The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-02-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. d. c.. Feb. 90. Is

WASHINGTON, d. G.. Feb. 70. 1871.
Quite a political sensation has followed the
announcement of Senator German, whose poiit-
ical astuteness cannot be gainsaid, that he was
not and would not under any combination of
circumstances be candidate before the demo-
cratic national convention next year. and that
he favored the nomination of ex-Presldent
Cleveland as the strongest and most av ailable
man. and proposed to do all in his power to get
him nominated. 1t is yet too early to see what
effect this announcement will have upon those
democratic Senators and Representatives who
have expressed the opinion that Mr.. Cleveland's
letter against the free coinage of silver has de-
stroyed his availability as candidate, and
what adds to the interest of the situation is the
fact that some of these gentlemen have been
since the publication of Mr.. Cleveland's letter.
strongly in favor of nominating Senator Cor
man.
1t seems strange that three democratic Sena-
tors should have cast their votes for such pal
pable "job'' as that contained in the Senate
amendment to the diplomatic appropriation
bill, which gives a subsidy of $3 .oO00 900 to the
company, which yet only exists on paper.
that proposes to lay a cable between San Fran
cisco and the Sandwich Islands, but they did.
1t is not believed that the House will concur in
the amendment, at any rate no democrat should
vote to do thing so foreign to all the princi-
Piles of the democratic party.
Rumors have been flying thick and fast this
week anent the new Secretary of the Treasury.
One day it was Representative Cannon. the
next Clarkson and today it is ex-Gov. ("Calico
Charley'') Foster, of Ohio. 1t is believed that
Mr.. Harrison has determined upon the man,
and his nomination is looked for every day
Senator Quay's much advertised speech of
vindication fell as fiat in the Senate as one of
Senator Blair's educational harrangues, and he
has gone to Florida to seek consolation in fish =
iug.
The general deficiency bill is this year $50 :
600 600. Is it strange that the surplus has dis
appeared2
The international copyright bill has been
passed by the Senate with severl amendments,
which makes its becoming a law at this session
very doubtful.
MIR. Harrison and all of his cabinet except
Secretary Proctor. went to New York to attend
Gen. Sherman's funeral. They returned to
Washington last night.
The republicans in the House are SO much
alarmed lest the wicked democrats should in
terfere with rheir plans during the closing rus h
of the session that telegraphic appeals have
been sent to all absent republicans begging
them to come here and remain until the end OF
for is to pass the subsidy shipping bill, which
is opposed by nearly all of the democrats.
Representative-elect Jerry Simpson, and
several of his Farmers Alliance to be col
leagues in the next House, are in town. They
are the recipients of great deal of attention at
the capitol.
The House committee on Coinage today re-
ported the free coinage bill to the House, but
the general belief seems to be that its friends
will not succeed in getting it before the House,
but they intend to try very hard to do SO.
Senator Plumb, despairing of getting his joint
resolution providing for the violation of exist
ing law by the transfer of the employees of the
Census bureau to the classified departmental
service without the formality Of civil service
examination. has offered it as an amendment to
the sundry civil appropriation bill.
1t is commented upon rather unfavorably
that Congress did not adjourn the day of Ad-
miral Porter's funeral.
Probably the most disagreeable legislative
duty ever performed by Senator Ingalls, was the
presentation by him this week of the creden-
tials of John A. PETER, Senator elect from the
State of Kansas for the term beginning March
4. next.
Notwithstanding the almost daily reiteration
of the charge that somewhere in the neighbor
hood of one-fourth of the enormous amount of
money paid out by the Pension bureau is paid
on fraudulent claims no republican in or out of
Congress has proposed an investigation for the
purpose of purging the rolls of such names as
may be shown to be there fraudulently. This.
as well as other things, will be thoroughly
looked into by the next House.
Representative Payson of Illinois, was elect
ed Speaker pro t. M of the House. this week.
during the sickness of Speaker Reed