Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-04-28
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
A GOSSIPY LETTER REGARDING
4 LEGISLATION AND OTHER MAT
TIERS IN THE NATIONAL CAPI-

T. lAL. .r
Washington, D. c., April 22,-The
revolt in the house by which the min
ority republicans not only vcteC to
overrule the chair and open to amend
inert the Cuban reciprocity bill, but
actually amended that measure by re-
moving the differential on refined
sugars, is of great significance. It
has demonstrated that strong factions
of the party will not always sit quies-
cent and be ridden down simply in
the name of the party interests. Their
wishes will have occasionally to be
taken into consideration. In this
case the balance Of power was neld by
a combination of republicans who on
one side were opposed to removing or
reducing the duty on Cuban sugar be-
cause it would be to the detriment Of
THE farmers of states which they rep
resented, and ON the other hand those
who believed that it was threatening
danger to the policy of protection.
These last were strengthened in their
position by the open declaration of
many democrats that the proposed
legislation was a breach in the wall
of protection To kill the bill, as
was frankly admitted since the vote
by Mr.. Weeks of Michigan, the amend
ment was made, which if it becomes
law will cost the sugar refiners about
$6,OOO,00O annually. The demo-
Gratis very gladly joined in this, and
sought to open the whole question of
tariff reduction. but were promptly
checkmated by the republican minor
ity, under the able leadership Of Mr..
Littlefeld of Maine, voting with their
party. Altogether it was clever
piece of work, for it accomplished
what was aimed at, and cheated the
democrats of even that little tariff re-
vision which they would have gained
had the bill passed as proposed. The
democrats simply pulled the chestnuts
out of the fire.
While the prices of meat are abom-
inably high, we have some cause for
congratulation in the fact that repub-
lican prosperity ait least makes it pos
sjble to buy a pound now and then.
Better meat, at one dollar per pound
and the dollar to buy it with, than ten
cents per pound and minus the dime.
Nevertheless there are better uses for
dollars than emptying them into the
Golfers of the beef trust and it is hoped
that the attorney general will be able
to make out a case against that com
bination. r.Fa
Senator Teller has offered a resolu-
tion to investigate the truth of the
charge that the sugar trust bought up
all Cuban sugar and is holding it for
the passage of the reciprocity bill. If
this should prove to be fact, the joke
will be on the sugar refners.
During the visit of Prince Henry, the
New York brewers treated the crew of
the imperial yacht. The deck officers
managed to save several kegs to take
home to their friends. On the arrival
at Kiel this beer was seized by the
German customs house and the officers
forced to pay $67.5O duty; then the
beer was sold at auction. Many pal
ates were disappointed.
/ Since the amendment of the irriga-
tio1. bill to meet the requirements OF
the president for an irrigation meas
ure which will insure the settlement
of the reclaimed land by homemakers
the western men are quite confident OF
] passing the measure. In connection
with the talk about the enlargement
Of our home market the irrigation ad-
vocates put forward the rather force
full argument that the development ot
that part of the country, which is now
practically waste, would establish mil
4 lions of new buyers who would fur.
nish steady and increasing market
for all the manufacturing industries
of the country.
Even free trade England is swinging
4 back to her original protection policy
i The fact that gold has been going tt
England has not attracted any unfav.
orable comment. Since 1896 the sup.
ply. of gold in the United States has
been constantly increasing, and witt
more than enough for our own bus.
mess we have been in position where
we could lend to the rest Of the world
In Clevelands last term our gold sup.
ply was kept intact only by repeated
i government purchases at heavy prem
iums; now we have more in the ma
tional repositories than the official:
know what to do with. The silveritt
prophecy in 1896 of scramble fol
gold which would make times twice a;
4 hard as they then were, has been ia,
I, from realized
4 Business failures last week were Is.
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