Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-04-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Question of Adjournment Be-
coming Important.
Democratic Position ON Silver Causing
Much Uneasiness.
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 1, '9s

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 1, '92.
In the discussion of the question Of
early adjournment the Democrats of
! the House have not been counting on
the possibilities of great obstacles aris-
ing from the course of the Senate as TO
the appropriation bills. On the Senate
side the prospects for an early adjourn
ment are not as rosy as they seem to
many in the south wing of the capitol.
The general opinion among Senators,
as expressed this morning in converse
! ton, is that although the business of
the session is likely to be confined to
routine matters ip the main, the prob
able friction between the Senate and
House in regard to the details of the
appropriation bills bid fair to be even
greater than usual, and this in itself
will have a tendency to prOlong the
session. The disagreement on these
| points will not be as to mere details,
susceptible of easy adjustment but
will be radical and irreconcilable in
many respects. 1t is gathered, there
for, fsom confultation with several
leading officials well versed in matters
relating to appropriations in the Senate
that the conferences between the two
houses promises to be long and bitter,
with a good chance OF dead lock in
many instances. The suggestion that
an adjournment might be reached by
July was secuted in one of the Sen
ate committee rooms where many Sen
ate officials were busily engaged with
financial bills. Better add month
to that at least, said one of them, SEN
tentiously. 1t remains true, however,
that there is no intention at present
among Senators generally OF prolong-
ing the session unnecessarily. They
are as anxious as the Representatives
are to get through and be off for Min
neapolis and Chicago.
Some of the Southern silver men are
expressing great anxiety about the
Democratic party in the South since
the silver bill has been defeated. They
declare their belief that it will be i'm
possible to hold the Southern Alliance
men out of the third party. One of
the old North Carolina members de-
clares that he expects to see North Car
olina go Republican this fall. His ex-
pectation is that the Democrats will
lose SO many votes to the third party
that the Republicans will have plu-
rality in the State. Others say that
they believe that the solid South is
thing of the past, and that the third
party will carry Georgia, and perhaps |
Louisiana, Alabama and South Caro-
lima. In this gloomy mood they ex-
press fear that the Alliance will send
so many third party men to the next
House from the Sourh that they will
hold the balance of power and be in q
position to dictate terms to the old par
ties Some of this talk is in earnest,
while some, no doubt, is for the pur-
pose of frightening Southern members
who are not quite sound on silver.
Political rumors of almost every de-
scription may be heard at the capitol.
Some of these rumors are evanescent
some persist in making their appear
ance with frequency and an appear
ance of truth which compels attention,
For several days past there has been
chatters around the corridors to the ef-
feet that President Harrison does not
seek denomination. Senators who are
interested-and most of the eighty
eight are-have been making inquiries |
as to the phantom statements, and in
many cases are satisfied that the Presi- |
dent will not participate in any strug-
gle for the nomination. Authority of
the highest class is quoted in behalf of
this view of the case, and from one or
two sources come strangely unani-
nous stories. The President, it is as
serted. is ON record as declaring that
nothing but practically unanimou
proffer of the honor to be dispensed at |
Minneapolis will tempt him to run
again. He declines to be the rock upon |
which the Republican party may be
bruised by discontented members of |
that party. Some of the Senators who |
are really leaders seem to be convinced |
that when the convention assemblies |
all opposition to President Harrison
will have vanished.
The report of the committee on re-
form in the civil service as made to the
House, contains suggestion of great |
Importance. The civil service act of |
January 16, 1888, among the exceptions
noted to its provisions, mentioned "any |
person merely employed as laborer
or workman. This has been construed |
as prohibiting the classification of such |
laborers. The committee, in the bill !
which they report, proposes to do away
with this exception. The President is
empowered, in his discretion, to in
clude these laborers in the classified |
service, and extend the bipartisan
system of appointment to every class
of officials as Congress may provide
the commission with means. The pro-
posed widening of the reform is left
strictly within the judgment and will
OF the Executive. As to the numbers
added by the bill, the committee find
that probably 81 900 would be brought
by it under the non-political system of
appointments. r.