The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-11-12
Our Washington Letter


kOsAS
has not ceased to be discussed in political
circles here. The Republicans are delight
ed with their gains, and the Democrats
are rather quiet, but say they are satisfied
inasmuch as Speaker Carlisle has been re-.
turned and they still retain control Of the
House of Representatives. At the
White House little is said except that
they are content with the result, and that
they do not construe Democratic reverses
in any quarter as a rebuke to the Admins
tration. Such significance is discounted
through the fact that there were local
fights and in many cases several candidates
in the field.
Protectionists claim that they haye gain.
ed great strength in the House by the fight,
that Col. Morrison's defeat is an immense
victory for them, and that they have secur-
ed their pet policy. Tie Republicans feel
that they have done something to break up
the solid South, and, in short, all sides are
well pleased with what they claim to po-
sess in the Fiftieth Congress-. A man
would have to be made up in curious way
politically who could not get some comfort
from the election returns.
Various explanations are given of the re.
suits and surprises of last weeks vote. Sen.
ator Vest, who is just here from Missouri,
was asked what he thought of the Republi-
can gains. ooh, they amount to very little"
said he; they gained few seats in the
House where the Democrats did not vote;
and lie added that Civil Service Reform
cut nc Mole figure in it than these losses
will affect the national elections, which
meant not at all.
Ex-senator Mcdonald, who is here from
Indiana on legal business, attributes DEM
ocratic reverses in his State to the fact that
Democratic voters did not go to the polls,
and he thinks their dissatisfaction is prn-
cipslly due 10 the appointments. He says
the Civil Service law is as unpopular today
as it ever was.
A Randall Democrat of the old school
from Pennsylvania, when asked what ne
thought was the cause of the trouble,
promptly replied: First, contempt for
the Presidents Civil Service Reform pol
icy. Secondly, the determination of the
laboring element in the country to let the
free trade element in the Democratic party
know that the former will not support any
marty WhnSp apf ic fnx r1c
bringing the labor of this country in con-
tact with the pauper labor of Europe"
A striking example of the earnestness of
the labor movement, was the fact that it
nearly swept over such a statesman as Mr..
Carlisle the popular speaker of the House.
He is admired and respet ted by both the
great PARTIES, beloved by his neighbors,
and the envy of his fellow aspirants for
Fiftieth Congress. he and his friends had
that the Democrats of the Covington dist
riot will work harder for him during the
mex Congressional campaign.
To-day the President and Mrs. Cleveland
are in Boston, where every possible
country knows, the 250th anniversary of
'I"i O'lcSS rs INC oCCdhiOu "a lnelr
brief visit. They were to be escorted from
the railway station to the hotel by the mil
itarv, entertained at breakfast by the State,
e' corted to Cambridge by the troops. take
dinner with the Dons, return to Boston at
tended by the students en- masse, shake
hands with the Boston public at Feneuil
Hall attend card reception afterwards ar
ranged by the city authorities, and finally
be escorted back to the railroad station al!
in one day.
1t was reported that the President was
preparing an elaborate address for the oc-
casicn, hut this was untrue, as he had
neither the time nor the inclination to d,
so. His speech will be nothing more than
an impromptn reply to a toast. He usual
ly thinks over what he is going to say, and
afterwards writes it off for preservation.
The card reception was said to he the only
feature of the days programme not liked
by the President; but as the guest of the
Boston municipality he could not escape
this piece of snobhery.
1t is said that Mr.. Cleveland declined to
accept Harvard's preferred honorary de-
gree of Doctor of laws. His action is prom.
ably attributed to his desire not to take to
himself honors that he feels he has not
earned. Harvard has been very liberal
in the bestowal Of this honor. Grant, John
son, Hayes, Garfield end Arthur were all
dubbed l.. l.. ID. during their term OF Office.
and President Lincoln was the only Presi-
dent who was never honored by such
degree by some College.