The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-12-18
NOT so UNANIMOUS.
The Outcome Of the Force Bill in Cong ress
PrOblematcal

PrOblematical.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-Republican
in the senate are not 80 unanimon
after all for the force bill. The utter
ances of Senator Teller, of Colorado
in which he declared himself a
against the principle OF the measure
as a whole, and particularly denounced
the domiciliary visit clause as un-
worthy of an American congress, ha
spread CONSERVATION amongst thos
who would go the whole hog or none
First, the radicals concluded to elimi
nate the more despotic features of the
( bill, but after a night of consultation
concluded to use the party whip be-
fore giving in an inch. The outcome
is as yet problematical, but as execu-
tive influence is exercised in behalf Of
this legislation it still looks like sue
cess for President Harrison's and Boss
Reeds efforts.
Democratic senators say that if the
bill is to pass the more Objectionable
its form the better, as it will the sooner
be repealed or become a dead lit err
Gen. Grant once said that he knew of
no quicker way to get rid of bad law
than to enforce it. So it is with this
obnoxious legislation so repugnant to
American ideas. If it is to be law
let it come wi h its most despicable
features most prominent, and the
people in '92 will nave a president and
congress-senate and house-which
will bow to the popular verdict.
One thing has been resolved upon
by the majority in congress-private
claimants will have no show this ses-
sion. Whenever the private calendar
is mentioned somebody in the front
pew hCwls "rebel claims" Now there
are many Southern claims, just and
honest, on the calen 1ar, but they con-
stitute small part of what is termed
private business" in congress. This
is usually spoken of as "a great and
good government. Great enough it is
ii politicians of the Hoar-Chandler
type would only let it alone, but as for
good, why not much, at least in some
respects. Rich but not honest would
be fair judgment, as the United
States is bad pay. Take this private
calendar and leave out the Southern
claims, and what do we find? Bills OF
relief for private individuals, so old
they have passed through several gen.
erations as inheritances-a curse in
stead OF blessing. Claims for Indian
depredations amounting to tens OF
millions; claims for unjust and illegal
tax impositions; claims for French
spoliations and the hard cash of Fance
Tor their payment hundred years i'll
the treasury; claims for damaged
property, violated contracts; in fact,
claims of every sort which can posi-
bly, arise out of the personal and bust
ness intercourse between people and
government.
They are to be tabooed this SEES
sion as they we're last, not for
want of time-the readiest ex-
cuse - but because justice to
the individual sinks into insignifi.
canoe in the presence of the gigantic
schemes which possess the minds of
American congressman.
TO excuse little vulgarity, the Re-
publican bosses are in devil OF fix
The expenditures of the government
have rea, he'd limit where the in
come hardly suffices for their liquida,
ton. A good deal of maneuvering is
going on inst now with them to prove
that the treasury is not rapidly al
preaching a stage of bankruptcy
Having wasted at the bung-hole last
session, they now propose to save at
the spigot. As already indicated in
this correspondence, Secretary of War
Proctor refused to submit any esti-
rates for river and harbor improve
ments; therefore no river and harbol
bill. Again, Milliken, chairman OF the
committee on public buildings, has
been notified that the appropriations
for these works must be kept within
bounds; and it is notorious that Com
missioner Raum was notified to cut his
estimates" so as to keep down pen
sion appropriations, possessing at the
same time the positive knowledge that
the deficiency must be made good by
the next congress, and so the list oil
false economies could lie ravelled- out
but enough, as stated, the Republicans
are in fix.
Governor Alger has been in towr
looking up the dimensions of thai
Blaine "boom." He says it is toe
early to talk about the next presi-
dency, but undoubtedly thinks the
office would fit fellow Just his size
The governor has two qualifications
Blaine has not-an army record anC
barrel of money. The first hi
friends think would catch the soldiel
vote; the other the floating votes
Another Republican is laying low
waiting for presidential nomination
old Jerry Rusk of the department
OF agriculture. Uncle Jerry, it is
claimed, would capture the farmers il
not the Farmers Alliance. So it is in
these quiet times Republicans Of
nrOminence are scheming for a grave