Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1890-06-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Presidents Trip-Speaker Reeds
Leadership - Charges Against
COmmissiOner-NOte s Of Interest.


WASHINGTON, ID G June y 1890
The President and his family return
ed 10 the city today from three days
trip TO Chesapeake Bay, where they
went on the u Dispatch for short
rest
Speaker Reed has again displayed his
ability as statesman in most marked
manner. and there are few men now in
public life who would have had the
courage to risk as much as failure
would have cost him In this case A
short time ago the Republican House
caucus endorsed the Window silver bill
and il was reported to the House
There were quite q number OF republi
cans who were opposed TO certain fea
lures of this bill, and in Difference to
them another caucus was called last
s-,sek to consider the question At this
caucus Representative Mckinley, who
is an able lieutenant to Mr. Reed, propOs
ed q new silver bill as compromise and
IL was accepted by the caucus, although
there were still few republicans who
we're not entirely satisfied The next
day Speaker keed,called meeting of the
committee on Rules and "a RUE WAS
adopted to call Up the new silver bill SC
once and-hxing upon Saturday Afternoon
at S0'clock as .ho time for taAtng 3 vote
upon IL luis won't b1EOQHD Win q rush
in spite OF the kicking. of the Democrats,
who saw all their hopes of a republican
split upon the silver question vanish
into nOthingness SATURDAY afternoon
the bill was promptly passeu and another
diamond was added 10 Mr Reeds already
brilliant diadem, as a party leader.
The Senate Finance committee is work
ing steady upon the Mckinley tariff bill,
but no one now expects that lt Will be
reported to the Senate much before July.
The Jones silver bill has lately received
some hard knocks from republican Sena
tors. Mir Morrell led off with a speech in
opposition and he was followed by Sena
tors Sherman and Hiscock and neither OF
them minced words IN opposing the meas
ure. Senator Plumb defended the bill.
Represen tative Cooper of Indiana has
presented in the House a resolution direct
ing fhe committee on Pensions to investi
gate certain newspaper charges against
Commissioners Raum. The charges are
that Gen. Raum has compelled the en-
ployees of the Pension office TO buy stock
in a corporation in which he is interested
and that lie has favored certain firm of
pension attorneys here i'm the business of
his office. The whole thing is simply a
democratic attempt 10 manufacture pohti
cal ammunition 10 be used in the coming
Congressional campaign, and there is not
the slightest proof in existence of the alb
surd charges
Some of the Senators who are decidedly
opposed to staying in Washington all the
Summer are talking up the idea of ing
recess from early in July TO October.
Tue idea meets with no favor on the
House side
1t is now apparent that there is a def
cheney of $4,000. 900 in the pension appro
priation for the fiscal year ending with
this month. No appropriation will be
made at the present session of Con
gress to meet this. 1t will be paid out of
the regular appropriation which becomes
available July /, and will be provided for
at the next session of Congress.
The President vetoed bill for a public
building at Hudsop, New Y ork, because
he did not think it was needed. lie is
giving the log-rollers in Congress some
rather strong hints
A very funny incident occurred dur
ing the debate on the silver bill in the
House. Mr.. Wolker of Mass. was max
ing q speech and he got so warmed up
that he, seemingly unconscious, re NOV
ed his coat and finished lin his shirt
sleeves to the great amusement of his
colleagues and the galleries. Ii was
probably the first time that Congress
man ever made speech in the House
In that condition, and it will not be for
gotten soon.
Senator Mitchell of Oregon caused a
shiver to run down the spines of those
conservative old Senators who think
that statesmen should wear nothing but
black, by appearing on the floor of the
Senate Saturday in natty suit of white
flannel. He did not look very digniiied
but with the thermometer dancing
around ninety he looked very comforta
BILE, and probably felt so.
The PrOhibitionists are to be given a
Joint hearing by the Senate and House
committees next Saturday on the joint
resolution providing for a prohibition
amendment TO the constitution of the
Uuited States.
1t is expected that the river and har
Dor bill will be reported to the Senate
this week.
The republican Senators are to hold a
caucus tomorrow evening to decide up
on successor 10 Sergeant-at-Arms Can
aday, whose resignation is to take effect
July /.
Senator Quay has returned to Wash
lngton from "a fishing trip, but nobody
has heard him tell any fish stories. HIS
example might be followed by other
people who go fishing.