Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-09-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Sept. Oh, 1897.


Such hubbud has been raised about
the construction that should be placed
upon Section % Of the Dingley tariff law
imposing discriminating duties, which was
amended by the conference committee
in way alleged to be more or less mys-
terious, and which has been referred
to Attorney General McKenna for an official
opinion, that Mr.. Mckinley has been asked
to return to Washington at the earliest
possible date. in order that he and the en-
tire cabinet may take hand in determiD-
ing the opinion that shall be given out by
the Attorney General $30,O00,0O0 a year
in revenue is involved in this construction
and possible Decentralization of almost our
entire foreign commerce. 1t is understood
that Mr.. Mckinley has promised to returh
shortly but has set no date. Attorney
General McKenna, probably thinking it a
reflection upon his legal ability to have
the public know that the matter is to be.
discussed by Mr.. Mckinley and bis col
leagues of the Cabinet has public denial
that the opinion was being held back 10
wait for Mr.. Kinley1s return. All the
same, nobody expects the opinion to be
rendered until Mr.. Mckinley returns and
approves OF It,
A Kentucky Democrat-J0hn G. Wood.
of Lonisvllie,-has put the Administra-
ton on pins and needles by bringing a suit
against the Postmaster General to prevent
his removal, without cause, from a posi-
ton in the classified civil service. He
obtained temporary restraining order
against his removal, and the hearing was
to have taken place Saturday, but the
government asked for a continuance of one
week, and got it. The case will probably
be appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court, no
matter how it may be decided
According to advices just received,
Senator Burrows has spent the entire sum-
mer in trying to smooth the way for his
own return to the Senate, and in placing
obstacles in the path of Governor PiDgree,
who thinks he would fill that Senatorial
chair much better than Burrows does, and
he is not yet easy in his mind Plngree
mas got Burrows where he has all the other
Michigan Republican-afraid of him.
The Civil Service Commission has re-
ceived such an avalanche of correspon-
dence from the army of would be recruits
for Uncle Sans Civil Service, concerning
offers made to furnish information, for q
fee, by private parties, that it has issued a
circular letter containing the following
printed announcement: mo person has
any information of importance TO appli-
cants, concerning examinations which cam
not be obtained without cost from the
the Commission. Ali Claims 10 the con-
tary, therefore, are Misrepresentation
The receipts of the Government for the
month of August. under the Dingley tariff
law, were $6,53S 5S2 less than the receipts
for August 1896 under the Wilson tariff
law. 1t may be that the claims of the Re-
publicans as to the revenne-producipg
qualities of the DiDgley tariff will he
realized at sometime in the future. but the
above figures show that they are, as set, a
long way from being realized.
The Republicans are showing how con-
fdent they are of carryiu Ohio by colon
izing voters there from West Virginia and
other adjacent States. The Democrats are
fully aware of what is being done in that
line, and Boss Hanna's henchmen will find
it much easier TO carry men into Ohio and
give them temporary work than it will be
to register and vote them.
The Spanish Minister is still keeping the
revenue cutters of the q S. Government
busy hunting for Cuban filibusters. He
informed Secretary Gage that the filibus-
tiers had abandoned Florida as starting
point aud were preparing to send several
expeditions from the California coast, and
Secretary Gage obediently issued an order
10 the commanders of all revenue cutters in
Southern waters to keep an extra close
watch on the Carolina coast for iilibustefs.
This sort of work must be more Or less dis
gustipg to the officers and men in cur
H..f hou