The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-02-25
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 20, '91


WASHINGTON, D. G., Feb. 20, 81
The President and his entire Cabinet,
with the exception of Secretary Proctor.
who at the last minute found 1t impossible
to get away, returned last night from New
York, where they went to attend the
funeral Of the late Gen. Sherman. Mr..
Harrison has kept his own counsel well
In the matter Of selecting successor to
the late Secretary WinGom, but q gentle
man whose relations with the administra-
tion are very close, informs me that he
has reasons to believe that the selection
has been made, and that II will probably
be cent TO the Senate at Gnce. This gentle
man declined TO say who the new Secre-
tary was, but from certain remarks he
made during our conversation think that
he believes Ex-Governor Foster. oil Ohio,
is the fortunate man. The appointment
Of Gov. Foster would prove entirely sat
isfactory to Republicans here, and, pre-
sumo throughout the country.
The House committee on Coinage re-
ported free coinage bill to the House this
afternoon and its friends will make a
desperate attempt to get 1t called up for
action to be taken upon II, but they admit
that their prospect Of succeeding Is not
very brilliant. Its opponents, among
whom are Speaker Reed and majority
OF the committee that report the bill and
number OF prominent Democrats are
just as fully determined as ever that il
shall not be voted upon and 10 order to
make assurance double sure the Repub-
lican leaders have lelegrapbed to oil Of
the Republican absentees, about twenty
in number, requesting them TO come here,
and TO remain until the end Of the session.
The bill increasing the pension Of Mrs.
Gen. Custer TO 800 month now only
lacks the Presidents signature to become
law. When il was voted upon In the
Senate, Senator Plumb asked Senator
Davis, chairman of the Pension commit.
tee, If that committee had given any con-
sideration to raising the pensions Of the
widows Of private soldiers. Mr.. Davis re-
piled that the matter had never been be-
fore the committee.
Representative elect Jerry Simpson, OF
Kansas, and several OF the Farmers ALI.
ance men who are to be his colleagues In
the Fifty-second Congress are here.
These gentlemen are here ostensible TO
familiarize themselves with congressional
duties ETC., but am told by Democrats,
friends Of Of least, two Of TIE candidates
for Speaker Of the next House, that their
real object in coming here Is 10 "dicker"
with several Of the candidates for Speaker
in behalf Of. the Farmers Alliance mem.
bers Of the next House. According to the
same informsnis matters have not yet
gone beyond the "dickering" stage. One
Of them puts II this way: THAT fellow
Simpson is as sharp as you make them,
and he dosent propose committing the
Alliance men TO any but winning candl.
date for Speaker He's after good CON-
mittee assignments Tor himself and friends
and he knows they can only be had by
picking the winner In the race Az 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 t."1 .H,.
Speaker Reed was quite III this week
from the effects Of very hard chill, and
for time there was some uneasiness oyer
his condition, but It Is now happily past,
The House by acclamation elected Rep
resentatiye Payson, Of illinois, Speaker
pro tenn during Mr.. Reeds absence.
Admiral Porter's funeral on Tuesday
was one of the most largely attended ever
held here, and thousands OF citizens fol-
lowed the military and naval procession
all the way to Arlington cemetery, where
he was buried.