The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-07-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, July 5, /


through the Senate last week, but
fate, in the shape of several undis-
posed of amendments, could not be
overcome and the bill is still before
the Senate, and the Senators are
working when most other people are
celebrating Independence Day in
some more pleasant manner. But
they have the consolation of knowing
that they will certainly pass the bill
this week.
Probably no amendment added to
the tariff bill by the Senate will give
more general satisfaction than that
which imposes a tax on every certif
icate of stock and bond other than
those issued by the Government,
National, State or Municipal. In
addition to raising revenue to a large
amount from a class who will not find
it a burden, this amendment, if it re-
mains in the bill until it becomes a
law, as it probably will, will drive
the places known as bucket shops"
out of business, because to fail to pay
the tax on each transaction will be to
acknowledge that they do not att
ually sell the stock, but merely accept
bets on whether the price will go up
or down, and to make their proprie
tors amenable to the laws against
gambling; to pay the tax will bank
rupt them. 1t will probably also
lessen the business done in the legiti-
mate stock exchanges, because the
tax will add to the expense of buying
and selling stock for speculation. but
there are thousands who will regard
it a great blessing to the country if
stock speculation as a business was
entirely broken up. 1t is a business
that produces nothing useful and
adds nothing to the real wealth of
the country, while it annually demon
allies and drives to the dogs thous
ands of business men who might con-
tinue to be useful citizens if it were
not 1Of STOCK speculatlng.
There was an unusually large
attendance at the meeting Of the
House today, as all Republican alb
sentees had been notified to be pres
ent, because of the expectation that
the tariff bill would be sent back
from the Senate. All of the Repub-
lican representatives now III Wash
ingtOn will remain in reach until the
tariff bill is disposed of. The House
took its usual adjournment until
Thursday, and it is hoped that the
Senate will have passed the tariff bill
before that day.
The last Democratic Senator to find
out that Senator Chandler is always
loaded, was White, of California.
Mr.. Chandler was making a few re-
marks on the reciprocity amendment
to the tariff bill, which was reported
from the Finance Committee and
adopted by the Senate, when Mr..
White tried to be funny by asking
him if he had been commissioned by
the Finance Committee to occupy the
floor until the next amendment was
ready. Quick as flash Mr.. Chandler
responded, with an eXaspera ting
smile Oh no; | have been asked
merely to occupy the floor to look out
for anything that the Senator from
California may say worthy of notice
AS nothing of the kind has occurred, |
will continue to cOnfne my remarks
to reciprocity" Mr.. White dropped
into his seat and sought consolation
by putting extra vigor in the move
ment Of a big palm leaf fan, while
Senator Tillman, who had received
his dose OF Chandler drops several
days before made no attempt to CON
ceal broad grin.
1t is learned from authoritative
source that President Mckinley NAV
send a special message to Congress
in few days, strongly recommend
ing legislation for the appointment
of a Commission TO investigate and
report upon the reform needed in our
present currency system. If this
message is sent to Congress, it will
not be with the expectation that the
matter will be acted upon at the pres
ent session, but for the purpose of
getting it before the country for dis
cussion and sugges ton. 1t is pretty
thoroughly understood that no other
legislation will be taken up by Con
gress after the tariff bill is disposed
OF.
Mr.. n. B. Scott, the West Virginia
member of the Republican National
Committee, says he has information
that the big strike in the coal mines
is part of a Democratic scheme to
carry Ohio. He says the idea of the
Democratic instigators of the strike
is that it will cut off the supply of
coal and result in at least a partial
paralysis of the big manufacturing
industries of Ohio. Then they will
| charup the Ranu h1icaD por+y With