Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-12-13
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, Dec. s, $780,
The republican Senators received an
unexpected shock when the news of
the action of the convention of the
National Farmers Alliance in protes- !
ting against the passage of the Force
bill reached them; it staggered them
for time, and when they recovered
their wits they began to abuse the
Alliance. But it is believed that this
protest will have great weight with
the northwestern republican Sem
tors, and together with the move>
ment of a number of republican Sem
ators, who are said to have deter
mined not to vote for that bill unless
Speaker Reed will promise to allow
a bill for the free coinage Of silver to
be voted on in the House, which he
has so far refused to do, it will GER
tainly jepoardize that infamous
measure.
The feature of the debate last week
in the Senate was Senator Gray's ar
gument against the constitutionality
of the most obnoxious clauses of the
Force bill, and much to the surprise
of the democrats, and also, / suspect,
of the republicans, Senator Teller
agreed with all that he said relating
to the clause providing for domicil>
larry visits. The republicans have
caucussed on the proposed change of
the Senate rules for the purpose of
forcing the bill through la Reed,
but they failed to agree. 1t is now
believed that if the bill passes at all,
which is far from certain, it will be
greatly modified.
The democrats in both House and
Senate, satisfied of the business of the
demands of the Farmers Alliance for
an increase in the amount of money
in circulation, stand ready to vote
for the free and unlimited coinage of
silver whenever they can get an Op-
portunity, and so many republicans
are ready to vote with them that the
passage of one of the many bills that
have been introduced would be a
certainty were it not for the opposi-
ton of Speaker Reed, who has so far
been able to absolutely control the
legislation that goes before the
House. 1t is stated that Mr.. Harri-
son would veto it if passed, but that
doesn't worry anybody. If he should
veto it, good bye to him politically
He would be as dead as Rutherford
B. Hayes.
Notwithstanding the snubbing he
got from the republicans of the Sen,
; ate Finance Committee at the last
) session, Senator Stanford has intro
= duced again, under another name
; his bill for loaning Government mon
ey upon farm mortgages, and reques'
) ted that it lie on the table until hi
makes a speech in its favor. He has
) an idea that this bill may nominate
, him for President in 1899.
Unless Commissioner Raum has :
hide as tough as rhinOceros HI
must have smafted all over at thu
allusion to his management, or rath
er mismanagement of the Pension
Bureau made during the discussion
8 in the House which preceded tn,
o passing of the Pension appropriation
Q bill. Several dramatic incident
0 occurred, one of the most striking
3 being when Representative Morrow
e. stated that the amount carried b,
g the bill-$133,00 ,000-would be SUI
/ ficient to pay all pensions during tn
. next fiscal year. "Bet you $4,000 t
5 $500 that it will not" yelled Repre-
3 sentative Biggs rushing down tn
u center aisle. In a moment the HOus
10 was in a good natured uproar, whicI
Z Mr.. Biggs added to by saying; GAS
=, the people Of California who stand
. foremost among them, w. w. Mo-
~ row or Marion Biggs and ike answe
will be Biggs by $4,000 majority.
He sat down amid shouts of laugh
N ter.
Secretary Noble has undertake
T, the task Of fighting the pensio
u sharks, and bets are already offere
lS that they will be able to drive hin
y out of the cabinet. He has aimed
u blow at their most valuable pOir
= the pocket-by having a bill intr,
" duced in the House to reduce the ft
r. for securing an increase in pensio