The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-01
IT WAS A PA.JL JOKE,
The One Which a Washington
Boy Played on Congressman
Tom Carter.
Chances Against the House Hav-
Ing Any Quorum at This
Session.
The Reed Outfit Is in the Political
Junk Yard and Blaine is Again
ON Top the Heap.

VIC 0ou. y. n. CarLer TO the capital 20 eArly
that he was about the first of the member
of the Fifty first congress to make his an
pearance here? I do not pause for reply
for it is matter, to quote Mr.. Toots, ''oi
not the slightest consequence The fac
ls that he Is here, and he meets eyerybod,
with breezy assurance of the delight b,
feels atnot having been compelled to sit il
congress in which the republicans will b.
20 small in numbers that they will not b&
able to demand the call of the yeas ane
nays as a right. Carter met persona
friend the day after he reached Washing
ton, and taking him by the arm he walked
with him slowly past the department o,
justice, by tbs house of Mr.. Blaine, and te
the door of the spacious building IN which
only few weeks ago, Reed, Clarkson, Car
ter and Quigg, had made their plans TO,
carrying all the doubtful districts.'' Mr.
Quigg had put forth his best editorial eff.
fort to secure the entire success of the re-
publicans. He and Carter sent cords
OF colored pictures out to the coun-
try, intended to illustrate how the
Reed rules and Reed rule had suppressed q
too troublesome minority, and Carter had
gone to Montana impressed with the notion
that he was about to join holiday process
sion. Was it possible that he stood there q
defeated man? He stroked his whiskers az
the disagreeable fact forced itself upon
him that he was there. and that he was not
elected. And then his eye caught sight of a
rude inscription upon the door, in chalk:
10 let-with good will and fxtures.'' It
was only boys joke, but it was painful.
Mr. Di1on's popularity and liability to
win were not properly estimated by Colonel
Sanders at the time Dixon was nominated.
Since Montana has become state, and has
attracted attention by her cry of ''stop
thief" in the senate, there are many per-
sons in this section who consider the nomi
nation of a candidate; for representative in
Montana as matter Of Importance. San
ders was asked, as he sat in Carter's Office.
where dozen or more republican states
men heard him, what he thought of Dixon.
he was very complimentary in his refer
ences to the professional attainments and
public estimation of Mr.. Dixon, but he was
also crushing in his conclusion that Dixon
had no business in politics.
MIR. Mcpherson, who is the clerk of the
house of representatives, has been giving
out what he calls an unofficial list of the
members of the fifty second congress, It
is not happily conceived list. Perhaps
Tribune training is not likely to make a
man respect returns of an election when
they are not favorable to his side of the
hight. MCPHERSON makes three classes of
representatives. democrats, republicans and
farmers alliance men. And then he puts
222 democrats in one column, 81 republicans
IN the next, and II alliancemen in a column
az! by themselves. As matter of fact, the
alliance men elected are nearly all demo
Gratis. and the republicans elected, of all
kinds, number not more than SO. The
clean democratic majority on the face of
the returns is 153 to l55. Then there are
several contests i'll sight that ought to result
IN the unseating of the republicans who
may be sworn in at the outset.
Before we shall have the pleasure of
looking upon the congress that Mr.. Reed
and Mr.. Mckinley have produced by their
brilliant exploits, We shall have three
months Of 9 slowlv-dyinR second half.
Notwithstanding that the president has
turned whip and undertaken to summon
q quorum by the almost public announce
ment that every republican must be here
at the opening of congress to discharge his
duty to his constituents and to his presi-
dent. 1t is almost certain that there will
not be quorum of republicans here next
Monday. While Harrison is isendeavoring to
have it understood that he will be person
ally very much obliged if all the gentle
men will try and be here, good many of
the gentlemen will manifest their indiffer-
ences to white house desires by staying at
home. There are many republican predic-
tions that there will not be a quorum pres
ent Mt any time before the expiration of
the session. It does not appear that Reed
has made any effort to secure full ct
tendance.
Nearly all the republicans who have come
into town and who have talked about the
causes Of the late defeat everywhere in the
country are practically unanimous in as
cr!b!ng to Blaine the blame for silencing a
third OF his party. These men are sure
pork and the -four that did the business.
Whatever did it, the election accomplished
one thing most completely. It killed in
the bud the presidential expectation of
Reed. He may hammer the speakers desk
INTO powder every day in the week for three
months. but no one will care. Clarkson,
and who OF course does not like Blaine, ran
the congressional committee as machine
intended to land Reed ut the top of tho
ticket in 1892. Clarkson fought Blaine all
through the campaign in his little commit
tee .orRan-The Politician-in a very inn
PoAUAAoue nuO OVoF-Ze0lOu6 1800lOn. Garter
was under obligation to the speaker and he
had to run at the tail of his chariot. The
heed outfit is In the political junk-yard
and Blaine is ION top as he has not been
since the fall of 1884.
Reed will feel the influence of Blaine al
work against him as soon as the congress
gets at work, If the speaker has any notion
Of driving through the Force bill and the
tascally scheme of congressional reaupor-
llonment that was prematurely proposed in
september. Blaine was always opposed
% the the Reed plan of running the house.
l. would surprise no one il the feeling Of
disgust that was manifested at the polls by
Inc abstention of many OF the Blaine men
we're to be seen in congress in daily list
q absentee republicans whc haze asssnsa
mat Mr.. Blaine does not regard il Il easen-
lia! the Reed programme shall be persisted
n 70 the utter destruction of what remains
y tho republican concern. Eyerybodv
western republican papers that are demsnd.
ne the revision Of tho tariff by reduction Of
iuties while Mckinley and Cannnia and
Bayne are feebly insisting that nothine
mall be said or done ON the tari6 oueafion
iorin0 the second half. Some Of the man
.ho vere against thu sxtrems rates. OF the
AcAinisy bill, but who did not dare TO ~