Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-19
WASHINGTON CITY.
SENATOR TELLER OPPOSES The cAu-
Gus MEASURE.
Uncertainty rs to the Fate of the Force
Bill-Effect of Gag Rulc-Wao-
diII on Reapportionment.
rrom Our Regular correspOnaentI

dirI on Beapportionment'
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. December ls.-The Repub-
lcans who controlled last nights sena-
torial caucus at the residence OF Senator
Cameron fixed up story for the press that
would seem to indicate there was perfect
harmony at the gathering, that the gold
bugs had swallowed the silver advocates
Just as they did last summer, that Hoar.
Sherman. and Chandler had whipped out
| the western men of liberal ideas, ana tnat
in addition to the agreement 70 put
through the Harrison Window WeU-street
financial policy, the sentiment tor gag
rule was overwhelming. that there WASH
single kicker at the conference. ana that
gold-bug finance ideas, force bill ana All.
would be adopted with a whoop and rush
This was decidedly r'se-coloTed. NOT a
word was sal Ia night about the absent
Republican senator's. Mr.. Teller, OF Colo,
RADIO, wasn't present. and he was very mad
to-day when he read the report of the pro
ceedings OF the caucus He expressed MS
disgust with the financial measure sad 10
have been agreed upon. cleared that ne was
opposed 20 il, and added that he was OF the
opinion that many other western Repu bill
cans would refuse 10 be caught in any suoh
trap. He is also known 90 be opposed 70
adopting gag rules for the guidance OF the
Senate.
POSSIBLE GAG-LAw.
IL must be confessed that with the slen-
der information given out last night the
indications seemed to show that the KICK
ers had been suhdued. and that possibly
the Radicals backed by the power of the
Administration, would probably make a
strong effort in the near future To apply q
closure rule, so that the infamous force
bill could be passed.
To-day the same state of uncertainty az
TO the fate Of the nefarious measure stu
exists. Some persons. including Republi-
cans as well as Democrats. assert positively
that when once laid aside the force bill VIII
never come up again in the Senate. Others
are equally positive that as soon a. tne
financial question IL settled the Republi-
cans will close up ranks, apply gag-laws,
and pass the force bill. What will trouble
the golj-bugs and tend 30 prolorg matters
will be the offering 10 the Window Wall
street bill an absolute free-c0inage-of-'ll-
yer amendment. When that ~ done the
chances are most Of the free-colnage Re
publicans from the West will have 20 vote
for it, and 1t may happen that then John
Sherman and the gold-bugs Will plead for
time and oppose any change in the rules.
THE SITUATION COMPLICATED.
The Republicans in the Senate who are
red-hot for the passage of the force bill
are circulating paper 10 secure signatures
enough to agree to change the Iuies. The
Radicals claim they will not put aside the
force bill not even for the financial legisla-
tion until they are certain of strength
oh 10 a lavU IL
Gates the situation.
. Representative Waddll. Of Virginia, it
seems. was the only Republican member
Of the House who voted against the pas
sage of the apportionment bill that was
disposed of by the House yesterday. The
Dispatch correspondent to-day asked him
on what ground he opposed measure that
his party generally supported and which
was also voted for by so many OF the Demo-
Gratis.
HIS OBJECTIONS.
Judge Waddill said: "Yes, did it and
am disposed to think that many of the Re
publicans who supported the bill will re-
greet it very soon. The privilege of having
fair vote and an honest count IL nj last
vain thing if the congressional districts
in advance are so arranged that nothing
can be accomplished by voting. That this
can and will be done under this appOrtion-
ment bill / think no sane man can ques-
ton. Not the slightest limitation Is made
in this bill against any sort of gerryman-
der further than that the districts
shall be composed Of contiguous
territory and 20 contain rs nearly
as practicable an equal number Of
inhabitants. This nearly as practicable
gives about as indefinite and "a absolutely
unlimited discretion In the matter of re-
districting az could well have been given.
After all the talk the country has had from
both parties about shameful gerryman-
ders, certainly some provision should
have been made against il in this bill, such
for instance, that in no case should the
number of inhabitantsof any one congress
eional district in nuy State exceed those OF
any other district in said State by more
than ten thousand. based upon the popu-
latiOn as shown by the eleventh census"
THE MINORITY GIFTS LEFT.
"This would have been eminently fair and
lust 20 the whole country, operating every
where fairly. giving the advantage, how
ever, necessarily to Republicans IN Repub-
lican States, and 20 Democrats IN Dem
ocratic States: but as tits. certainly in
many States the minority Will practically
be denied any representation This would,
more or less. be so at any perOd, but spe-
cially at this time Of great political excite
ment. Can any one doubt but that IN
many of the Democratic States, Were it Is
believed that the Federal electin law Is
aimed mainly at them, that the, Will en-
deayor at the time of redistrictinlto right
the supposed wrong? II wouldbe more
than human 20 expect otherwise II will
be done, and all Of our laws seuring
free ballot, fair count, etc, willbecOme
mere 'keepsakes.' No one will ave any
need for such laws. The Republicans as
rule will get all that is proded for
them hut care will be taken thu no such
provision IA made"
The Engineer Corps have reorted TO
Congress that they consider Ell river, in
| West Virginia, as not worthy otmproye-
ment.
THE GRIPPING MKsLEY RI.
Most of the Democratic memhs of the
| House will oppose the passage the bill
which its promoters are pleasl 10 label
ito place the American merchit marine
engaged in the foreign trad upon an
| equality with that of other Mains" The |
Democrats do not believe that e bill will |
| do what it SAYS. for with theMcKinley |
tariff bill our trade cannot in tlir opinion |
| be extended. That law acts IA Chinese |
wall The southern and wesrn Demo- |
Gratis will almost TO man oppe the ship
ping bill. az well as the post subsidy |
| bill. framed especially 10 hellhe Pacific
Mail outfit. These propospns were
| knocked out in the last and pyious con-
crosses. and was done with thed Of many |
western Republicans. Some the Re
publicans are still opposed the. mea-
| sure, and on their votes willargely de-
pend the result when the TO on the
pending measure is taken.
IIFT-sIZE STATUE
Some one asked Private len to-day
what particular legislative qudon he was
wrestling with at present, the genial
and humorous Misslssippian ~ that he
had been Fostering his mindith several
| things of importance, but aust he had
struck upon a great idea. had about
| decided TO introduce in theouse at an
early date bill providing fohe erection
| in Washington of life-siz statuette
| of Ben. Harrison.
Mr.. Morgan Treat, Of W. Point, Va,
was among the visitors al Capitol to-
day. He came TO the city took after the
| prospects OF the passage inle House Of
the bill to provide q light-hse at Pages
| Rock, York river. 1t was tight that the
measure would come up tCay. but q ma
jority of the members decd 10 take up
the shipping and subsidy b.