St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-07-16
Especial to the cALEDoNIAx.)

Especial to the CALEDoNIAN.)
of the Fifty-tifth congress, called for the
avowed purpose of passing the remedial
tariff legislation, is now in sight. The
last of July will probably see empty leg
islative halls, deserted residences of pub
lie men here land senators and represent
tatives enjoying themselves at the sea-
Shore and among the mountains.
The tariff bill having eked its way
through the senate with margin of 10
votes to spare, is now being taken care
of by the conference committee. The
struggle in that committee will not be
a protracted one, and it is safe to as
sumo that within the course of two
weeks the committee will be able to re-
port to both houses that progress has
been made along the lines Of ultimate
settlement. Although there are S74
senate amendments to the bill as 1t
passed the house, this number will
speedily be agreed to in one way and an
other, so that finally each branch of con-
gress Will have receded and concurred
in the others amendments.
1t seems to be the general impression
that the senate will yield the most. The
house sugar schedule Is almost certain
to go back into the bill, and there are
several other important features of the
measures, which, although inserted by
the house and stricken out by the SEN
ate, are pretty sure to find a place when
the bill reaches the White House for
President Mckinley's signature.
All public men in Washington will be
glad when the agony is over. They
want to get where 1t is COOL Washing
ton is a perfect furnace during hot
weather and it is not much of an exag-
geration to say that Eggs can be fried
here on almost any tin-roof in the city
during July, August and September.
Therefore the senators and representa-
ives will be heartily glad when they shall
have completed their labors in regard to
securing remedial tariff legislation.
With the adjournment of the present
session of congress, the Legislators will
December next. wren the regular first
session Of the Fifty-ffth congress will
convene.
During the days while the senate con-
s.dered the tariff bill, the horde of ex-
senators lobbying for this, that or the
other interest was ve"y noticeable, and
9
who have respect for such and august
and dignified body as the United States
senate. Members Of the senate have at
last been forced to take some notice of
the occupation of eX-senators as lobby
lists. Mr.. Hale of Maine got aroused to
the point the other day of proposing an
amendment to the senate rules which
would exclude from the floor of the SER
ate ex-senators who are acting as lobby
lists Mr.. Allen of Nebraska advanced
the proposition that all lobbyists should
be kept out Of the Capitol building, and
said that it had got so that senators
avoided the corridors, lest they should
be subjected to annoyances.
II Is evident that some radical action
must be taken to check the lobby" II
Is not only the few ex-senators and ex-
members of the house who are interest
ed in the multitude of claims that have
been hanging on the skirts of congress
for years, but those hunting for bigger
game, whose presence is an annoyance
and sometimes suggestive of scandal.
The most offensive lobby" Is that OF
the sugar trust and of other interests
that can afford to spend money for the
employment of men of "inflooence" t.
affect items and schedules in the tariff
bill. While the people of the country ar,
awaiting impatiently for the passage O
the tariff bin and every effort is beint
put forth to hasten action, the lobby
is being eXerted to promote disorder ant
confusion, for the purpose of serving thi
interest or that.
The right of men whose business inter
ests are going to be affected by the pro
posed legislation to petition congress
and to influence the committee of thei
side OF the case is admitted, but the EN-
ployment Of lobbyists, especially thos
who have a pull" in the name O
friendship, on account of former mem
bership of the senate is an abuse of al
privileges which the senate will be com
PEELED to gLdrd against. The work q
the lobbyist Is upon the individual leg
islators, to get them to do things O.
personal grounds with little regard 70
the merits of the proposition.
1t Is belived that Senator Hale's pro
posed amndment Will be adopted, an