Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-12-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MONITOR.
WdShin0tOn, Dec. Sd.

Washington, Dec. Sd.
The return of congressman to
Washington, which had been slow
prior to Thanksgiving day, became a
rush on Saturday. and this morning
it appears that the session will open
with fifty more members present than
had been expected. The travel STAIN
ed crowd of noisy statesmen about
the House post-office and committee
rooms make the corridors ring since
Friday. Explanations of ''just how
it was done,' referring to the recent
election, are offered from all sides,
and plans are laid for schemes good,
bad and Indifferent. The democrats,
of course, concede the next House to
the republicans by a bare majority,
and will take what advantage may
be left in the short session of the fif-
! 10th congress.
The session opens with the speak
ership fight fairly on. AS yet, Mr..
Cannon is the only directly avowed
candidate, with Messrs. Mckinley,
Reed, Burrows, and Butterworth in
the background. Mr.. McKinley's
friends appear to prefer his appoint
ment, if possible, to the chairman of
the committee on ways and means, las
it would increase his presidential
chances. If Senator Sherman goes
into the cabinet, Mr.. Mckinley would
naturally prefer the senatorship. In
his way in the fight for the ways and
means committee would stand Judge
X ellev. the ''father of the House"
How far the child would oppose its
parent is an open question. Many
members think that the Judge is get
ting rather too old for active work.
Indeed the feeling is strong that
the younger men will conduct the
coming administration. Mr.. Harri-
sons reticence as to his cabinet con-
tinues, but those who have talked to
him pretend to have discovered an in
tention to appoint young men. This
impression is so strong that Senator
Sewell writes to friend here, "We
old fellows must stand aside"
Within the next two weeks the
democrats in the House will probably
move an investigation of election
methods in Indiana and New York.
If so, the republican senators will
send a committee to overhaul south
ern elections, and the mud-slinging
will go on right merrily. Neither
party would expect any direct results.
General Dudley might be asked to
tell what he knew about ''votes in
blocks of five," and Congressman
Oates might be questioned as to
''white supremacy in Alabama, but
that would be the end of it. A con-
gressional investigation of elections
is purely partisan and would be so
recognized.
Representative Ford will present
his report of the immigration inves-
tigation early in the session. The
nature of the remedies for pauper and
criminal immigration and that for
contract laborers, have not been COM
pletlv outlined. Mr. Ford's failure
for reelection will lead him to report
the bill as soon as possible, so that
it may not fail to become law be-
fore his retirement.
With the opening of congress, the
president returns from the cottage at
Oak View to the executive mansion,
to what Mr.. Blaine once feelingly
spoke of as :'the homelessness and
hopelessness of the mansion of pow
err Mr.. Blaine's anxiety to occupy
this dread mansion need not be men
toned here. President Cleveland
finds the White House unusually ele
giant in new paint and revamped fur
niture, ready for his successor. Even
the French chief feels anxiety only
about the inaugural luncheon, and
enters into eager conversation with
anybody who can tell him aught of
"Meester Harrison"
During the vacation, the old raf-
ters under the corridors near the pres
ident's office have been replaced with
iron girders. The weight of the great