The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-01-14
OUR wAsHINGroN LETTER.
WASHINGTON. Jan. II. 1897

tie the question of whether he is to be
Secretary of State in the coming I'D
ministration, during the present weef
as he will by special invitation, have
a personal conference with President
elect Mckinley at Canton. Mr. Shef
mans personal inclinations are nqt
towards the Cabinet, but he is pre-
pared to do his duty as a good Repq-
blcan and a patriotic citizen, and II
it be the wish of President McKinEy
and Of the Ohio Republicans, E8D
have given him such great political
honors in the past that he should ac-
capt a cabinet portfolio, he viii not al
low his personal inclinations to stand
in the way. That he would male q
good Secretary Of state is as celtain
as that he has made good Senator
and a good Secretary Of the Treasury
and while his colleagues would miss
| his experience and wisdom in the
Senate, the knowledge that President
! Mckinley and the country would have
the benefit of them would go far to-
wards consoling them for the loss.
Having heard what the parties di-
rectly interested had TO say abost~sh&
new tariff BILL the Republicans Of the
House Ways and Means Committee
will this week begin the actual con
struction of the bill. The Democrat
ic members of the committee had the
/ privilege of attending the hearings,
and some of them awaited themselves
of it, but the construction of the bill
will only be participated in by the Re
publican members. Chairman Ding
ley has pointed out the difference i'll
this task and the construction of the
| Mckinley bill in 1890, and it should
not be lost sight of by those who are
interested in seeing the arduOus task
successfully performed. In 1880 the
Treasury had a surplus which was
growing larger all the time, and the
tariff bill was intended to protect
American products and manufactures
and at the same time, to reduce the
receipts of the government. Now,
again referring to Chairman Dingley's
words, the new tariff bill must pro
tect American products and manufac-
lures, and at the same time, add from
$50, 900 to $75, 900, 900 a year to the
Government receipts, in order to pro-
vide for the deficit made by the insult
ficency of revenue produced by the
Democratic tariff bill, which Mr.. Cleve-
land denounced as an outrage and re-
fused to sign, and which he now de-
clares to be a good thing, notwith-
standing all the trouble it has
brought to the country.
The Loud bill depriving sample cop
les of newspapers and books of the
right to be sent through the mil at
the pound rates was passed by the
House, and has now gone to the Sen
ate, where its prospect of being acted
upon is far from bright. 1t will be
fought hard and time is getting
scarce.
The speech of Representative John
son, of California, on the Pacific Rail
road Funding bill, which was to-day
disposed of by the House, in which he
made a vicious personal attack upon
Mr.. w. r. Hearst, proprietor of the
San Francisco Examiner and the New
York Journal, is much regretted by all
who heard it. Some of the language
of Mr.. johnson was so vulgar and in
decent that it could not be printed in
newspapers which go through the
mail without violation of law-such
language as should never be heard in
gathering of gentlemen and which
no prOvocation can excuse. Disgust
ing people never brings them to your
way of thinking.
1t remained for Senator Mills to in
trOduce humorous phase to the Gu
ban question. His resolution, upon
which he made a speech to-day in his
usual style-he works harder than a
blacksmith when he makes a speech
after reciting that Cuba ought to
be free and declaring that this country
recognizes its independence, and that
the President must act in harmony
with Congress, provides for the APP
pointment of L. S. Minister to Cuba
and appropriates $4,000 to pay his
salary and expenses. The idea of APP
pointing a minister to a country which
as yet has neither government, ac-
cording to the common American con
ception of government, nor capital
is regarded as about the choicest It'd
bit of humor turned up at the present
session of Congress, although Mr.
Mills doesn't pose as a funny man.
, Representative and Senator-elect
Money, of Miss, is back from his foo
trip to Cuba, but if he found out any
thing that the newspapers have moi
: already acquainted the people of the
United States with he has not told it
He has suddenly adopted an owl-likC
style. He looks mysterious and drop'
lnUCtpriouS hints q bollt wb Of ba MIGHT