Georgia being large lumber-pro- ducing state.
 There Is still more or less grumbling about the tariff bill not being disposed of fast enough by the senate, but as matter of fact, 1t Is doubtful whether there is single senator who is not surprised at the progress made on the bill. All recent tariff records in the senate have been al- ready broken, andno disposition has been shown in any quarter to delay any of the schedule by useless discussion, and the senators are living up to their agreements not to make long speeches. If this state of affairs continues the bill will in all likelihood become law before the 18th of July. It will depend, however, largely upon the sugar schedule. The senate sugar schedule is regarded as dead, and there are some ugly reports about the intention of the sugar trust to use its powerful influence to hang the bill up as long as possible, if the house schedule is put back.
 Mai w. D. Smith, an American who is an officer under General Gomez, in Cuba, has been giving the senate committee on foreign relations the benefit of his person al experience. The committee heard Maj. Smithe in secret session and his testimony will not be printed. A hint of what he said may be found in the following re- marks made by him outside of the com- mittee room "All talk about autonomy and of Spanish reforms for Cuba is so much breath wasted. Not man in the Cuban army will agreeto to accept anything short of absolute independence. The Cuban army Is now in better condition to resist the Spaniards and to maintain the fight for independence than it has been since the beginning of the war. General Gomez has a we'll disciplined army of about 40, ,000 men, who are determined to hold out until their efforts are crowned with victory Our soldiers are rapidly procuring arms and every day serves to put them on a better footing.''
 The senate committee on civil service reform, to which was referred Senator Gollinger's amendment to the general de- fciency appropriation bill, exempting laborers from the civil service rules, has unanimously reported the following amendment to the bill "No laborer of any class employed by the government shall be included in the classified executive civil service, and all civil service rules heretofore promulgated with respect to this class of employees are hereby abro- grated" There is no doubt of the accept ance of this amendment. Senator Pritch- ard, chairman of this committee, says this amendment is as far as the committee has determined, but that other exemptions will probably be recommended.
 The administration is preparing for its first wrestle with ths courts in an effort to enforce the Sherman antitrust law, which the last administration declared to be worthless. The attorney general has ordered that suit be brought against the traders live stock exchange of Kansas City, Mo-, in the U. s. circuit court, for violation of the Sherman law by having ! DOVCOIG0Q COLQIQ1SSlOn Iu0ECudulS WHO SOlu stock to traders who did not belong to the exchange.
 Senator Buffers short speech in favor of legislation that will impose an income tax consisted largely of a notice served upon the senators who have been working for the bill legalizing railroad pooling, that, if he could prevent it, no pooling bill should be voted upon by the senate until after an income tax had been voted upon.
 Senator Pettigrew wants legislation that will submit two questions to 8 popular vote at the congressional election of 1898. He wants the people to vote yes or no on the questions of whether this government shall adopt the free coinage of silver and whether senators shall be elected by direct vote.
 Central Vermont Railroad N. L. N division )-trains leave:
 GOING SOUTH.