The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-12-06
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.

Washington. Dec. 8, 1900
The brewers are after their pound
of flesh and say they are going to
have it or know the reason why.
They made personal appeal to
Mr.. Mckinley for the reduction of
the tax OH beer, but that gentleman
had 10 idea of handling anything
carrying so much political dynamite,
so he passed the question along 10
the Republican members OF the
House Ways and Means Committee,
and they turned the brewers down.
Then the brewers announced their
intention 10 carry the fight OH to
the floor of Congress, and some OF
them hint at the exposure of some
campaign secrets if pledges made to
them that there should be reduc
ton in the beer tax are not re-
deemed. 1t is said that sufficient
number of Republican Senators and
Representatives gave their personal
pledges to brewers for Campaign
assistance to force the insertion of a
clause reducing the beer tax i'll the
bill that will be reported from the
Wavs and Means Committee, if
they can be made to stand up and
demand it Of their party associates,
and this the brewers say they can
and will do. There may be some
lively times in Congress before this
bill is disposed Of.
Tom Reed made his debut as a
lobbyist last week, but lie did it
openly, not sneakingly as 50 many
members do. He said that he
came to Washington in behalf of
clients to find out what reductions
the Committee on Ways and Means
intend making, and it is presumed
he found out, although the public
has not yet done so with any degree
of accuracy.
As the number of Senators and
Representatives in Washington in
creases it becomes more apparent
that there is serious Republican
opposition to the Hanna-Payne
Ship subsidy bill. A few Repub-
lcans oppose the bill on general
principles, but the most of the
opposition appears to be to the pres
ent shape of the bill-its marked
favorit;sm toward a class of ship
owners. Whether this opposition
is strong enough to endanger the
passage of the bill, is as yet doubt
ful. 1t may be, but it is more likely
that some Of the Republicans who
are talking doubtfully about the bill
can be easily 'placated" by the
President, who wishes the bill
passed, and that others can be
whipped into line by the declaration
OF a party caucus i'll favor of the bill.
Still, there is another uncertainty
about it to cause uneasiness among
those who are personally interested
in the measure. Representative
Burton, of Ohio, Chairman of the
House Committee on Rivers and
Harbors, who has been threatened
by political death by Boss Hanna
because he announced his opposition
to the ship subsidy bill, said on the
subject II am dead against the
principle involved in the bill. 1t
has never been endorsed in party
caucus, and the party is not COM
mitted to its passage for the reason
that the National Platform does not
endorse the bill. I contend that
the object of this measure is not to
upDuild the merchant marine of the
L. S., and l do not favor the bill.
l have nothing to say as to Mr..
Hanna's opposing the River and
Harbor bill l do not believe he
will do anything Of the kind. !"
Ohio Democrats are delighted with
the prospect ofa bitter fight between
Hanna and Burton, and say that it
will make the state Democratic if
fought to a finish, as now threat
ened.
Representative Cannon, Of Ill.
will become an active candidate
against Senator Cullom ifhe can get
the assurance of the administration
that it will keep its hands off. Mr..
Cullom friends are claiming that
Mr.. Mckinley is already committed