The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1889-12-18
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Special Correspondence to the GLOBE-RE-
PUBLICAN.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. 13.-NOth-
ing has as yet occurred in either branch
of congress to bring the leaders promi-
nently to the front. In the senate. OF
course, there will be no change from the
old order of things, but some curiosity
exists as to the turn affairs will take in
the House, now that the old and accept
ed leader of the republicans has been
withdrawn from the floor by his election
to the speakership. AS everyone knows,
there are plenty of able, and even bril-
liant, men on the majority side, but no
one of them has ever figured as par
limentary leader. 1t is generally recog-
nized, though, that Major Mckinley will
be the leader of the house. His position
as chairman of the committee on ways
and means, according to legislative Gus
tom, carries with it the leadership. In
times past. this supremacy has been dis
puted, and there are some indications
that a contest will again occur, but the
usual practice has been for the chairman
of the committee on ways and means to
be the leader of the House. There was
one exception, however, and most
notable one, too, and that was when
.'Old man. Thad. Stevens, the great
cOmmOner, ruled the representative
branch of Congress with a rod of iron,
although he, by choice, was chairman of
the appropriations. At the present time,
in consonance with this precedent, Judge
Cannon, of Illinois, aspires to the control
of legislation in general, as he will I'M
doubtedly dictate the expenditures of the
government. But prominent republic
can member said to your correspondent
that the party could not afford to quar-
rel over who should be in the lead, and
that with SO many able men, if each does
his duty, the record of this congress can
be made one of which the country may
be proud.
When it comes to personal fitness
alone, it is conceded that Speaker Reed
did not make mistake when he placed
the control of legislative affairs in the
hands of the Ohio man. Mckinley is an
aggressive debater, we'll informed in gov
ornamental and political methods, and a
long service in congress has given him an
intimate acquaintance with parliamentary
rules and legislative practice. He is,
taken all and all, one of the best-equip-
ped men in public life. The principal
quality that he -conservatism-is
possessed by his associate, Judge Can
non, who will prove the balance wheel
in the contests of this congress. Cannon
is man who appears and acts as if he
had passed through this life without ever
having had his temper ruffied. He is, in
truth, the same old Joe Cannon from day
to day. 1t is said by some, that his wife
is the better politician of the family.
This man has steadily advanced in legis-
lative life by constant Flooding. He is
not an orator, in the true sense of the
word, but he has a way of putting things
which convinces the nearer of the hon.
esty of the statement and the man.
His elevation to the craftsmanship |
OF the committee on appropriations
is deprecated by employees of the execu-
tive departments in this city, for it is re-
membered that he favored in past con-
gress, reduction of clerical salaries and
an extension of the hours of daily SER
vice. In other words, his position was
that government clerks should not be
paid more, and should work as many
hours each day, as the same class of peo-
pie in other walks of life. This spread
in executive circles, and
the fear is now paramount with them,
that, with the reins in his own hands. he
will drive straight to the goal which he
then announced as the true destination
in executive economy.
These two men together, though-Mc-
kinley and Cannon-will, to use vul-
garism, prove strong team, and it will
not be in the power of the democrats to
get the best of them so long as they
dwell together in concord and harmo-
n.y.
1t is pretty we'll established fact, at
east SO far as future act can be said to
be established, that congress at this ses-
lion will do something for the old and
needy veterans of the war, who, under
existing statutes, are barred out of the
pension Office. The party is pledged to
t, and, as every one knows, the republic
ANS always redeem their pledges, which
act has ever placed them in vivid con-
rast to their political opponents who