The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-04-01
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, March 20, 1897.

Oh lne Juggling Vi pclCeHlHSc hS %
by which the Democrats in the House
sought to make it appear that the
Dingley tariff bill which will this
week be passed by the House, carried
a higher average rate of duties than
the Mckinley bill did. Said MYi
Dingley: Notwithstanding the fadS
that in this bill in every schedule e5
cept earthenware, glass, tobaccdx
sugars, and I think silk to some ex1
tent, Notwithstanding that in every
schedule except these the present bill
carries actual duty less than was car
ried in the Act of 1890, and notwith
standing the fact that in many of the
schedules it carries duties substanti-
ally the same as those in the present
Democratic law, yet if you convert
these specific duties into ad volorem
percentages, not taking into consid-
Grafton the changes of value between
1880 and 1896, you appear to have an
increase CT duties, when, as matter
Of fact, the actual duties imposed are
less
NO better refutation could be given
Of the mischievous stories alleging the
! physical breaking down of Presidesss
Mckinley than that after hard days
work at his desk ne attended the
dinner given by the Gridiron Club in
honor of the President and his Cab
! met and Tor several hours enjoyed
himself as much as the youngest man
present.
So many complaints have reached
! Washington concerning the introduce
ton of lottery methods into the bust
ness of obtaining patents, that Sena-
tor Hansbrou%h has introduced q bill
making it a misdemeanor for any
! person or firm engaged in the bust
ness OF soliciting patents to conduct
q premium or prize scheme by Offering
inventors q prize as an inducement
for them to enter an alleged COMPETE
ton of ideas. A similar bill will prob
ably be introduced in the House, thus
giving both branches Of Congress an
opportunity to protect the United
States government. which is practi-
cally partner in the patent business,
from the odium necessarily attached
to lottery methods.
The Democrats il the House are
now very sorry that they said q word
about trusts in their fight upon the
DingIey tariff bill. They got fool
idea into their heads that they could
frighten the Republicans by yelling
'trusts' at them. They know better
now. The line of attack gave the
Republicans an opportunity to cal
the attention, Or rather jog the mem
DRY of the public to the indisputabIe
fact that the trusts have been moro
numerous ard more grasping under
the Democratic administration anS
tariff law than ever before, and thai
the Democrats made their last cam
paign solely in the interests OF whal
Gen. GrOsvenOr so APPLY called THE
trust which controls a monopoly o
what God gaye-the silver trust" The
fact is also recalled that when The
Sherman anti trust law, recent,
: upheld by decision Of the United
States Supreme Court, was before tht
House, the leading Democratic mem
bcrs voted against its being taken III
for consideration, although they die
not dare vote against the bill itsel
when it was put upon its final passage
They found the trust argument ;
vcritabla boomerang, and about tn
only excuse they had 20 offer wa
that they were not responsible 70
! Grover Cleveland.
: The Senate committee on appropri
atoms, although not controlled b.
I Republicans, has endorsed the action
I of the House in passing the left owe
Appropriation bills without change
by reporting the agricultural bill t.
the Senate just as it passed the Hous
and will probably DO likewise will
the other bills.
President Mckinley has told severa
gentlemen who were applicants TO
the same position they held under tn
Harrison administration that h
would not appoint them, no matte
how strongly backed they were, be
cause he had made up his mind no
to make such appointments except il
cases where there might be som
extraordinary circumstances justify
ing a deviation from the rule. Thi
is not because he has not higl
opinion of the Elk officials, but becaus
: he thinks others should have al
opportunity to share in the part
, | hOnOrS.
The vacancies in the Senate con
mittees are worrying the oppositio
more than they are the Republicans
although the latter are perfectly vii
ing that they should be filled, but S
long as the opposition cannot agre