The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-01-10
Washington lister;
trtom OUT Regular Correspondent,

Speaker Reed has hsd Something very
much resembling tfie 1rishman's mon
key and parrot tiine this week although
one would naturally have supposed
that having worked so hard to get the
House committees announced before
the recess, he would have allowed to en-
joy the quiet so we'll earned for him.
But it was not SO. He has been the
most sought for man in town. The
cause of all this unexpected trouble for
Mr.. Reed is a rumor that has been gem
orally accepted as fact, to the effect
that the republican, members Of the
House committee on rules, Of which the
Speaker is chairman, had agreed to re.
port to the House early in January d
Rule giving the Speaker authority to
declare a quorum Of House present
whenever the requisite number Of
members are iii tie chamber, whether
the. members vote or not. This is a
very important matter, and everybody
has been trying to find out from Mr.
Reed whether the rumor WIS Eased on
truth, but SO far no one has succeeded,
though Mr.. Reed has been very much
worried and his republican colleagues
on the committee-Messrs. Nc Kinley
and Cannon-have not escaped. All
that Mr.. Reed would say on the subject
was that the committee has not dis
cussed it. That was of course known
before. But he does not say that the
republican members Of the committee
have net discussed it. The proposed
change is approved by every republic
can member that your correspondent
has talked with, and they all expressed
their readiness to vote for such rule if
given an opportunity, on the other
hand the democrats are solidly opposed
because it would take away their prin-
cipal weapon-the power to break a
quorum Of the House at pleasure.
Not even Christmas can stop the talk
concerning the Federal election bill up
on which Representative Lodge, Of
Massachusetts,, is at work at the request
of the republican members of the house
committee on elections. tits now gen.
orally conceded that this committee will
report bill providing for the control
Of federal elections by the US. Gov
ernment. Whether such a bill will
ever become a law is not SO certain. II
it was TO he voted on at this time it
would undoubtedly fail to pass the
House, as a number of republicans are
opposed to it, and the democratic lead
ers have givenit out tlat-footed that the
democrats will not allow it to go
through if fillibustering will prevent
it. If it should be made caucus ques-
tion after the republicans have been re-
inforced by the admission Of a, number
of those now contesting seats, it may
be pushed through the House, but it
will only be after one of the bitterest
partisan fights ever seen in Congress.
For the first time in nearly twenty
years there is a Christmas tree in the
White House. Last Tuesday night the
President laid aside the cares Of state,
together with his coat, and proceeded
to help to erect and decorate tree for
the Nc Kee children, and all day Wed.
nesday he romped with the delighted
children, and the amount Of pure un.
adulterated fun he got out of it can on
ly be understood by us grandfather
who did the same thing for our owl
! broods. MAY he live to repeat it many
3 many times. No man isso learned, OF
i, great or good that he cannot be i'm
3 proved by association with children.
J. 1t is highly pleasing to republicans
a to see the leading democrats dividing
| between Hill and Cleveland and engag
n ing in Safeguarding each other as the.
i have been doing for some time. 1
c they will only keep it up long enougl
n the republican nominee in 1892 vii
: have a walkover.
T. Mr.. Blaine smiles when anyone ask
|. him if he is, as certain newspapers al
e legc, candidate for the Republican
d nomination in 1892. It's enough t
'e make anybody smile to think that
n man Of MIR. Blaine's brains and, expert
a, erce should even be asked such ques
Is ton at this time.
n The House Committee on Ways an
E Means, under the able Craftsmanship q
Maj. Mckinley, is losing no time.
has arranged scAedal. Of hearings o
the tariff bill, aid expects to have ths
'e measure perfected and reported to I'll
re House ia February.
Or Senator Teller proposes making
ne hard fight for his resolution providin
+. for open executive sessions Of the Sc,
X ate. The people have long ago decide
of that they should be open.-
te Mr.. Wanamaker is the only n1emb,
10 NJ fh3 ra h;nof ,vhn e,,h,,k ~, yt,A do ~,