Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-05-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Washington, May 3rd, 1897.
The republican members of the SEN
ate Finance Committee have com
pIeted the work of amending the
Dingley tariff bill, and unless the
democratic members of the commit
tees cause some unnecessary delay
the bill will be reported to the Senate
this week. The bill has not been
made public, but it is known that it
has been amended in nearly every
schedule, and that as a rule the am
endments provide for slightly lower
ing the duties from those in the orig
mai bill, although in some cases they
are raised. The bill is still distinct
1y republican protective measure, just
as everybody knew it would be, but
provement upon the original bill is, of
course, largely matter of personal
opinion. The average republican on
1y asks for tariff that will protect
all American industries and products
alike, and is not disposed to haggle
over the precise rate of duty to be
imposed on any particular article or
articles. 1t is claimed by the Sena-
tors who have framed these amend
ments that they are intented to in
crease the revenues of the govern
ment without any sacrifice Of the
principle of protection.
Senator Frye doesn't believe the
abrogation of the reciprocity treaty
with Hawaii, which the sugar trust is
demanding through its lobby, is pos
sible. He said: 'The representatives
of the sugar trust are now seeking
the abrogation of this treaty with
more than usual energy and activity.
They are deeply interested in abroga-
ton, and don't know of any one else
who is. In their efforts to secure
their own interests they are misre-
presenting the disadvantages to the
United States from this treaty and
eoncealing the advantages. The ad-
vantages are manifold and the disad-
yantages small.''
There are few people around Wash
ington who do not believe that the
annexation of Hawaii is one of the
certainties of the near future. Wheth-
er the recently reported attitude of
Japan towards Hawaii will result in
fastening annexation is yet to be de-
termined. An official speaking of the
matter said: ''This government is not
alarmed nor annoyed by the reports
of Japanese restlessness and loud war
talk. That nation has not recovered
from its victory over China yet, and
it feels as if it owns the world. A little
bluster will do no harm to any one,
but you may rest assured that the ia
panese will do nothing more than
buster. After the tariff bill has been
disposed of, the Senate may have an
opportunity to act upon treaty pro-
Meanwhile you may be sure that the
q. S. navy will back Hawaii in enforc-
ing its immigration laws, against the
Japanese or any other nationality"
President Mckinley touched the ell
ectric button that started the machin-
cry of the Tennessee Centennial Ex-
position, at Nashville, and later he
expects to visit the exposition in per-
son and to carry with him as many
members of his cabinet as can 60. He
has expressed much interest in the
success of the exposition.
If President Mckinley had never
until within the last ten days thought
of annulling some of the extensions of
the civil service rules made by Mr..
Cleveland, the facts brought out dur
ing that time would have started him
to think about it. Testimony taken
by the Senate committee that is in
vestigating this subject has already
made it plain that the whole thing
was manipulated to the advantage of
democrats and the disadvantage of re-
publicans, and entirely regardless of
the best interests of the public SER
vice. At the last meeting of this
committee letters were read from
Postmaster General Gary and from
Secretary Long, in favor of changing,
and Public Printer Palmer fred this
broadside: GAS applied to this Office
which is simply great manufacturing
plant, involving varied branches of
skilled labor of high grade, the civil
service rules are, in my judgment, an
obstruction rather than an aid to eff
ficiency and economy. In my opinion
the civil service rules as promulgated
for enforcement here should be modi-
led radically, suspended, or repeal
ed" Hon. N. B. Scott, the West Vir-
ginia member of the Republican Ma