Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-06-16
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Interesting Gossip From the Nations
 Capital

WASHINGTON, D. .. June Q, 1s97,- Car Reed is still holding his semi weekly sessions at the place where the House of Representatives once met. The Czar assemblies every Monday and Thursday and his tail accompanies him to the Capitol, where the Car meets and adjonrns The monotony of these meetings has been broken by Jerry Simpson and lately a new light has flashed out in the person ofJames Hamilton Lewis, of far-off Washington. Mir. Lewis has force and nerve and his attaeks upon the Czar's methods have even touched the thick hide of the Maine Pachyderm.
 The question is now raised as to whether the sitting of Congress is legal. The Consultation, article one, section five, paragraph four reads: Neither House, during the session of Congress. shan without the con sent of the other, adjourn for more than three days Paragraph one of the same section says "Amaj or ity of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business. but q small- CT number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to com pei the attendance of absent mem bers.
 1t is notorious that the House ad- journs for more than three days once every week, as it meets only on Mondays and Thursdays. Atseyeral of these meetings the absence Of a quorum was suggested and attempt made to dc one of the two things that the House could do in the ah- sence of a quorum, that is to adjourn to the next day or issue an order to compel the attendance of the absent members. Speaker Reed invariably declared such proceedings out of order and had motion to adjourn offered through one of his slaves on the Republican side, usually Dingley, of Maine, or Henderson, of Iowa, or Dalzel of Pennsylvania, which was always declared carried, no matter how the vote stood
 The tariff bill is dragging itsslow length along, in the Senate. The Democratic and other opposition Senators are showing up theenormi- ties of the proposed methods of tax ation. The bill as reported from the finance committee of the Senate is tumble of contradictions and in- congruities. It is neither fish, flesh fowl nor good red herring, Onsome articles the duties proposed are high CT than ever before levied, on others they are moderate and others are placed 0n the free list that should be made to provide revenue. Tea is to be taxed ten cents per pound which is fully one-third of the ave rage value of all tea imported Sugar Is to be taxed twoeents a pound which is more than the average cost of the foreign article And this despite of the free breakfast table that the Republican stumpers used to boast about. The duties on lumber are enormous, hides are taxed for the benefit of the meat trusts, thus making every pair Of shoes bought ia the country cost more. but the duties on wuui and wooden goods are the eniminatina crime. Under the rretense ofhelping the farmer hides are taxed. but the eanners and other meat monopotists will not pay a penny more for beef cattle hut will receive dollar more for each hide sold, thus adding many million dollars to their bank ac- counts This is also true of theduty on wools. The sheep raisers will not profit by it but the wooden man. ufaetnrers will add from ten tothirty per cent to thdcost oftheirproducts. Mir. Havemeyes. President of the Sugar Trust said beforea committee of the Senate Inst year that the trust adced three-eights of n cent to a pound on ali sugars sold xn the