Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-04-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Written and compiled for the HERALD.

Written and compiled for the HERALD. !
WASHINGTON, April 4, 1s92.-There
is no longer room for doubt that the
seemingly unexpected termination of the
silver battle in the House was but the
carrying out of carefully prearranged
plan on the part of certain democratic
leaders who did not wish their party COM
mitte6 on this question at the opening OF
the Presidential campaign. They wish to
leave the way open for the democratic
party to pose as favoring free coinage in
States where it will be beneficial to do so,
and as opposing it in other States, just as
that party has always done in Presidential
elections, on most questions of national
| Importance. The small fry were not let
| in the scheme, or Representative Bland
would not have blackguarded Speaker
Crisp in such a savage way, and then had
10 eat his words afterwards, when he was
told why Speaker Crisp had seemingly
betrayed the ultra free SILVER men but
they all now know the meaning of the
whole business, and about so or 80 of them
are trying to hatch up some scheme of
revenge, and if they only had a nervy
leader they might accomplish something,
as with the present average attendance In
the House that many members, if proper
" handled, could easily tie up the House,
and keep it tied up until their purpose
was accomplished. As yet they only
threaten, and those who threaten seldom
fight.
1t is not regarded as probable that the
silver campaign opened in the Senate by
the debate on Mr.. Morgan's resolution
will result IN any definite action by that
body on the actual question of free coin
age, although the dodgers, like Hill, are
in state of trepidatior on account of it,
and may be forced to define their position.
The first free trade measure-the Spring
er free wool bill-will be put through the
House this week, but there is not the re-
hottest probability of its getting through
the Senate.
The Alliance men In Congress have
adopted new financial "fad, ;" and to
hear them discuss 1t one would suppose
that they actually expected the bill au-
thorizing 1t to pass. 1t is for the Secre-
tary of the Treasury to issue on demand
of the several States, legal tender Treas
ury notes, similar to those now in general
circulation, in any amount desired up to
given in the last Census. The States are
to deposit as security 20 years bonds,
bearing interest at the rate of per cent
per annum. The bill says nothing of how
the States are to redeem these bonds at
the expiration of 20 years, although it
authorizes the legislatures to distribute
the money at their discretion. Like the
subtreasury scheme, it looks we'll on pa
per, and would be equally impossible to
put into practical opera tiou.
: Not single democratic member of the
Senate committee on the District OF
Columbia voted for Senator McMillan's
bill to appropriate $4,000 towards en-
Pertaining the members of the G.. A. X.
who will attend the encampment IN this
city, which that committee, by the vote
of republicans, has favorably reported to
the Senate. The original bill was for
$4,000, but upon consultation with the
local committee it was reduced, AMI a
proviso inserted that $50, 900 should be
raised by private contributions and spent
before any OF the Congressional appropri
alton can be used. If the democratic
Representatives are as hostile as these
democratic Senators have shown them
selves to be the bill will never get through
the House.
Representative Miller, of Wisconsin,
was right when he denounced the present
rules of the House, as worse than no rules
at all, and said that the time of the House
had been spent in doing nothing or worse
than nothing on account of those rules.
The House still keeps up the farce of
holding one evening session each week to
consider private pension bills, but
quorum is never present and the point of
mo quorum is invariably made by some
democrat, so that nothing is ever done at
those sessIOus. At the last one Represen-
tative Hemphill, OF South Carolina, un-
merclfully scored his party for what he
termed its "child's play" in holding these
sessions, and pretending to do what it had
no idea of doing.
All the good things said about the
democratic members of the House com.
mittee on Elections. because OF their votes
to put Rockwell out of the seat to which
bis republican oppOnent-Col. Noyes-was
really elected, will have been said IN
vain, if it shall turn out to be true, as now
reported, that Senator Hill has secured |
pledges from majority OF the democratic |
members OF the Ho1se to vote TO retain |
Rockwell. notwithstanding the report of
the committee.
Superintendent Porter of the Census
Bureau, says he welcomes the investga-
tion of the bureau ordered by the House,
and that the more thorough the 'nyestiga-
ton is the better he will like it, as in no
other way can the important and excellent
work done by that bureau be so effcctu-
ally brought to the attention OF the
country. If the democrats get no more
out OF it than they are getting out of the
Pension Office Investigation, the repubI-
cans will certainly have no reason to
complain.