Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-23
A MUDDLED SENATE.
Affairs Have Reached Such a
ProbIematicaI Stage
in That Body
AS TO DEFY ELUCIDATION,
And Nobody Can Even Guess at What
Viii be the Outcome.
SENATORS AT SIZES AND SEYENS.
The Probability of ClOture Rule Being
Reported Soon.
AS TO DEFY ELUCIDATION,
SENATORS AT SIZES AND SETENS.
The Probability of ClOture Rule Being
Reported Soon.
EVEN TnIS is VERY DOUBTFUL
.rrox A STAFF CORRESPONDENT


WASHINGTON, Dec. GA vast deal of
curious inquiry among Congressman and
Others is excited by the anomalous condition
OF things in the Senate. 1t is doubtful ii
any but few of the Senators can explain,
and they have hitherto condescended to give
out only that which is probably very far
removed from the truth. Lacking all direct
Information, ali sorts OF theories are in
vente! by those who feel that they ought TO
give the why's and wherefores.
a week ago i. was absolutely agreed in
caucus that the elections bill should be laid
aside and 4 financial bill taken up and dis
russed as soon as the latter could be CON-
pleted by the Finance Committee. After
the monetary measure should be disposed of.
il was agreed that what has now earned the
appelldtiOn Of "the cioture rule" would be
introduced, and then the elections bill taken
up and passed or defeated.
A day had not elapsed after the caucus
when Senator Hoar declared that it was his
understanding the cloture rule should be
taken up ahead of the financial BILL and
this is probably as near an untruth as the
venerable Senator from Massachusetts, ever
approached, and it is the testimony of
cloud Of witnesses, who were at the caucus,
that it was impossible that any intelligent
person should have interpreted the action of
the caucus in that way.
Why the Financial Bill sleeps.
The financial bill was completed, intro
duced aud referred to the Committee on FL
nance, and there it slumbers but the reason
OF its sleep is a profound mystery. Mean
VI 10 2 he 81 NIL nd jah,
the dead elections bill goes on. 1t is claimed
that the committee is not satisfied with its
own bill and that it is impossible 10 draft
one that will be satisfactory for the reason
that majority of the committee are op-
posed TO any general financial measure,
while each one has some single specific he
desires TO have adopted, which it is to be as
sumed would be of greater benefit to him
and his friends than any other proposition.
If, therefore, it be true that the financial
bill is antagoniZed by the elections bill. it
IS not because of any sincere interest in the
latter measure, but solely because of the
rad cal and almost Incorporate disagreement
as to the terms of the finance bill Whether
IL be true or not, Mr.. Hoar's roaming
around in defense of his elections bill has
come to be viewed as farcical. 1t is rumored
that Senator Aldrich will Tomorrow intro
duce cloture rule, and that it will then
lie oil the table to be taken up when it is
thought best
Slight Chance for Anything.
II that be done it will be with full un-
oerstaRding that such a rule cannot be
passed without an extraordinary assumption
OF power that will not be attempted by such
a mild-mannered man as the presiding
officer; and if that rule be brought up for
discussion in advance of the finance bill it
will be but another antagonizing measure
like the elections bill has come to be. Pos
sibly the denunciation of one OF the silver
Senators to-day was not far astray. The
Senator declared that the whole situation
was one of "sneaking insincerity, and that
the elections bill, the cloture and the finance
bill were all merely features OF a secret con-
spiracy on the part OF Hoar. Sherman, Ed
munds and others to preven, any further
concessions 10 the Senators in favor of free
coinage
Certainly, the complexion of things begins
TO bear out the idea that financial legisla-
tiOn, as well as the elections bill and the
charge OF rules, will have no chance this
session, and that they viii simply be PLAYED
against other proposed legislation until the
appropriation and other bills. that must be
acted upon, come over from the House and
are reported from the Senate Committee,
when the remainder OF the session will easily
be yielded TO them. LIGHTNER.