The Portland daily press., 1891-12-17

Maine Delegation Not Worrying
Messrs, Reed, BoutelIe and NIilliken-
Senator Hale's Elegant Mansion the
finest in Washington.
Especial to the Press.1
WASHING TON, December l6.-"What
will the harvest be?" That question has
already ben frequently asked by Repub.
llcan members of Congress regarding the
possible net results of the present session.
When the present House was elected more
than year ago, with its overwhelming
Democratic majority, the parry papers
throughout the country announced with a
mighty fl urish Of trumpets that the Fifty
Second Congress would do wonders. By
Its works 1t was to be a rebuke to the last
House. 1t was TO repeal the Mckinley bill !:
to play general smash with the currency
ques'l"r; TO inaDgurate cheese pairing
policy of keeping down appropriation, and
to do d Zen more remarkable and ridlcu-
lous things.
That you will remember was in the first
flush OF victory. Now that the enthusiasm
has had time to cool aud men have some
what recovered their senses quite differ
ent song is sung.
rs the opinion of great many old and
experienced legislators, meu on both sides
OF the chamber, that there will not be yery
much great or important legislation accom-
plished by this Congress. Under existing
conditions there cannot be, because the
Senate is Republican, which will operate
as check. ADD there Is always a presi-
dental VETO to be- wisely used in case a
dangerous measure should SOURCES through
Doth houses by marrow margin. As the
veto can only be overcome by a twu-thirds
majority It needs no prophet TO assert the
senate Will not pass any bill over the
veto.
Bat even if the Senate. as we'll as the
House, were Democratic il Ia exceedingly
doubtful If anything would be done As
usual the Democrats are house divided
among themselves and they cannot agree
on auy line of policy. I have already
pointed out to the readers OF the PRESS
that the Mills wing and the Springer wlug
OF the Democrat party are not Topping
together on the tariff question Mlils Is
nothing Ii not radical aud impetuOus II
he had his own way be would rush right
ahead and force through the House a tariff
pm strong enough to make Chinaman's
hair curl. IL would be .'corker." OF
course he could do this wi perf-cs safeiy
as he knows we'll enough there ! no hope
Tor IL Ia the Senate. But Springer and the
faction he represents are more cautious.
Thty want t. go through the Notions of
tai II reform but In such way as TO eS-
:ape the charge of rsdlcaIism and being
Sree tattrs. The result would be the
anne In either case or rather there would
y no results Mills has pretty large fol-
Ing In the House and unless he is al
| ~ d To have his own way he and his
a-achmrn are very likely to be in the sulks
u through the session, which affords a
chafmtng outlook for Democratic s'har-
monl, the KIND OF harmony which Is
made with thr razor.
Hon. Mills and Crisp Fell Out.
1t transpires that the chief cause Of the
present strained relations between Mills
and Crisp arose during the closing hour of
the caucus. just as tine break Game and it
was apparent that Mr.. Crisp was 70 re-
ceive the nomination, Mr.. Mills came up
Cd the tnOr. His admirers received him
with cheers and gathered around MIN TO
show him even in the hour of defeat their
love and admiration. There was no Obi &C.
TOD to thi-. but when the announcement
was made OF the result of the ballot not a
Mill man opened his mouth either la
Nio Iva AL. SIiSUs WHO was uSDFT6u In
ana TO the platform, or for the purpo Q Of
making the usual motion that the nornina-
ton De made unanimous The cOldnpss
and bitterness Of the Mil mea appeared
o. I'LL the air from that moment. Ia vain
TIE Crisp men waited for Mr Mil himself
or one OF his lientenants. to make the usual
MOTION OF ctuttesy, and had about des-
palred OF sucn action being taken, when
Jason Brown of Indiana, a Mills man but
Not Mills manager, on his own motion
With0u consultation with any one, and
as 1t turned out, against the wishes If some
OF the Mills maDag rs, offered the motion
to make the Nomination unanim us. The
motion was heartily carried, but In 9
fe-ling Of that moment the new Speaker
obtained his first glimpse of the unfrienaly
spirit Of the Mills following, which subse.
quent aeti If Mr. Mills himself an
some of his friends have tended 70 confirm
ana emphasZe. In this way the breach
pas been widened, and has now become
such serious N liter that il seems almost
mp0 slble TO close It,
The Silver Question.
Tar tt, however, Is MT che only question
on which there is difference of opinion.
That silver issue is a very inconvenient
one. Speaker Crisp comes from alsection of
the country where the silver dollar is In
great favor, and the more silver dollars the
average Southerner can get the happier he
Is. He doesn't stop to think whether the
dollar Is worth hundred cents or only
seventy nine. A dollar is dollar to him
Many of Crisp's most ardent supporters
are silver men. Ga the other hand he was
backed bv the great New York powers.
and N@w Y0rk does not take kindly To
debased silver coinage OF course Mr.,
Crisp knows this. and the New England
Democrats have not hesitaied to point out
to him the danger the party iDcurs by CO.
quoting with the silver men, In fact, the
Speaker is In a good deal of fix, aud he
will nave TO have the wisdom of the owl
and the cunning of the serpent, to say
nothing of the meekneSs of the dove, If he
escape from the pitfall which threatens
him. 1t Is proposed to do nothing with
silver during this session as the safprr
course. 1t is not at all unlikely that Bland
OF Missouri. the champion of the silver dol
lar and whose stock Ia trade it is, will be
appointed chairman of the coinage cum
miltte but the rest of the committee Will
be so made up that it will be impossible for
the c. mmitteet tn do anything In this way
the silver men will be placated by the ap-
pointment OF Bland while the antl-silver
men Will be satisfied because there will be
40 new legislation.
New Members Get their Eyes Opened.
The l.AM plGnlharS haun .uldoplu t,rd