The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-07-16
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Tariff Bill Expected to Soon
Become a Law.
Both Senate and House Make Concessions.
weather Bureau Currency Reform.
Death of Senator Harris.

Both Senate and House Make Concessions.
Weather Bureau Currency Reform.
Death of Senator Harris
From Our Correspondent.
The end of the extraordinary session
of the Fifty-hfth congress, called for the
avoWed purpose of passing the remedial
eariff legislation, is now in sight. The
last of July VIII probably see empty leg
tslative halls, deserted residences of pub
lie men here and senators and represent
tattves enjoying themselves at the sea-
shore and among the mountains
The tariff bill having eked it's 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
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 it
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 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 it 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 I
have completed their labors in regard to
securing remedial tariff legislation. I
With the adjournment of the present I
session of congress, the legislators will .
not have to return to Washington until .
December next when the regular first .
session Of the Fifty-lifth congress will
convene.
During the days while the senate con-
sidered the tariff bill, the horde of ex-
senators lobbying for this, that or the
other interest was very noticeable, and
a source of much regret to many people
who have a respect for such and august
and dignitied 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 ether day of proposing an
amendment to the senate rules which
would exclude from the floor Of the sen
ate eX-senarors 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.
1t is evident that some radical action
must be taken to check the lobby" It
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" to
affect items and schedules in the tariff
bill. While the people of the country are
awaiting impatiently for the passage of
the tariff bill and every effort is being
put forth to hasten action, the lobby"
is being eXerted to promote disorder and
confusion, for the purpose of serving this
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 their
side of the case is admitted but the en-
ployment of lobbyists, especially those
who have a pull" in the name of
friendship, on account of former mem
bership of the senate, is an abuse of all
privileges which the senate will be com
PEELED to guard against. The work of
the lobbyist is upon the individual leg
islators, to get them to do things on ;
personal grounds, with little regard for {
the merits Of the proposition. '
1t is belivad that Senator Hales pro- ,
posed amndment will be adopted, and
even more drastic measures may be
adopted against lobbyists in general,
both great and small. {
AS the time draws near for placing 7
the new tariff bill on the statute book of e
the country, it is important to the gen ,
eral policy of the administration that r
the tariff shall produce a surplus of rev. s
enue. For this reason II was with re. =
uctance that the Republican senatorial {
caucus gave up the proposition to in '
crease the tax on beer and to tax tea |
Whether tho proposed tax on stock and G
bond transactions, proposed by Senator
Lodge of Massachusetts, will be suffi-
rient to make up the difference, is I'M G
PERTAIN but the conclusion was that 1t I
would be, much more popular tax. At '
all events, until the revenue producing L
qualities of the new tariff have been de- b
.ermined, the administration and con- b
Press win not be in a position to deter I
nine definitely what shall be done with +
.espect TO reforms in the currency sys- y
EN-. .
The purpose Of the administration is Il
n procure the retirement Of the green b