Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-11-28
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


llOn, ii lie ever ilau any, nave been
knocked into smithereens, and the
willy Secretary of State is again the au-
tocrat OF the badly shaken up and de-
moralized Republican party. This is
doub!y fortunate for the country. Be
cause in the first place, if there is no
reaction, the advice OF Mr.. Blaine will
prevent the Scnate's passing the Force
bill at the coming session OF Congress,
and il the next place, if Mr.. Blaine he
the nominee Of the Republican party
in 1892 lie is certain TO be defeated.
For these reasons the Democratic lead
ers are pleased with the change which
has come over their opponents.
All OF the wild newspaper talk about
the rcd-hot Speakership campaign that
is now being waged in Washington is
absolute nonsense. There are hot
twenty-five Democratic members elect
OF the House of the Fifty-second Con-
grcss at prcsentin this city. Oi course,
the matter is being talked about, in
fact it is almost the exclusive subject
of conversation III political circles, but
still the campaign has not begun, and
is not likely to open until Congress
meets, and not then unless it becomes
certain that an extra session of the
newly elected House will be called in
the Spring. The names of nearly Il
score Of gentlemen are talked of for the
honor, sCme from the South, some from
the East, some from the West, and
some from the Middle States, but so
far there seem to be no indication that
any section has, or will combine in IA
vOr of a candidate because he comes
from any particular section OF the coun-
try, notwithstanding the sensational
newspaper dispatches to the contrary
sent out from Washington.
The Democratic party has never been
sectional in its policy, and will not at
this late day follow the example OF the
Republicans in that respect, and all
reports to hecontrary may be set down
rs cmanating from Republican sources,
and rs being circulated solely in the
hope of creating dissention in the ranks
of the victorious Democratic party.
Every Democrat with whom | have
talked about the Speakcrship is actu-
ated by the same idea, and that is, to
elect the man Speaker, who is best
qualified to perform the arduous and
exacting duties of the position; man
with ability and parliamentary expert
encc, and withall, man who is at all
times cool-hcaded and who will make
no mistakes that can lie used against
the party in 1892. There is, and will
be, no fight in the party over this or
any other position. 1t is perfectly ma
tural that they should be an honorable
and good-natured rivalry to obtain this,
the most important position under our
form OF Government, not excepting
the Presidency, in the shaping and con-
trolling OF Congressional legislation.
Quay must go. That much has been
decided by the Republican leaders, who
are now on the hunt for some one to
take his place at the head of the Re
publican National committee.
Secretary Windom's annual report
will be largely made up of a labored ar
gumcnt i'll favor of the policy of "pro-
tection," and of the Mckinley tariff
law in particular, and it is hoped by
the Democrats that Mr.. Harrison will
take the same stand in his message.
If the Republican party, as represented
by the administration and the majority
in thepresent Congress, will only stand
by the new tariff law, the Democrats
will not only. elect the President in
1892, but they will control both branch
es of Congress.
Senator John Sherman is somewhat
paradoxical. Ina newspaperinterview
he predicts direful consequences to the
country as the result of the Democratic
victory, and then naively adds that the
only hope OF the Republican party is,
that the country will he so prosperous
during the next two years that it will
support the Republican party because
it was the author OF the Mckinley tariff
law.
Representative O'Ferral, OF Virginia,
who led the Democrats in their attempt
to defeat the seating OF the negro Lang
ston, is in the city. He was asked
what he thought the next House would
do, and he replied as follows: ats
most important work will be to revise
the tariff, eitherby bills covering certain
sections or by an omnibus bill. We
shall not attempt general revision,
but the duty on binding twine, ready
made clothing and the necessaries of
life will be reduced. We shall find sup
port among the Republicans in the
Senate who have now learned bv ex-
perience what Mr.. Plumb with rare DO
litical sagaciiy foresaw. Then will
come ii clcan-cut free coinage bill. In
pensions we shall be liberal. not extra
VACANT. We will not go back to the
old rules which allowed one man to OBJ
struct legislation, but there will be no
rules like those framed by Mr.. Reed"
Speaking OF Representative DunnelTs
apportionment ILL, which is to come
mp as soon us Congress meets, Mr..
O'Ferral said: " It's not fair bill. and
| intend to fight it, if it takes all win
ter" DEu
The election returns made Mr.. J. S.
Clarkson, the brevet head of the Re
publican Congressional committee.
sick. TLey had precisely the same ef-
feet upon several million Republican
voters.