People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1894 — FROM WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

FROM WASHINGTON.

An Interesting Batch of New, From the Capitol. From our Regular Correspondent. Washington, Jan. 80, ’94. The exciting debate that was expected in the Senate this week in connection with the issue of bonds did not materialize. Senators Stew'art and Peffer made speeches in favor of Mr. Peffers resolution, which states it to be the belief of the Senate that Secretary Carlisle has no authority under the act of 1875 to issue bonds, and then the resolution was referred to the finance committee. It is not expected that the committee will report the resolution back to the Senate, as it is well known that Senator Voorhees, its chairman, was one of those who advised Secretary Carlisle to issue the bonds. It is whispered around that there has been no such scramble as has been represented to subscribe for these bonds, and that the subscriptions received have not yet reached the amount to be issued—sso,ooo,ooo. The house judiciary committee has not taken any action on Representative Bailey’s resolution, but it has listened to a statement made by Secretary Carlisle. • • • The house has this week shown a very decided tendency towards free trade, in its treatment of the tariff bill. It started off by abolishing the bounty on domestic sugar and adopting an amendment putting refined sugar on the free list. Then it defeated amendments providing for a duty on coal and on iron ore. The friends of the income tax say that it is bound to through the house, unless the solid Republican vote be cast against it, and the Republicans say they will not vote either for or against it, unless it be attached to the tariff bill as an amendment; then, of course, they will cast their votes against the entire bill, but in that case many Democrats who oppose the in come tax will hardly dare to vote against it. It is now claimed that the income tax has many more friends in the senate than has been supposed. Indeed, some of its friends are claiming that the senate will pass it.

• • • The speech of Senator Jones, of Nevada, against the repeal of the purchasing clause of the Sherman silver law, which was delivered in sections during the debate on that measure, at the extra session, has just made its appearance in the “Congressional Record.” It takes up 99 pages of that publication and was issued in a special number. Copies are in great demand among those interested in the science of finance, Senator Jones being generally recognized as high authority on the subject, even by those who do not endorse his conclusions. A senator who is one of the latter remarked in my hearing that there was more trustworthy financial information in that speech than in any single one ever made in or out of congress. » ® e Henry George occupied a seat in the gallery of the house when the votes were taken in favor of free sugar (the bounty had been abolished the day before) and of free coal and iron ore. As Mr. George is a pronounced free trader it may be surmised that he was not displeased with the votes, although some other people were, and ail of them did not belong to one party, either. 9 9 9 One hold-over official of prominence has 'been officially informed that he is to be continued in office, He is Dr. William T. Harris, who was recommended in 1889 by Secretary Noble for appointment to the office of U. S. commissioner of education, and President Harrison appointed him. although it was known that he had in 1888 voted for Cleveland. It would certainly seem to be a position that partisan politics should have nothing to do with, but the same might be truly said of many other positions that partisan politics should have nothing to do with. 0 9 0 Senator Teller does not take a cheerful view of the outlook. He says of it: “Just now the amount of ignorance on financial questions among those in authority is something startling, and the country will have to pay dear for it. Times will be much worse before they are better.” o o o The joint senate and house committee on public buildings, which has been wrestling with the selection of a site for a new government printing office, has

completed its labors, but inasmuch as the senators reported one bill and the representatives another, each providing for the purchase of ground in different places, their long wrestling does not seem to have been productive of much good, or to have greatly improved the prospects for a new G. P. O. A jury isn’t “in it,” so far as uncertainty is concerned, with the average congressional committee. 0 9 0 The democrats of the House committee on Foreign Affairs have agreed to a queer reading resolution, which they will endeavor to have adopted by the House as soon as the tariff gets out of the way. This is the queerest part of it: “That we heartily approve of the principle announced by the President of the United States that interference witty the domestic affairs of an independent nation is contrary to the spirit of American institutions.” The senate foreign committee has reported a resolution warning foreign nations to keep their fingers out of the Hawaiian muddle.