Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-07-23


combe-ss Straddle the Kuck'' on
Annexation Of Ha waii-Lcg isIa.
ton for the Coal BarOns.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, July 10, 1897.
Another proof has been given OF the
power OF the money kings over this
administration. Mr.. Mckinley has
virtually been compelled to send a
special message to Congress, asking
for legislation to carry out the wishes
OF the bankers for the appointment of
a commission to report what financial
legislation the country needs. Mr.. Nc
Kinley must know that the silver
Senators will not allow this legislation
to be voted upon at this session; if he
doesn't, he will very soon learn, if an
attempt is made to push it in the
Senate.
The Senate last week passed the
tariff bill; the House declined to &C.
cept the Senate amendments, and the
trust-made document is now in the
hands of a conference committee.
The confidential agents OF the various
trusts are in Washington in force to
See that their interests are taken care
of by the conference committee. The
length OF time that the bill remains in
conference will depend entirely upon
the strength of the fight that will be
made against some of the extra
ordinary favors granted the trusts.
Knowing that the will of Gear Reed,
his utter disregard OF the Constitution,
and his parliamentary somersaults
when cornered, as Representative Nc
Millin cornered him this week, when
he moved to suspend the rules and
adopt the Morgan Cuban resolution,
are sufficient to prevent any action by
the House. The Republican Senators
are trying to bamboozle the voters OF
the country by little anti-Spanish
buncon;ba. This week Senator Lodge,
from the committee on Foreign Rela-
tons, reported a resolution author
izing the President to use force, if
necessary, to compel Spain to pay the
indemnity demanded by two natural
lied American citizens who were
illegally arrested in Cuba in 1895. If
there were any intention to pu: this
resolution through Congress, it would
be a commendable thing to bring it
forward, rs Spain has refused to pay
any attention to diplomatic demands
for this indemnity for two much.
wronged citizens of the United States,
but TO bring it forward with no real
intention OF having it adopted by both
branches OF Congress, merely as a
poli.ical play, is adding insult to the
injury already received by the two I'M
fortunates.
For some unexplained reason, the
members of the Senate committee on
Foreign Relations have changed their
minds about not reporting the treaty
for the annexation of Hawaii until the
regular session, and will report it at
once with recommendation that it
be ratified. An attempt is being
made to get the consent of the op.
ponents OF the treaty to q vote at this
session, il having ascertained that the
necessary votes to ratify can be OBJ.
tanned.
1t is not surprising that men of
ordinary comprehension should find
it difficult to understand the theory of
protection" upon which the Republic
can tariff bill, passed by the Senate
this week, was constructed. Take
coal, for instance. The duty on foreign
coal is advanced from forty cents to
sixty-seven cents q ton, yet Senator
Elkins, himself heavily interested in
coal mines, says the increase will not
result in adding one cent to the pay
OF the miners, although he admits that
the price OF coal to the consumer will
undoubtedly be advanced. In other
words the q cents ton added is q
gratuity to the mine owners. Senator
Jones. of Arkansas. thus expressed
himself on this subject: "The coal
miners would be justified in asking
and expecting higher wages after the
new tariff goes into effect, il the Re-
publicans were sincere ia their
arguments in support OF higher tariff
taxes. The burden of their speeches
on the coal duties. and on every
schedule in the bill, was that higher
rates were necessary to protect Ameri-
can labor from the competition OF
cheap foreign labor, and to enable
American employers to pay higher
wages, but every one knows that is not
what the tariff was increased for. 1t
was to give the CO.. nine owners and
other employers o Is or larger profits.
Notwithstanding Re increase in the
duty on coal from 40 TO 67 cents q ton,
the miners will be fortunate il their
wages are not reduced instead OF in
creased. Consumers will have to pay
more for coal, and the increase will 20
to the mine owners and the railways.
The tariff was not increased for the
benefit OF the wage earners. notwith-
stan,.ing the declaration of the pro-
tectionists that the high duties were
for the benefit Of American laborers."
DEN.
The following from n LEADING Re.