Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-02-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
written and compiled for the HERALr

I Written and compiled for the HERALD
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 23.--The
PRECEDENT, by the nomination of ex-Gov
ernor and ex-Representatiye Charles Fos-
ter, of Ohio, to be Secretary OF the Treas
ury, has added another to the long list OF
fitting appointments he has
made, which show him to DO the possessor,
to an unusual degree, OF the rare faculty
of correctly guaging the merits and a6iii-
ties of men. The Republicans IN Con
gress are, to mar, delighted, and even
the Democrats find no fault.
Everybody recognizes Mr.. Fosters
mon sense business man and practical
financier, and what is far more important
in the present condition of our financial
system everybody recognizes his con-
ssrvatism, and everybody is confdsnt
that under his administration the Treas
ury department will be conducted along
the safe lines which made the late Secre-
tary Window so popular with the busi-
ness men of the country.
Gov. Foster is no stranger In Washing
ton. He served with honor to himself,
his State and the Republican party in the
House of the Forty second. Forty-third,
Forty fourth aud Forty-fifth Congresses,
and by frequent visits to the national
capital he has kept up bis acquaintance
with the prominent public men OF the
time.
He blongs to that class of self made
men of which the greatest leaders OF the
Republican party, during the last thirty
years have been such striking examples /;
he is a product of one of Americas greatest
blessIngs-the public schools, that God
gwen 81 stem which enables every studi-
GUS boy, aye, and giIl too, to lay The foun-
datiOh of future greatness with as much
certainty of a future realization OF am
bilious hopes as can be possessed by chill
dren of the wealthiest parents.
Even the ultra silver men speak well OF
this nomination. They know that Ar,
Foster does not share tbeir- ,;Iws 10 the
extent of free and ESlimited silver coin
age, but they know also that he, like the
1tastte Secretary Window, is warm friend
of silver and that the real difference be-
tween his opinions and theirs is only one
of methods for the accomplishment OF
common embarrassing the country
with a sufficient volume Of stable, honest
currency; currency which shall at all
times and under all circumstances be
worth 100 cents in the dollar, alike to
debtor and creditor.
1t is daily becoming more apparent that
the Democrats IN the House are bent upon
forcing the calling of an extra session, II
they can, and unless all of the Repuoiican
absentees-there are still nearly dozen
Of them-can be brought here and Kept
here until the close OF the session II is
feared that they may succeed. They tine
Democrats) are resOrting TO their usual
methods of obstruction. When they can
not block the legislative wheels by
Administering motions they break quorum
By leaving the House in body. A quorum
of Republican members constantly pres
ent is the only thing that will put stop
to this toOlishness
That Mr.. Cleveland is, in sporting par
lance, "playing for position" IS the gen
eral opinion of the clOsesr political oo-
servers here, and that the statement pub
lished here last week to the effect that no
had decided not to be candidate next
year was merely a part Of his game 70
feel the pulse of his party in order 10 see
what effect his recent silver letter had
had upon his prospects, is equally patent
lie has few friends among the Democrats
IN Congress, many of whom have stated
in the most positive terms that thsy
would not support him, but, OF course
these men will change their opinions II
they find that their constituents do not
endorse them.
There is no longer any doubt about the
fate of the free coinage bill, at this SEES
sion. 1t has been reported adversely 10
the House by the committee on Coinage
and its most ardent friends have practl
cally abandoned hope of its being voted
upon, and they are very bitter against
some of the Democratic leaders, whom
they charge with having been stampeded
by Cleveldnd's letter. The fact has leaked
out too tina: Senator German and a num-
Der of his political colleagues in the
Senate Intended from the fist that the
bill should die in the House, and that
they only played part, for political
effect in voting for it in the Senate.
The Government departments were
closed on Saturday in honor OF the
memory of General Sherman, whose
funeral occurred on that day, and they
are closed today in honor OF George
washington's birthday, the law making
that day legal holiday providing that
when 1t falls on Sunday it shall be oD-
served on the day following.
A very interesting debate has been 60,
ing on in the Senate for a part of several
days on the bill making the Government
the endOrser of the bonds Of the Nicaragua
canal company to the amount OF $lOO,-
900 900. The opponents of the bill seem
to have made the best showing in open
session, but it is understood that there
are weighty reasons, for the passage OF
the bill, which cannot at this time be
made public