Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-12-06
WASHINGTON.

Gar Reed could not hide the chagrin
he felt today when he arose to call
the House to order and looked upon
the numerous empty seats on the re-
publican side. The quorum Of re-
publicans, so necessary to enable him
to carry out his partisan designs, was
not there. The republican bosses say
they will have a quorum in day or
two, and that when the members once
get here they will compel them to
stay, but that remains to be seen.
Talk is cheap, but it will require the
presence of quorum of republicans
to pass any measure tainted in the
slightest degree with politics through
the House. This much has been full
ly determined by the democrats.
Mr.. Harrison's message reads more
like partisan political harangue de-
livered from the stumpin the midst
ola heated campaign than like the
calm, nOn-partisan, dignifed COM
munications the American people
have right to expect from the Pres
ident of the United States. What it
contains has been largely discounted
ever since it was known that he had
decided to act upon the advice of the
most radical members of his party.
1t pleases the Reed, Mckinley, Hoar,
Cannon and Lodge element in his
party, but it would he decidedly in
teresting to know just what such men
as Senators Plumb, Paddock and
Pettigrew, who voted against the
Mckinley abortion, which it so
stoutly defends, think of it; and also
to know whether they propose to con-
tinue acting with the republican
party, of which Mr.. Harrison is the
recognized official head against the
material interests of their constitu-
ents. Interesting developments may
be confidently expected during the
session Of Congress which begun to
day, not the least of which will be
the action of the republicans who are
opposed to the Mckinley tariff
there are lots of them in both House
and Senate who voted for the bill
under compulsion.
Mr.. Harrison, in his message, has
made a desperate attempt to stem
the Blaine current in his party and
secure a denomination. He reeog-
nizes, as does everybody else, that il
he is not nominated in 1892 he will
stand before the country as rebuked
by the party which nominated and
elected him to the Presidency. This
humilitating condition he very nat
urally would like to escape; hence
his present efforts.
Mr.. Wanamaker devotes consid,
cradle space in his annual report t.
his postal telegraph hobby. He also
says that one cent letter postage
would be a good thing, and then pro
ceeds to throw cold water on the sug
gestion by inserting a lot of figure
to prove what a great big deficiency
it would create in the postal reve
nues. In plain words he thinks t.
humbug the people by pretending t,
favor one cent letter postage, ant
then makes an argument to influence
Congress against giving it to US. !
that isn't "cheap John" statesman
ship, should like to hear a bette
name for it.
Senator Quay has arrived, and be
: fore he had got the Florida mud o.
his boots he was waited upon by
delegation of republican moguls an
I asked how soon he intended to resig
his position as chairman of the reput
: lican national committee. He par
: aIyzed his questioners by telling ther
that he had no present intention {
0 resigning, and then cody askin
them what they proposed doin
2 about it. This leaves the afOresai
. moguls in q pickle. There is no wa
4 they can force Quay out until tn
8 next national convention names
, new committee. Quay's friend
% strange as it may appear he hi
. some, say that he was anxious to n
:. tire from the head of the committe
=; Just after the Presidential election
. and that the same men who nov
- want to kick him out persuaded hil
to remain, and that he does not in
k tend to be froze out.
k Representative Oates, of Alabama
is at work upon bill, which he wi
10 shortly introduce in the House, pre-
viding for an income tax upon a
/, annual incomes in excess Of 100