The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-10
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, ID. C., Dec. 9Th

Senator Cullom has introduced bill
for the reduction of letter postage To
one cent, aud il has been referred to
the Senate committee ON postoftices and
post roads. This is no buncomb meas
ure; the Senator is in earnest and he
proposes, if il be possible, tn have the
bill voted upon at the present session,
and owing To the rapidly growing pub
lie sentiment in favor of one cent letter
postage there is little doubt of It's pas
sage, if il is voted upon.
The know-it-all gentlemen Who have
for several months been telling the
country that the Federal election Hill
was dead, must have experienced some
chagrin when the Republican Senators
voted solidly To take up this bill and to
continue its consideration To the eXclu-
sion 'of all other business latter the
morning hour') until il is disposed of.
Senator Hoar says he Is confident that
the bill will finally pass before the LIST
of January, but that it will be the cause
of one of the sharpest and most de-
termined struggles ever waged in Con
gress. He hopes that the Democrats
will see the wisdom of acquiescing
without resorting To tilibustering. But
there is little probability that such will
be the case. The bill can never be
passed 10y the senate until the rules OF
that body are changed SO AS To limit
debate, and that change, which can on
ly be made by the united and persistent
efforts of the Republican majority, will
be opposed by all the parliamentary
methods known to the Democratic mi
nority. One scheme of the Democrats
has already been made public, whereby
they hope te defeat The election bill. 1t
is To offer rs a substitute for all that
portion of the bill after the enacting
clause, bill for the free coinage of sill
yer.
There are several reasons, however,
why this scheme is almost certain TO
fail. The principal of which is the idea
that has i'm some way become general
around the Capitol, that the President
will veto free coinage bill if Congress
passes one.
This idea of veto has not deferred
Senators Plumb and Teller and num-
Der of representatives from introduce
ing bills providing for the free coinage
of silver, and Mr.. Teller said to-day
that he telt 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 differences
in these bills. For instance, Senator
Plumb's bill provides for double unit
of value Ca dollar of Alp grains stand
ard silver or 25S grains of gold of full
legal tender quality, while Senator Tel
ler's bill fixes the weight of the silver
dollar at 400 grains of standard silver,
and contains no further addition to ex-
listing Law for the coinage of bullion re-
ceived at the minis.
Senator Ingalls, has introduced Joint
resolution to appropriate sum of
money to purchase seeds 10 be distri-
buted gratis among the citizens of Kan
sas and Nebraska suffering from the eff
fects of the recent drought
Senator Henderson has presented a
petition which offers the most practical
bic solution of the Indian problem yet
presented. 1t asks that the Indians be
deprived of their horses and that the
government Issue To them in lieu there
of working oxen. Speaking of this
matter Senator Henderson said An
Indian cannot fight very much if
mounted upon an OK but he can pillow
all he wants TO- We have been giving
these Indians ponies for farm work, but
they have never used them except as
saddle animals The disarmament and
dismounting of the fractions tribes is
necessary and should be accomplished
at once. An Indian believes his high
est mission to be the killing of "A fellow
being; white man preferred. A reso-
luton has been adopted by the Senate
calling npon the Secretary of War for
information as to what steps have been
taken towards dsarming the Indians.
Secretary Blaine, in company with
the Brazilian naval officers, who have
been visiting Washington, occupied the
diplomatic galleries of the House and
Senate for an hour or two on Tuesday
The Presidents message made won
derful impression upon Congress, not
withstandIng it contained no new
recommendations 1t dealt with the
political situation in a dignified straight
forward manner that could not fail TO
command the respect of friend and foe
alike, and it has soiditied the Republi-
cans 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, although there is not
yet IL Republican quorum present. 1t
passed the International Copyright bill,
although day was wasted by its oppo-
nents in filibustering against it. Work
on the appropriation bills is being rap.
idly pushed, and one of them (pensions)
has already been reported from com
mittee. The Census committee is work
ing hard to perfect the apportionment
bill, which is certain to become law
at this session, Democratic reports to
the contrary Notwithstanding