Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-11-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Return of the Democrats-What
Will the Harvest Be.
President HarrisOn's Plans for the
Future Discussed.
lFrom our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. II. 100

The return of the Democrats to power
places heavy responsibility on them
during Cleveland's administration.
There is no doubt that they are per-
fectly willing to take it,but 1t will take
some good plotting to keep off some
rocks that lay along the course. The
making of the tariff bill will be very
delicate task FOR the party having, as
they will, the power to make law of
any bill they can agree on. But there
is shadow across the path. They will
do well if they can avoid getting into
fight among themselves over the ques-
ton of how far they shall goin cutting
the tariff. There will be many men in
the House who want to go much further
than will Mr.. Cleveland. The organi-
cation of the House will be favorable
to Cleveland 'sideas. Crisp will, beyond
question, be the Speaker. He and
Cleveland agree on the tariff. There
will be small faction who will not be
satisfied at anything short of the burn
ing of the custom houses and another
small faction who will not want to make
as heavy reductions as will Cleveland
and majority of the Democrats, and
they are liable to have a monkey and
parrot time over the schedules when
the time comes. With such tremend-
GUS majority in the House it will be
difficult to preserve harmony-more
difficult than in this Congress, for the
reason that the policy of this was to
undertake but little, and nothing be ac-
complished. In a Congress where their
actions count individual opinions will
be more pronounced.
The judiciary is the only branch of
the Government which will remain un-
der the control of the Republican party
after the 4th of March. United States
judges are appointed for life, subject
to the privilege of voluntary retirement
on full pay after reaching the age of
seventy years, provided they have been
ten years in service. The district and
circuit judges are, as rule, Republi-
cans, and 1t is unlikely that there will
be a sufficient number of vacancies
during the next four years to enable
Nv. Cleveland, by new appointments,
to give the Democratic party a majority
of these positions; nor is there any
probability that the next administra-
ton will have an opportunity to make
the United States Supreme Court Demo-
cratic. The places on the Supreme
bench which tits most likely Mr.. Cleve-
land will have an opportunity to fill
(if there be any vacancies at all are
at present occupied by Democrats, JUS
tices Field, and Lamar. Chief Justice
Fuller, is the only other Democrat on
the bench. The remaining six men,
bers are Republican, and, except Justice
Blatchford, none of them are within
five years of the age at which they may
retire at full pay. Justice Blatchford
is in vigorous health, and as he likes
his work he is in no hurry to take ad-
vantage of the opportunity the law af-
fords him, he having served ten years
last spring. The other five members of
the court, viz, Justice Harlan, Gray,
Brown, Brewer, and Shiras, are men
hardly past middle age, and SO far as
appearances 60 are each good for de-
cade of service yet.
The mass of the American people
doubtless favor Mr.. Blaine's idea-if
clearly presented to them-a protec-
tive tariff, well adjusted in all its parts,
with reciprocal free trade with Ameri-
can nations and general drift toward
the upbuilding of American industry
all along the line, without oppression
of any and with solid benefits for all.
In other words, they voted for Mr.. Cleve-
land, so far as they voted on account
of the tariff question, not to enforce
free trade ideas, but ideas of tariff re-
duction and adjustment. The princi-
pie of protection will remain in future
tariff legislation. There can be no
doubt of this on review of the history
OF parties and study of the economic
situation today. Too close an instance
on the prohibitive feature of protection
may have cost the Republicans four
years of administration. But the Demo-
Gratis can not afford to carry out their
party platform to the letter, or similar
fate is likely to befall them.
The President has accepted the result
in the most philosophical manner.
Plans for next spring are already being
discussed by Gen. Harrison and his
family looking forward to vacating the
Executive Mansion on March A. There
will probably be general breaking up
and separation of the family. The
President will return to Indianapolis
and make his home there for the future.
1t is probable that Russell Harrison
and his wife will reside in Indianapolis
also, making their home with Gen.
Harrison. Mrs. Mckee, with little
Benjamin and little Mary, will go to
Boston after March 4. Gen. Harrison
may make them visit in the spring.
DR.. Scott, Mrs. Harrison's 8 father, will
live with the President.
Washington on Tuesday was probably
the quietest of any place of large size
in the United States. The streets were