The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-06-18
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON, d. c. June, IL, 1897
While the progress on the tariff bill
in the Senate is not altogether as
rapid as republicans would like it to
b., it is, circumstances considered,
satisfactory. More so, in fact, than
many had expected it to be, just as
the bill is being made better than
many republicans expected it would
be when the amended bill was report
ed to the Senate. The original Ding
ley bill was far more satisfactory to re-
publicans of the rank and file than
the bill as amended. by the Senate
COMMITTEES, and they are correspond
ingly pleased at the tendency of the
steering committee of the Senate to
restore the House schedule, or at least
to make them nearer them than to
the schedules of the amended bill.
While it cannot be officially announ-
ced that the sugar schedule of the Or
iginal bill will be restored, it seems to
be almost certain tha. the Dingley
schedule will be made the basis for the
sugar schedule that will be inserted in
place of the one prepared by the Sen
ate Finance Committee, which many
republicans considered one of the most
Objectionable in the amended bill. All
of this makes it certain that the
prophecy in this correspondence that
the bill as finally passed would be a
good one will turn out to be true.
The Postmaster crop will ripen early
this year and a big harvest is expect
ed. Postmaster General Gary has
announced that the commissions of
all postmasters that expire between
this date and July 18th. will be con-
sidered as having already expired, and
their successors appointed as early as
possible. This does not indicate any
change in the policy of allowing post
masters to serve full term of four
years, unless there are causes for re-
moval, the new official shall, so far as
possible, be in charge of their Offices
at the beginning of the new fiscal
year, July 1.
The first result OF the investigation n
of the workings of the civil service
rules is the unanimous report of the
Committee on Reform in the civil
service in favor of Senator Gallinger's
to the general deficiency
Appropriation Bill, abrogating all
civil service rules which apply to any
class of laboreIs. This amendment is
in line with common sense, and will
be sure to become a law. Talk with
Senator Pritchard and other members
of the committee makes it reasonably
certain that other and more import
ant recommendations as to exceptions
from the civil service rules will be
made by the committee little later.
In accordance with a decision ar
rived at soon after his Inauguration,
President Mckinley has nominated
Ellis III. Roberts, of New York, to be
Treasurer OF the U. S., and Conrad n
Jordan to be Assistant Treasurer at
New York. Mr.. Jordan's nomination
for a second term, as he is a gold dem
ocrat and held the position under the
Cleveland admins tration.
There is another B in the field for
the democratic free silver and free
trade presidential nomination in 1900.
1t is Bailey, of Texas, who has the sup
port of majority of the democrats in
the House in his efforts to be their
leader. Mr.. Bailey figures that he is
quite as much of an orator as Mr..
bryan, and quite as much entitled to
the nomination. After the nomina-
tion of Bryan, no sensible man would
doubt the possibility of any action by
a democratic convention. Neither of
them are fitted for so responsible
place as the Presidency, but Bailey
has been regarded as less of dema
gogue than Bryan, although getting
the Presidential fever may cause him
to out-Bryan Bryan in that direction.
Attorney General McKenna is go
ing to try bis hand at enforcing the
Sherman antitrust law, which the
Cleveland administration declared
could not be enforced. He has direct
ed that suit be entered in the U. S.
Circuit Court against the Traders
Live Stock Exchange, of Kansas City,
for violation of the antitrust law by
boycotting commission merchants who
sold stock to those who did not belong
to the exchange.