Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-12-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Written and compiled for the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, December S, 1592.-Tht
Presidents annual message to Congress
although. owing to the sad and sorrowiul
conditions under which it was written, il
lacked the polish of some of the Presi
dents other State papers, rings with
patriotism aud true republican sound
from its beginning to its end, mailing, as
it fguratively docs, the banner inscribed
with Protection to Americans, at Home
and Abroad; Reciprocity, and Honest
Money" to the mast head OF the good old
republican ship, which still proudly floats,
notwithstanding the severity of the storm
through which she passed last month.
/ he record of this administration, a
synopsis of which is given in the message,
has never been surpassed in times OF
peace, and is not likely to be soon. Every
republican who reads this message, and
every one should, will feel proud that he
voted for Benjamin Harrison, who tells
him. between the lines, that at is better
to be right than to be President" and in
the same way repeats the command of the
famous sailor-"Don't give up the ship"
The message will not 90 to Congress until
morrow, but was favored with an ad-
vance copy.
The opening of Congress occurred with
out any specially notable incident. The
Senate took up, under a resolution adopt
ed at the last session, the anticipation bill
ne the "unfinished business" This bill
has brought a strong lobby to Washington
which is plentifulIy supplied with cash
by the spectators whose business as
dealers in options on grain, cotton, etc.,
will be ended if the bill becomes law,
and this lobby has been lndulgng in
game of brag about bow easy this
hill will be defeated. Senator Wash
burn. who is in charge of the bill, ID
confident that it will be passed and be-
come a law. He says nothing but sharp
parliamentary practice on the part oil
those opposed to the bill can prevent its
being passed.
There are no present Indications that
the democrats of the House are going to
do any better, either in point of attend
auce or in legislation, than they did at the
lat session. Last week Mr.. Holman,
chairman of the committee on Approprla'
tions. stated that at least one of the regu-
lar appropriation bills would be ready to
be reported to the House today; but none
of them we're ready, and according to the
stories around the Capitol there is
regular cat and dog fight among the
democrats on the several committees hay
inr charge Of Appropriations as to where
the cutting that Mr.. Holman insists shall
be done IS to begin. Each fellow wants
the cutting to be done in all the bills ex-
cent the particular one in which he is
iptEested. 1t looks now as if the heaviest
cutting, proportionately, is 10 be done in
the District of Columbia bill, one OF the
smallest of the regular appropriation
bills. and also the one having the smallest
political "pull."
1t Is difficult to get democratic men,
her of the House to commit himself either
for or against anything. Take the matter
Of immigration for instance, with which
politics should have nothing whatever to
do. The Senate committee on Immiga-
ton will in a report on its investigation
of the subject recommend that bill be
passed suspendng all immigration for
one YEAR, and Surgeon Gen. Wymsn, OF
the Marine Hospital Service, who Is IN
charge of the National quarantine against
the cholera. will IN his annual report cay
that such suspension is an absolutely
necessary precaution to keep the cholera
ont of this country next year. Still demo-
cratic members of the House are nom
commital. One member jokingly said,
when spoke to HIM about it; ooh, you
cannot expect me to express myself until
7 know what Mr.. Cleveland thinks about
lit; am not going to spoil my chance for
patronage by opposing his wishes"
In that Joke lies the real cause of demo-
cratic reticence. Even sensible democrats
like Representative BreckInridge. OF
Kentucky, seem to have the idea that
Mr.. Cleveland has been elected to be the
autocratic ruler of all branches of the
government from this time on. This is
what Breckenridge said on the subject;
nThc people of this country have not only
declared what they wanted done, but
they haye also declared that they want 1t
done by Mr.. Cleveland. (This is rough on
the democratic Congress.) think there
fore that Mr.. Cleveland should be premier
as we'll as President, and that he should
prepare a tariff bill to be sent to Con-
gress in lieu of mere message of recon-
mendatlon." Was worse rot ever spoken
outside the walls of an insane asylum
Why not abolish Congress and make Mr..
Cleveland Car, at oncei What can be
expected of the ordinary democrat when
men like Breckenridge, who is a lawyer
aud presumably familiar with tie Con-
stitution of the United States, deliberate
" proposes to override the clause in that
Constitution which distinctly says that
all revenue measures shall originate with
the House of Rspr esen tatiyesF
Honesty the Best Policy Always.