The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-12-11
Washington Letter.

WAsHINGroN, ID. c. Nov. 4, 1891 The
very spirited contest for the Speakership
of the House of Representatives will close
with the selection of one the candidates
by the Democratic caucus which Will
be held tomorrow but it will be years
before it is forgotten. There have been
many things to cause it to be remember
ed, not the least of which is the large
number of candidates that Will remain
in the field up to the last-this is of
itself highly creditable to the Democrat
&c party as an organization, as ii shows
that il is party that does not tolerate
bossism, but gives every man in its ranks
an equal right to aspire to any honor
within its gift. Another thing about it
that will not soon be forgotten is the ac-
ton of the Republicans in trying by mis-
representing innocent remarks made by
Democrats, and in many instances by
the outright manufacture of statements
to create feeling of antagonism between
the friends of the several candidates
they succeeded but too well, in some in
stances.
Whoever is selected for Speaker, the
attempt will be made in certain quar-
tiers to make it appear that the selection
ident next year of some one OF the gem
tlemen who have been prominently
named for that honor. That is another
Republican scheme. There is not the
slightest thing to base such conclusion
upon, no matter which of the candi-
dates for Speaker may win. There are,
to your correspondent certain knowl-
edge, men in the ranks of the support
ers of each of the candidates who favor
Mr.. Cleveland, Governor Hill Governor
Gray, Senator German and Governor
BOleS, so you see what nonsense il is to
say that the success of anyone of the
candidates for Speaker will have any di-
rect effect upon the nomination for
President next year. Just as members
of Congress have differed in their opin-
ions of the best man for Speaker, so will
they differ when it comes to selecting
candidate for President The National
Democratic convention, and not the
House of Representatives, will name the
Presidential nominee of the party, Re
publican busybodies to the contrary not
withstanding
Representative Cooper, of Indiana.
who originated the Raum investigation
In the last Congress, says that if Mr.
Harrison persists in keeping Raum at
the head of the Pension office he will
move for another investigation. Mr..
Cooper has secured a large addition to
the stock of ammunition which the packed
committee of the last Congress refused
to allow him to use; and if Raum does
not vacate the Pension office he will see
to it that the next investigation does not
end with n coat of whitewaSh
1t is stated here, but denied, that Sec
retary Fosters health is in a precarious
condition. While denying that he is
seriously sick, his friends admit that he
is going South for several weeks rest be-
fore he again takes up his work as Sec
retary of the Treasury,
Mr.. Harrison's friends in the Republi-
can party have been anxious!y expecting
this week that often announced state
ment from Mr.. Blaine that he would not
be the candidate of his party, it having
been stated here the other day bv ex-
Senator Saunders, of Nebraska, whose
daughter is Russell Harrison S wife. that
Mr.. Blaine would shortly take the pub
lie into his confidence; but alas. for the
Harrison crowd, it seems to be only
another false alarm, as Mr. Blaine saws
not word, but continues TO smile when
visiting Republicans tell him that they
propose nominating him next year.
Attorney General Miller is not an ad-
mirer of the newspapers, probably be-
cause they have refused to class him as
high as his own conceit tells him he
should go; therefore it caused no sur
prise when he tried to cast a slur upon
the press, while the argument in the
cases against the constitutionality of the
Mckinley tariff law was proceeding be-
fore the Supreme Court. 1t came about
this way. Mr.. Stephen q. Clark, of
New York, while arguing that the omis-
sion of the tobacco rebate clause in the
bill as signed by the President invalida-
ted the whole bill, produced book kept
in the Clerk s office showing the record
of bills passed by the House, to show
that the clause was omitted In reply
to the Attorney Generals question, Mr..
Clark said he was not advised as to
whether there was any law for the keep
ing of the book "'If there is no such
law said the Attorney General with a
sneer, 1.-The book has no more weight
than a newspaper publication.
Commissioner Roosevelt is back. He
declines to discuss the story that Mr..
Wanamaker is after his scalp, further
than to say that he stands by everything
he has ever said, which is equivalent to
repeating his charge against the truth
fulneSs OF Mr.. w. NJ