The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-01-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Union Speciaa Correspondence.

Che question OF the election bill and
financial matters, and are doing all
in their power at the present time
to wreck the party, or at least so
much of it as survived the election
of November 18th. Something
should be done in the way of in
jecting some horse-sense into the
Republican managers in Washing
ton, and, if possible, they should
be prevented from driving the
party to obstruction as they have
been doing in the congress elected
in 1885,.
The silver fanatics are pressing
their claims so far that the cooler
headed men in the senate cannot
any longer prevent action. The
Democrats, always willing to aid
any faction in the Republican
party in anything that tends to-
wards suicide, are encouraging the
Republicans who are rebelling
from the caucus dictation of fnan-
cial questions as well as upon the
election bill. That financial legis-
lation is necessary there seems no
doubt. That there is no necessity
for the election bill is almost an ac-
knowledged fact, and thus the
large Republican majority in the
United States senate is hopelessly
divided.
It is fact that the Republicans
in the senate have no leader, and it
is doubtful if they have had any
leader Of consequence since James
G. Blaine retired from that body.
Blaine was not only a leader in the
house, but also in the senate, and
his retirement has left a large num-
Der of less brainy men scrambling
for the position of debating the
line of policy for the Republi-
cans. But even when this line of
policy is marked out there is no
one man, or set Of men, who can
gather the Republican host and
compel it to march On to victory.
The successful completion Of any
task is one of the first principles
that should be drilled into the
-! minds of these Republicans who
are backing and filling in the
national congress.
It is not surprising perhaps that
the senate is headless, and that the
house of representatives is over
whelmingly Democratic in the next
congress, when it is so plainly ap-
parent that what should be the
head Of a Republican administra-
ton is little or no head at all.
The smallness Of the presidents
caliber becomes more and more
apparent as it is compelled to
grasp with any questions of public
or party policy. The little petty
spites and jealousies Of the man
from Indiana we're never more ap-
parent than they have been since
Blaine nose to the prominence he has
in the administration. The unpopu-
larity of President Harrison in his
own party, or at least among the
people who know him here in
Washington, is one of the astonish-
ing things Of politics.
However, to dismiss the internal
dissensions in the Republican party
here in Washington, and refer to a
recent statement that Senator
Davis, Senator Farwell, District
Attorney Hay and Mr.. Freaney,
of St. Paul, had combined to Sc
cure an anti Harrison and a Blaine
delegation from Minnesota, is one
Of the jackasical enunciations of
some misguided Chicago newspa-
per man. Senator Davis and
Senator Farwell are very good
friends, but nobody has ever heard
of them training with Ed. Hay.
While Freaney is no doubt a good
friend Of Senator Davis, it is not
this Indiana gentleman that the
senator entrusts with the manage
ment Of his political affairs. Fur
thermore, nobody knows better
than Senator Davis that it would
be absolutely unnecessary for him
to raise a finger to secure a
Blaine delegation from the State
of Minnesota, especially as OPP
posed to the present White House
incumbent. The story is hardly
worth repeating, and only shows
somebody's ignorance of Mime
sofa politics.
Ex-senator Sabin, of Minnesota,
has been spending several days in
Washington. Those who knew
Senator Sabin, and who remember
his six years service in this city,
are quite often found regretting
that he was not returned instead of