Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-12-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.

To the Chronicle.
WASHINGTON, Dec. II, 18S8.-Sena
tor Beck was at the capitol last Sat"
day for the first time since he was
taken sick last summer. Although
he is very weak he does not look ill,
owing perhaps to his peculiar resls-
tive constitution and Scottish energy.
He leaves for Aiken, South Carolina,
this week, greatly to the regret of the
Democratic side of the Senate and to
the delight of the Republicans.
Senator Beck is an army within him
self on the tariff question.
Senator Riddleberger has been at
his old trick of turning the Senate
Chamber into circus ring. Cause,
too much whiskey.
Democrats here are greatly enjoy
ing the bitter fight now raging be-
tween the Miller and Plat factions
in New York and the Sherman and
Foraker crowds in Ohio. Conserva-
tive Republicans here express the be-
lief that neither New York nor Ohio
will be represented in Harrison's
cabinet on account of these wrangles.
Morton, who it is supposed went to
indianapolis in the interest OF Platt
for Secretary of the treasury has, 1t Is
said, telegraphed to a New York
member OF Congress that Harrison
had positively refused to have Platt
in the Cabinet.
Capt. Cowdon's plan of making
Laque Borgue the outlet for the flood
waters of the Mississippi river has
been adversely reported upon by the
Senate committee ON the improve
ment of that river.
1t was reported that the United
States had demanded the appoint
me mt of a successor to Lord Sackville,
and notified the British Government
that Mr.. Phelps (our minister) would
be recalled unless British minister
was speedily appointed. Upon in
curry at the State Department it was
learned that the rumor was without
foundation, and that the Department
was perfectly indifferent about the
matter, whether minister was or
was not sent here.
Blaine still continues to be thorn
in the side of many Republicans. A
rumor that he had been offered the
Secretaryship of State by Harrison
and that he had accepted it, created
CONSERVATION among those Republi-
can Congressman who do not like
him, and there are quite large
number of them, one certainly, ana
many people say two, in the delega-
ton from his own State. These men
know that il Blaine goes into the
Cabinet they will get no favors from
the administration No enemy is
too small for Blaine to wreak his
vengeance upon, hence they have
been busy since the election in bring
ing all the anti-B Blaine influence OF
the entire country to bear on Har-
rison to proven Blaines getting into
the Cabinet. If the rumorwere true
? their work has not all been for moth
inc. Hundreds of messages were
sent flying over the wires and The
anti Blaineites were soon made happy
4 by discovering that Harrison had no
), rendered position to Blaine. Blu
a the thought that he may do so hover
: over the anti Blaine men like cloud
n All this is fun for the Democrats, an(
n it's about the only kind of fun they
e nave had since the election.
! The Democratic Senators are nov
o fighting the Republican tariff bill
tooth and nail, but as the Republ
cans vote solidly on every amend
l. ment offered, they have no hope c
If doing anything better than showin
d the country the injustice and absul
r dity of the measure prepared by tn
II Republicans. At the present rate c
progres, the bill will not pass tn
Senate before February.
Ie The Democratic House has had
,e bis tavo,aoly reported 10 II, piacin