The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-06-29
TARIFF BILL NOT YET PASSED,
Feeling That 1t VIII Extend Wen Into
September.
ESPECIAL TO THE pREssJ

~~SAS
Washington, June 2S-Although the pro-
gress made on the wooden, silk and tobac-
CO schedules has been gratifying to those
who hope to see speedily action on the
tariff bill in the Senate, there is feeling
that it may yet be some time before the
bill finally gets through that body. Be
sides number of small items which re-
main to be picked up, the question of the
Hawaiian treaty is still ahead, and it is
feared that this will be made the subject
OF general field day, or rather formal
encampment of orators 1t may be that
several days or a week will be used to
express what the Sen atorial minds think
on this subject. Besides this several Sen
ators, will wish to make formal, set
speeches. Thus those who think the bill
will be finally through the two houses and
signed by the President by the 10Th of
July are regarded as prophets of the radi-
cal school of prophecy, while more expert
enced ones are talking cautiously of the
time for Congress to conclude.
On Friday the heat of summer seemed
to have arrived, although this has been
assumed several times before enormously.
But the Senate was very warm, SO warm
that the gallery doors were open for a
circulation of air, and the resounding
oratory of men like Roger @. Mills rolled
detected rushed out the gallery doors and
multiplied itself in the corridors and
passageways of the capitol. Thus it was
very easy for all to appreciate that tariff
manufacturing was going on in the SEN
ate.
But while Mills and the fresh orators
are as vigorous as ever the hot weather
begins to make Jones and Vest, who have
constituted the main Democratic line,
look and act faded. They have not been
SO constantly on their feet of late, and
have shown disposition to let a para
graph or two pass without making
speech on them
Senator Hale's proposition with regard
to ex-senator who are supposed to act as
lobbyists, concerns an abuse which is very
generally known to exist but which it is
very difficult to stop. 1t is rule OF the
House that ex members who are interested
in the forwarding of any claim or other
legislation, shall not come onto the floor;
and each one when he gets his card OF ad-
mission signs pledge that he is not SO
interested. Yet 1t is suspected that some
men violate this pledge and do lobbying
on the floor. 1t is almost impossible to
detect them, and if detected it would be
as difficult to get evidence against them.
The lobbyist approaches only the menu
bers with whom he is on good terms of
friendship and acquaintance, and these
are not likely to denounce him, even
though he bore them. 1t is about the
same way in the Senate. Probably Sena-
tor Hale's action will diminish the lobby
ing for a while at least.
But the lobby about the House and
Senate is not nearly so apparent and in
f1uential rs about state legislature. The
members of Congress are men who have
had more experience than the men in leg
islatures, and they realize that they may
refuse to take lobbyists advice without
imperilling the constitution or the gov
eminent. The lobbyist in Washington is
regarded as bore rather than as men
tor. The most skilful ones aim to reach
Congressman and Senators on the social
side.