Washington Letter

Washington, D. C, Feb. 18, l'.ft. No attacks ever made upon a president m rither house ot congress were more cowardly than those which have been and are now being made upon President Cleveland for having bought gold, which he considered necessary for the preservation of the credit of the government, upon the best obtainable terms. The attacks are cowardly because those who make them know that the president cannot fully reply to them without saying things which they ara certain his patriotism will prevent his saying. There are not two men in the United States whose reputation for honesty and integrity are higher than those of Grover Cleveland and John G. Carlisie, and they have both said in the most positive terms that the contract for the issue of those bonds to purchase the needed gold was the best tb be obtained. Republicans in both house and senate have stated that the bonds could have been exchanged for gold in this country upon better terms. To resort to abuse of these men is too much like adopting their methods, but they must have known when they made these statements that they were false. It is not expected that either President Cleveland or Secretary Carlisle will ever publicly say that American canitalists were aDDealed to, and appealed to in vain, to furnish the gold needed by the government and take bonds to pay for it. Such a statement from the president or the secretary of the treasury would have a tendency to injure the credit of the United States abroad, and it is not likely to be made no matter how much abuse may be lieaped upon them. But it is none the lcss cowardly to take advantage of that. Ex-Speaker Reed isn't the chipper man he was. He was forced to show his hand on the gold bond bill, which was defeated by the house, and thereby he lost the support of all the silver repubiicans, as apresidential candidate. He thought he had a walk-over for the nomination; now he sees defeat in sight. The republican senators can yll "sugar trust" as loud as anybody when trying to catch votes, but when it comes to passing a bill like that for the repeal of the differential duty on sugar, which has been passed by the house and which would, while benefitting our trade with Germany and the other continental European countries, strike the pocket of the sugar trust, they at once assume the role of obstructionists. The intelligent people of this country wil! have no difficulty in spotting the friends of the sugar trust in the senate. The democrats lave favorably reported this bilí and want it to pass; the republicans are determined to kill it without voting upon it. The house commiitee on rules ias a difficult task in deciding which aills shall be given the time that will not be consumed by the appropriation bilis during the remaining two weeks of the session. Sorae important bilis are being called to tlic attention of the committee, among them being the Nicaraugua canal bilí , which has been reported to the house as a substitute for the bill that passed the senate; te Pacific railroad funding bill, the free ship bilí, bilis for reorganization of the army and navy, bilis for surveys of deep water cañáis, labor arbitration bill, and the bill forthe amendment of the copyright laws, which has been so strongly urged by the big newspaper publishers. Representative Springer, who retires with this congress, declares that he is not a candidate for the vacancy made by the sudden and lamented death of Hon. Isaac Pusey Gray, late U. S. minister to Mexico, and he adds that he would not accept any executive appointment that would take him out of this country, which he considers quite good enough for him. A strong effort is being made to get Senator Ransom named as minister to Mexico. Senator Hill is making a gallant fight for his resolution, which reiterates the determination of this country to endeavor to maintain silver and gold at a parity, and declares that in the event of failure it will pay its obligations in the best money, but there is not much probability of its adoption. Mr. Hill's resolution is intended to be a compromise, and he says it should be supported by every man who is neither a believer in a single gold standard nor a single silver standard, but all the same it is strongly opposed. liefore the house voted on the gold bond bill it was thought that the bill of Senator Jones, of Arkansas, for the unlimited coinage of silver, would be voted upon and passed by the senate, but it is t.ow considered doubtful whether any attempt will be made to push it toa vote. The census bureau dies with congress. After the fourth of next month only a sruall force of clerks will be retained under the direction of the secretary of the interior to finish the work.