Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-12-11
wASHINGT TON LETTER.
From our regular CORES pondent.
WASHINGTON, d. G., Dec. 5th. 1890.

.oe TO one cent, and it has been
referred to the Senate committee on
postoffices and post roads. This is
no buncomb measure; the Senator
is in earnest and he proposes, if 1t
be possible, to have the bill voted
upon at the present session, and
owing to the rapidly growing public
sentiment in favor of one cent letter
nostage-there is little doubt of its
passage, if it is voted upon.
The know-it-all gentlemen who
have for several months been telling
the country that the Federal election
bill was dead, must have experienced
some chagrin when the Republican
Senators voted solidly to take up
this bin and to continue its consld-
Grafton to the exclusion of all other
business CATER the "morning hour"0
until it is disposed Of Senator
Hoar says he is confident that the
bill will finally pass before the first
of January, but that II will be the
cause Of one Of the sharpest and
most determined struggles ever
waoed in Congress. He hopes that
the Democrats Will see the wisdom
Of acquiesclug without resorting to
fllbusteliug. But there is -ittle
probability that such will be the
case. The bill can never be passed
by the Senate until the rules OF that
body are changed so as to limit
debate, and that change, which can
only be made 10y the united and
persistent efforts G. me republican
majority, W,!I be opposed by all the
parliamentary methods known to
the democratic minority. One
scheme of Democrats has alresty
been made public, whereby they
hope to defeat the election bill. 1t
is to offer as substitute for all that
portion Of the bill after the enacting
clause, ii bill for the free coinage of
silver.
There are several reasons, how
ever, why this scheme is almost
certain 10 fail. The principle of
which is the idea that has in some
way become general around the
Capitol, that the President will veto
a free coinage bill if Congress
passes one.
This idea Of veto has not de-
tered Senators Plumb and Teller
and number of Renresemtatlyeaz2
from introducing bills providing
for the free coinage of silver, and
Mr.. Teller said to-day that he felt
perfectly confident that some one Of
these bills will be passed by the
Senate at the present session. OF
the action Of the House he is not so
confident There are radical diff
ferences in these bills. For instance,
Senator PIumb's bill provides for a
double unit Of value IA dollar OF
4l28 grains standard silver or 25.8
grains of gold) of full legal tender
quality, while Senator Teller's bill
fixes the weight of the silver dollar
at 400 grains of standard silver,
and contains no further addition to
existing law for the coinage Of
bullion received at the minis.
The Presidents message made a
wonderful impression upon Con
gress, Notwithstanding it contained
no new recommendations. 1t dealt
with the political situation in dig
nifed straightforward manner that
could not fail to command the re-
spect of friend and foe alike, and 1t
has solicited the Republicans IN
Congress as nothing else could have
done in so short time.
The House got right down TO
work in business-like way that
promises well for the session, al
though there is not yet Republl-
can quorum present. 1t passed the
International copyright bill, al
though a day was wasted by It's
opponents in flibustering against It,
Work Oh the appropriation bills Is