The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-12-31
Washington LETTER.
A Newsy Letter from the Nj
tons Capital.
The Work Of COngreSs--The Holiday
Vacation.
The Sick Members ReCOvering..CO
mittee on Rules at Work.

They have an idea that Mr. Harrison's
special message to Congress recon-
mending that war be declared against
Chill, which they say he will certainly
send in as soon as Congress reassem-
bles, if the new President OF Chill, who
assumed office Saturday, does not be-
fore then send an answer to the de-
mands for the punishment OF the Chll'
ians who attacked the U. S. sailors at
Valparaiso and for indemnity for the
antilles ofthe sailors who were kille /,
which shall be entirely satisfactory,
will give him boom for the Presiden-
tial nomination. They are hoping for
message of defiance from Chill, as
they wish war to be declared, believing
that war would make Mr.. Harrison's
denomination certain and his reelec-
ton much more probable than it would
otherwise be.
The Democrats in the House and
Senate are interested spectators OF the
drama which the administration Is
preparing for the American people,
and although it has been stated that
the leaders were prepared to vote in
favor of declaration OF war should
Mr.. Harrison recommend that as the
only honorable way TO end the matter
can say on the highest authority,
that no such statement has been au-
thorised by any Democrat of promin-
ence in the party councils. The most
diligent search failed to find a single
Democratic Senator or Representative
willing to express an opinion, unit all
the correspondence between the two
Governments shall have been sent to
Congress. Then, if it shall appear
that American honor demands a de-
claration OF war, no Democrat will be
found opposing it, but should it ap-
pear on the other hand that an at
tempt was being made by the admin.
istration to curry favor with thought
less people by making war upon q
weaker nation, no Democrat will be
frightened by a fictitious public clamol
into voting dollar for political war
That is about the situation as it stands
today.
Speaker Crisp has been i'll with tht
grip ever since the Christmas adjourn
ment. He had to abandon his tril
home, and send for Mrs. Crisp to come
here to help nurse him. He suffers
great deal, but his physicians say he il
in no danger. Mr.. Mills has recover
sufficiently to 60 to Fortress Monroe
where he has been ordered by his ply
sician to remain few days.
Much Of the Disappointment which
followed the announcement of tn
House committees, has already passes
away, ana by the time Congress meet
there will be little of it left, excep
among those who consider the failur
Of the Speaker to tender the chairman
ship OF the Ways and Means Commi
tee to Mr.. Mills in the light OF a pei
sonal slight to that gentleman.
The two Democratic members Of th
House committee on rules are spenC
ing their holiday time at work upo
the rules which will govern the pre-
ceedings of the present House, and
Speaker Crisp, who is chairman of tn
committee, gets well enough this wee
to attend to business, they hope to II
port the rules Immediately after th
House re-assembles. They are not di
posed to talk about their work at pre-
ent.
There is no occasion for wonder thu
some people should refer to the Unite
States Senate as the millionaire
Club" In some respects the name
fully deserved. 1t costs the tax pave
Of this country more than the Hou'
of Lords, with membership six timo
larger, costs Great Britain, 1t has
corps Of employees large enough to |
in each others way, all of them drav
ing larger salaries than are paid I'll
same class of employees in the House
and yet it is cody proposed to ad
twenty three additional employees at
cost of $4,000 year. This additic
is said by those who prepared the res
luton therefor, to have been mat
necessary by the purchase of the Ma
by house, opposite the capitol, for IL
use of the Senate committees by I'll
last Congress. 1t was bad enoue
that the people should have taken 3
unproductive piece of property off Il
hands of private individual at fan,
price, without making that the excu
for taxing them $4,000 year ado
tional
Ex-Assistant Postmaster Gener