The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-02-13
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY I5, 1891.
WASHINGTON LETTER
From our Regular Correspol


notoriety and ex-Assistant Postmaster
General Clarkson, both shining lights
in the republican national committee
are, if my informant isn't, mistaken,
and he assures me that he isn't now
handling "blocks of five, hundred
dollar bills. as the disbursing officials
of Jay Gould's Western Union Tele-
graph lobby which is said to have
divided $5o,o among certain mem
bers of the House for the purpose Of
defeating Mr.. Wanamaker's postal tele-
graph bill The bill has really never
had much chance of getting through,
because of a lack of general interest in
it. but Dudley and Clarkson made
Gould believe that it was certain to
go through unless something was
promptly done to prevent it. and the
particular something in this case
was the payment out of a big pile Of
the little wizards money.
Another scheme backed by a big
lobby is the Nicaragua Canal com
pany's bill making the United States
Government endorse $Ioo, o,ooo,o 900 of
its bonds. This lobby is made up of
members of both political parties, and
all of them are either officials or ex-
officials of the House or Senate,
which gives them unexcelled facilities
for reaching Congressman, facilities
that they have not neglected.
The bill will pass the senate without a
doubt, but by the time the House
hears from the country it will probably
strike big snag, although the lobby
hopes to rush it through during the
closing hours.
The administration scheme for kill
ing the free coinage bill is now being
boldly worked by the anti-silver major
ity of the House committee ON coin
age. 1t gives Mr.. Harrison two
chances of killing the bill without
squarely vetoing it. The aim is to
keep the bill in committee under pie
tense Of "hearings" until within ten
days of the end of the session; then it
will be reported. If the house has
time to vote upon it, and passes it,
Mr.. Harrison may then quietly dispose
of it by what is known as a pocket"
veto, by not signing it previous to the
expiration of the Fifty-hrst Congress.
The anti-silverites claim that the
vote of the House-I34 to I27--sus-
tanning decision of the Speaker de-
claring Mr.. BANDS motion to attach
the free coinage bill as an amendment
to an appropriation bill to be out of
order, makes it certain that the free
coinage bill canno, pass, but the claim
is not based upon a solid
foundation. There were only eleven
republicans who voted against sustain
ing the Speaker, and it is we'll known
that there is much larger number Of
republicans in the House who would
vote for free coinage pure and simple
It they were given chance to do so.
There was proposition a few days
since to have the Senate put the free
coinage bill on one of the appropria-
ton bills as a rider, but when it was
suggested that the republicans of the
House might add as another rider on
the same bill, the force bill, the idea
lost popularity with the democrats.
A caucus of the House democrats
passed resolution asking that the
committee report the silver bill
Mr.. Blaine's reciprocity treaty with
Brazil is being worked for all it is
worth to carry the ship subsidy job
through the House, and from present
indications the probabilities are in
favor of its doing it.
The democrats Of the House have
themselves on record as opposed to
the extravagant salary list of the
Worlds Fair Commission.
The intelligence of the death of
Representative Phelau of Tennessee,
who died at Nassau on January 40,
did not reach this city until Saturday
afternoon. 1t was known that his
lealth was bad, but his closest friends
we're greatly shocked to learn of his
death.
When the Senate got through
amending the eight hour bill it would
scarcely have been recognized by its
best friends. 1t is believed that the
republicans hope to kill the bill by
getting it into conference committee
and keeping it there until the session
ends.
Beginning to day the Senate will
have evening sessions daily to the end
OF the session. The House may or
nay not follow suit. The fact of the
natter is that evening sessions have
'ever been favorably regarded by the
riends of legitimate legislation, al
hough it has been customary to have
hem at the fag end of every Con
Tess.
The pension sharks made no mis-