The Harrison times., 1900-12-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.


The men who bossed the campaign
compelled the republicans on the
House Ways and Means Committee,
to make a reduction of % cents net,
barrel, in the beer tax, although
1t made the total of the Revenue Re
duction bill, now before the House,
exceed $40, 900, 900, instead of keep
ing it inside of S3O,OOO,OOO as re-
commended by Mr.. Mckinley The
Cabinet objects and has been even
talking of fighting the bosses in Con-
gresS, but a word from Mr.. Nc
kinley will probably Y result in max
ing 1t plain to them that the bosses
are not doing more than they were
bound to do One republican, speak
ing of the Cabinet kicks, said: WHY
instead of kicking, these men ought
to be thankful that the brewers are
not demanding the 81 a barrel re-
ductiOn they were led to believe
before the election, that they
would get; these men in the Cabinet
would know a whole heap more
about practical politics if they would
work for while with men who
raise the money for a national cam
paign. OF course, Mac will quiet
them; he knows" Some are pre-
dieting that the bill will be allowed
to fail in the Senate. Representative
presented the minority report on the
Revenue Reduction bill. 1t does not
oppose any of the reductions made,
but tavOrs more extensive reduc-
tion in war taxes.
The Senate has always been an ex-
travagant body, especially in its ex-
penditures for It's own luxury, and
the fact that the Committee on
Finance has just paid $4,7O9 for re-
furnishing and redecorating the
room in which it meets, shows that
1t Is growing more SO.
1t was an unexpectedly large ma
jOrity-19S to 92-that the House gave
the GrOut Oleomargarine bill. Poll
teal lines were not drawn at all
If any line was drawn, 1T was the
agricultural against manufacturing
That everything is being done that
can possibly influence votes for the
Ship Subsidy bill, is apparent to
everybody. Even the bidding for
the construction of the six armored
cruisers and the FIVE battleships au-
thorized at the last session of Con-
gress, was utilized for that purpose
In order to create the impression in
Congress that the shipyards of the
country were all on the hunt for
work. which the Ship Subsidy bill
would give them if enacted into d
law, these schemers had a whole lot
of small fry establishments, which
would be taxed to their utmost
capacity to build light draft gun
boat. put in bids for cruisers and
battleships-
Senators are not showing much
anxiety to rush the Army Reorgan-
izatiOn bill through the Senate, which
was railrOaded through the House
last week To give the Senate re-
publiCans a chance to rush it, the
House leaders made the bill SUBJ
stitute for one that was passed by
the Senate at the last session. The
Senate could have sent the bill to a
Conference at once. but it didn't.
The bill was referred to the Military
Committee, and Senator Hawlev,
Chairman of that Committee, saws
the usual routine will be followed in
the consideration of the bill which
began today. The anti-canteen
amendment. adopted by the House
to please the w c. T. U. is already
being made the basis of much con-
tention. The chances favorits being
struck out by the Senate.
The story of Rathbone's extrav-
agance with Cuban funds, which
was quite as disgraceful as Neelev's
stealings, is fully told in a pamphlet
of 292 pages, now in the hands of
the Senate Committee on Relations
with Cuba. Although Rathbone
paid the money out on vouchers,
they were vouchers which he knew
that no honest auditing officer
would pass. In fact, vouchers
amounting to 500 ,61921 have been
thrown out by the auditors because
OF the nature of the goods for which
they charged. such as S11O a month
for rent for coachman's
house, enameled bath-tub and other
house fittings for one Madam Jorrins
and Household furniture and fur