Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-02-19

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! again"
4 From our regular ,-poudent.l
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON u. G.. Feb g. 1891
1 The President has cause tor feeling in
good humor, notwithstanding the belief
4 that the democrats Of the House have in
caucus agreed 10 10 their utmost 70 force
| The calling of an extra session Of Congress
| The reciprocity treaty with Brazil which
was transmitted to the Senate last week,
has received nothing bnt praise on all
sides; even the most rsbid democrats
admit ii marks the bcginring of A new era
in our foreign trade and that it is parti-
cularly favorable for the extension Of
trade in our agricultural products. OF
course these favorable opinions are pleas
ing to the President and Secretary Blaine
ever To a greater extent than they are to
the rest of the republicans.
But MIR. Harrison was given another
pleasure by the action of the House in
Knocking out the proposition to attach a
free coinage rider 10 an appropriation
bill, which would have caused him to veto
the appropriation bill. for | have it on the
very best of authority that his mind
is fully made up to veto the free and un-
limited coinage of silver no matter whai
.uise it may reach him in. But the vote
Of the House-l3t to l2.-susIa aiming the
Speakers decision against attaching free
coinage, a> a rider, to an appropriation
bill, has convinced most people that no
free coinage bill will reach the President at
this session, although the silver men claim
that the vote against the Speakers decision
did not represent their full strength in the
House, but it can also be claimed that tile
vote TO sustain the Speaker did not repre-
sent the full strength Of the antl-free coin
age men, There were six members who
did not vote that will vote against free
coinage, If vote Is ever taken upon II,
free from any side issues, and several of
those who voted against the Speaker would
also vote against free coinage.
Seven deinocrats-Andrew, of Mass
achusetts Clancy, Dunphy, SpInola and
Wiley, of New York. and Mutchler and
Naux, of Pennsylvania-voted with the
republicans to sustain the Speaker,
and eleven republicans Bartne, of
Nevada; Carter of Montana; Clark
Nebraska; Hermann. of Oregon; Kelley
and Turner, of Kansas; Lind, of Mime
sofa; Sweet of Idaho, and Townsend, of
Colorado-voted against the Speaker.
The Legislative Council of the National
Farmers Alliance, which has been trying
to get its fingers in the legislative pie,
witnessed the vote, and left the House
very much di>gusted as they had been
made to believe that the free coinage men
would gain an easy victory.
1t is believed that the attempt to attach
free coinage to an appropriation bill In
the Senate has been abandoned. The
gentlemen who were engineering the
scheme were informed that if the Senate
voted 10 attach such a rider when the
bill went back to the House the Federal
election bill would be put on an additional
rider. That frightened off the Southern
Senators. Meanwhile the House coinage
committee is giving hearings on the free
coinage bill, which may or may not get
reported back to the House. If it isn't re-
ported this week it had just as well not be
reported at all.
The committee which has been investi-
eating the charges against Commissioner
of Pensions Raum has made report setting
forth that not single one of the charges
has been proved. The democrats on the
committee have made minority report
the same one that was used as campaign
document in the late Congressional cam
paign.
For the remainder of the session the
Senate, in addition to meeting daily at IL
O'Clock and sitting until 6, is to hold even
ing sessions every day. The House also
meets at IL, and an attempt is to be made
to have it also hold evening sessions.
Mr.. Wanamakers postal telegraph idea
was never very popular in the House, but
that does not excuse the methods of Jay
Gould and his lobbyists, by which the
measure has been killed. There are some
ugly rumors about the spending Of $50 900
in cold cash by Gould's chief representa-
tive here within the last few days to make
sure that the bill was dead beyond resurrec-
tion for this session.
The Senate has passed the pension appro-
priation bill with amendments making the
attorneys fee for obtaining an increase of
pension Son all applications filed after
the date of act, but leaving it at $40 on all
cases now pending. The House will
probably insist, for time any way, on its
original bill, which reduced the fee to %
in all cases of increase.
The Farmers Alliance Legislative
Council after appointing a sub-council
with full authority to act for the whole,
consisting of President Polk, A. E. Cole
| of Michigan, and U. S. Hall of Maryland,
exonerating Frank McGrath, of Kansas.
and W. S. McAllister. of Mississippi, from
charges affecting their official integrity and
appointing superintendent of literary
bureau to be established here, adjourned
sine die.
To-day and Saturday the Sioux Indian
delegation has poured its tale Of woe into
! Secretary Mobiles ears. There is nothing
new in what they have to say.
"A young lady who prided herself on
her geography, seeing candle aslant, re-
marked that it reminded her Of the Lean
| inU Tnxar of Pisa .sYes . resn0nded 4