The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-01-12
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent

Mr.. Blaine, after having been seVerai
times reported on his way to WASH
ington, arrived here last week and is
now the guest of Representative
William Walter Phelps. His visit
here at this time is said to be with.
out any political motive. and only
the carrying out of arrangements
made long before the election to
spend the winter in this city. AS
usual, Mr.. Blaine's quarters are over
run with callers. There are few
prominent Republicans now in WASH
ington who have not called to see
him since his arrival. Senators His
cock and Plumb who are fresh from
visit to General Harrison, have had
several conferences with Mr.. Blaine,
and there are any number of rumors
in regard to Mr.. BIaine'S making a
visit to the President-elect. One
thing is very noticeable of late, and
particularly so since Mr.. Blaine came
here. That is the very decided change
of opinion on the part of the Republic
cans who are opposed to Mr.. Blaine's
entering the Cabinet. They all be-
We've now that he will be asked to
take the portfolio of the Secretary of
State, and that Gen. Harrison could
not do otherwise without putting an
unmistakable slight upon seven
tenths of the Republican party. You
ask what ha, brought about this great
change. Several things, but first and
foremost is the fact that Senator Sher-
man, who isperfectly satisfied with
his present POSITION, refused to join
in making light against Mr.. Blaine
and the small number of anti Blaine
Republicans @e therefore losing no
time in joining the big procession.
Still all this does not prove that Mr..
Blaine will be The next Secretary of
State. He may decline the place if
it be offered him. Many think he
would not acceDtit.
The Senate bill incorporating Mic.
argua Canal company has been passed
by the House Incorporates a private
company for the construction and op.
Grafton of ship canal from the At
iantic to the Pacific ocean, through
Nicaragua or Costa Rica. The Com.
pany is authorized to issue bonds Sc
cured by mortgage on its property
and rights must have its PRINCIPAL
Office in New York city, and a ma
jority of its directors, Is in number,
unjust reside in the United States, and
its president must be a citizen and
resident of the United States, Its
capital stock is to be 100000 shares
of $40 each with right to increase it
to 100000.
The House has practically been in
deadlock since last Thursday, fact
which speaks volumes for the alb.
surdity of the rules which at present
govern that body. Representative
Reed, from the House Committee on
Rules offered a resolution on Thurs.
day, providing that during the re-
mainder of the session it shall not be
in order to introduce bills on the
first and third Mondays of the month.
These days are known as suspension
days. that is. under the rules, with
the consent of the Speaker and a
two-thirds vote OF the number pres
ent, the rules may be suspended and
a vote taken on any bill on the calen-
dar. According to these same rules
all Mondays are assigned as the
proper days to introduce bills for
reference, and here is where the
| trouble comes in. One CIR two men,
bers opposed to any bill that should
be called up on suspension day have
only to introduce bills long enough
for the reading thereof to take up the
entire day, in order to defeat the will
of all the rest. twas to prevent this
abuse of power by members disposed
from any cause to be obstructionists
that Mr.. Reeds resolution was Offer
ed. But it has not yet been adopted,
as the members opposing it have
been numerous enough, owing to the
House, to break quorum by alb
staining from voting, for three sue
cessive days. The friends of the res
olution expect members enough to.
day or tomorrow to pass it without
! 40 votes of the tillibusters.
J, The sugar Interests of louisiana,
California and Kansas have represen-
atives here endeayoring to get the
Senate finance committee to do
something for them. They claim
that the 60 per cent reduction in the
duty on imported sugar made by the
Senate tariff bill, will, if carried into
effect ruin them. They have many
and strong friends, and it has been
decided by the committee to report
an amendment to the Senate bill CIV
ing bounty for every pound of sugar