The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-02-26
Washington Letter.

! Inc PRESIDENT ana MS enJlfe Gao
met, with the exception Of Secretary
Proctor, who at the last minute
found it impossible to get away, re-
turned late last night from New
York, where they went to attend
the funeral of the late Gen. Sher-
man.
The House Committee on Coinage
reported the free coinage bill to the
House this afternoon, and its
friends will make a desperate at
tempt to get it called up for action
to be taken upon it, but they admit
that their prospect of succeeding is
not very brilliant. It's opponents,
among whom are Speaker Reed and
a majority of the committee that re
ported the bill and number Of
prominent Democrats, are just as
fully determined as ever that it
shall not be voted upon, and in or
der to make assurance doubly sure
the Republican leaders have tele-
graphed to all Of the Republican alb
sentees, about twenty in number,
requesting them to come here, and
to remain until the end of the SEES
sion
This action was considered neces-
sary in order to prevent the Demo
Gratis from illibusteting in the
House, making an extra session nee
essary, as it is believed that they
will do if there is not quorum Of
Republicans constantly on hand.
The Senate has, after amending it
in several important particulars,
against the protests Of many Of its
advocates, passed the copyright bill.
Unless the House will concur in
these amendments, which is doubt
full, even if the bill can get the right
Of way, which is still more doubtful,
the bill will be dead for'the present
session.
The bill increasing the pension Of
Mrs Gen. Custer to $Ioo a month
now only lacks the Presidents sigma
ture to become law. When it was
voted upon in the Senate Senator
Plumb asked Senator Davis, chair
man of the Pension Committee, if
that Committee had given any con-
sideration to raising the pensions Of
the widows of private soldiers. Mr.
Davis replied that the matter had
never been before the Committee.
Representative-elect Jerry Simp-
son, Of Kansas, and several Of the
Farmers Alliance men who are to be
his colleagues in the Fifty, second
Congress, are here. These gentle
men are here ostensibly to familiar
ize themselves with Congressional
duties, etc., but | am told by Dem
ocrats, friends of at least two Of the
candidates for Speaker of the next
House, that their real object in COM
ing here is to "dicker" with several
Of the candidates for Speaker in be-
J half of the Farmers Alliance mem
bers of the next House. According
to the same intormants matters have
not yet gone behind the "diCkering"
srage. One of them puts it this
way: "That fellow Simpson is as
sharp as you make them, and he
doesn't propose committing the Ali
ance men to any but winning can
didate for Speaker He's after good
committee assignments for himself
and friends and he knows they can
only be had by picking the winner in
the race. AS soon as he learns that
any one of the candidates has
enough votes, with the Alliance men
added, to elect him, bargain will
be struck"
Speaker Reed was quite i'll this
week from the effects of very hard
chill, and for time there was some
uneasiness over his condition, but it
is now happily past. The House by
reclamation elected Representative
Payson, of Illinois, Speaker pro tenn
during Mr. Reeds absence.
Admiral Porter's funeral on Tues
day was one of the most largely at
tended ever held here, and thousands
of citizens followed the military and
naval procession all the way to Ar
lington cemetery, where he was bur
led
The anti Cleveland letter is'di-
minishing, and many democrats
acknowledge that he is digger
man than his party, and that he will
be nominated for President in spite
Of his views
By the way, speaking of Presi-
Dental nominations, Senator Teller
is not very we'll pleased to know
that certain democratic Senators
are talking him up as democratic
candidate on a free trade and free