The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-03-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our Regular Correspondent
WAsHINaroN. Feb. q. 1888


The first battle has begun. The 6rst
gun was fred by Mr.. Blaine when he
wrote to Chairman Jones of the Repub
lican National Committee, announcing
that his name would not be presented
to the Republican Nominating Conyen-
ton. The gun Was loaded with dyna-
mite shell, which exploded when the
letter was published, and although II
was week ago, the reverberation may
still be heard and the echoes viii be
heard for months TO come from all sec
tons. The first question asked was,
what will be the result Of the letter 2
The answer depended entirely on whom
you asked. II opposed to Blaine it
would be emphaticallY insisted that the
letter had completely removed Mr..
Blaine from the field, but if you asked
Blaine man, he would promptly reply
that the letter had insured the nomina-
ton of Blaine by reclamation, that his
friends did not propose to allow him to
to have any say whatever in the matter.
They were going right ahead to nomi-
nate and elect him President, as small
compensation for his accidental defeat
in 1884. t .......,
So there you are. These two classes
represent the opinions of all Republi-
cans. You can take your choice. But
1t is only fair to say that the proportion
of opponents to Blaine compared with
his supporters is only about one to ten.
One direct result of the Blaine letter
ls to show how much really good Plesi-
dental material the Republican party
contains. There are Allison, Sherman,
Sheridan, Cullom, Ingalls,, Edmuds,
Hawley, Harrison, Gresham, Hiscock,
Evarts, Frye and others yet. Is it not
an imposing array of brains and ability?
Not man IN the Inst that would not
make good President. Compare that
showing with the Democratic list. They
have only two, Cleveland and Hill, both
from the same State.
The House has instructed the Commit
tee on Manufactures to report on Mr..
Mlllikin's resolution, directing the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury to investigate the
sugar trust in New York, on Friday
next. A lively fight is expected over
this matter. e..
1t seems as if the average Democratic
Congressman Is always ready to vote
against any legislation that is likely
TO improve the moral condition of the
country. An instance of this was given
by the adverse report made on the bill
to prohibit the circulation through the
mails of newspapers containing lottery
advertisements, by subcommittee of
the House Postoffice Committee, COM
posed of two Democrats and one Repub-
hcan. The later voted for a favorable
report on the bill
Having passed the Senate, the Blair
Educational bill is now before the House,
where its fate is enVeloped in much
doubt.
Saturday was gwen up by the Senate
Committee on the District of Columbia
to a hearing on the Platt bill prohibiting
the sale of intoxicating liquors in this
District. There was quite large crowd
present, mostly ladies, and the hearing
of the same old arguments on both sides
of the question had grown somewhat
monotonous when the slender figure of
Dr. Mary Walker arose from backseat.
With silk hat in hand she made her way
through the crowd to the front of the
table around which the CON. Sttee sat.
and asked for five minutes time
She started out by saying she vas on
posed to the bill. This created great
surprise among the lady prohlbitionists
present, as many of them remembered
that many years ago the doctor had ask
ed Congress to pass law almost identi-
cal with this bill. She said her reason
for opposing the bill was that such q law
could not be enforced. She said Con-
gress might as we'll attempt to pass bill
forbidding women wearing hoops, bus
ties, corsets, and trains, or to compel
them to dress like DR.. Mary Walker.
She concluded her remarks by saying
that tobacco was more injurious to the
do not affiliate with DIR. Mary of late,
did not relish the episode.