The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-03-26
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent.

w ASHINGTON, ID. Z. Marcn, ID, 1881.
Hon. Thomas B. Reed, of Me-, has
for the third time been elected Speak
er of the House, a position which, in
honor and influence is second only to
that oi tie Presidency There Was
no opposition Ia the republican caucus
to the denomination of Mr.. Reed OF
any of the other officers of the House
in the last Congress. 1t was in the
cases of all OF them, except Mr.. Reed,
simply one good term deserving an
other, while in his case it was two
good terms, although not consecutive
ones, deserving another. Republicans
are naturally proud of big Tom Reed
and his record as Speaker. He has
had to face some very difficult and in
tricate parliamentary situations, but
he has never even in a single instance
failed to force from them credit for
himself and for the republican party.
Although partisan o. partisans upon
all purely political questions, no
Speaker has ever had more, and few as
many, warm personal friends among
MS political opponents. In starting
in upon this extra session of Congress,
the country and the party is to be
congratulated that the work of the
House will be directed by so expert
enced parliamentarian as Mr.. Reed.
A scandal of large proportions may
be shown up in connection with the
acts of Judge Lamoreux, Mr.. Cleve-
lands Commissioner of the U. S. Land
Office, in what is known as the Chi
cago lake front case. Secretary Bliss
has set aside decision of Lamoreux
in favor of certain parties and ordered
a new hearing of the case Ex-Secre-
tary Carlisle, who is now the attorney
OF the parties whom Lamoreux tried
to favor, maybe mixed up in the scan
dal, as it is hinted that he was inter-
ested in the case while a member Of
Mr.. Cleveland's cabinat. Lamoreux
rendered his resignation and left
Washington several days before the
close of the Cleveland administration.
but his resignation has not been ac-
cepted and present indications are
that it will not be, but that he will be
dismissed. Some very valuable Chi
cago real estate is involved in this
case.
1t might be supposed from the con-
certed yelpiug from the democratic
free traders at the now completed
tariff bill, that they are really surpris-
ed to find that Chairman Dingley and
his republican associates have made a
protection bill, just as the country last
November directed the republican
party to do. They are pretending
that they expected the rates of duty
in the new bill to be much lower than
they are. The new bill is arepublican
measure from beginning TO end, in
tended to supply the $50.000,0O0 an
nnal deficit in the Government re-
ceipts, and at the same time to give
Idle American working men profitable
emf l"yment by restoring the Ameri-
can market, the best in the whole
world, q our own manufacturers and
producers from whom it was taken
largely and presented to foreigners by
the tariff enacted by democrats.
Whether the tariff bill will become a
law in its present shape is matter be-
yond telling, but it is a bill that every
republican will gladly vote for just as
il stands and no material changes are
likely to be made before it passes the
House. If changes are made in the
Senate, it will be because they are
necessaey to get votes needed to pass
it, and not because of any republican
objection to it. President Mckinley
would gladly sign the bill just as it is
and have his administration stand or
fall upon its workings.
President McKinley's rule requiring
the Congressional delegations to unite
in recommending men for Office, while
disappointing to few individuals, is
on the whole a good one, and one that
makes it Swell-nigh impossible to
make a bad appointment The few
appointments made up to this time
have been pre-eminently good. The
decision on the part of the administra-
tion to go slow in making appoint
ments will also commend itself to the
people at large are much more inter
ested IN seeing the policy lnaugurated
that will restore the prosperity of the
country than in who shall get the COM
paratively few offices at President Nc
KinleV 8 disposal. Of course most
republicans wish to see all the places
under the Government, not coverkd
by Civil Service Rules, filled by good
republicans, men who are in sympathy