The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-02-25
WASHINGTON WISPS.
WHAT is GOING ON AT THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL

WASHINGTON, Feb. IA. -Rcpresent-
ative Bland, chairman of the house
committee on coinage, fired the first
gun in the silver battle by favorably
reporting to the house from the COM
mittee his bill providing for the free
coinage of silver. Whether the fight
shall be immediate or be for q time
STAYED off is to be determined by the
committee on rules, in whose hands
the fate of the bill now rests. That
committee can indefinitely prevent the
bill being taken up, or it can allow it
to be taken up and filibustered to
death, as it has exclusive and auto
cratic authority, under the new rules,
over legislation to come before the
house and in naming time for tho
close of debate. The democratic men,
bers of that committee, Speaker Crisp
and Messrs. Mcmillan and Catchings,
are on record as advocates of free
coinage, but they may have been con-
vinced, like many of their colleagues,
that it would be good politics not to
pass the bill until after the presiden-
tial election. The silver men are,
however, very confident that the bill
will in due time be taken up and
passed, as they claim that at least 200
members are determined to do SO,
even if it be necessary to block every
thing else in order to do it. Close OBJ
servers predict one of the most bitter
fights that ever took place in congress
over the bill.
The senate finance committee sur
prised no one when it adversely re-
ported a number of financial bills,
Including free coinage and Senator
Peffer's land loan bill. That report
does not settle the silver question in
the senate by any means. The free
silver senators say they will await the
action of the house on the Bland bill,
and that if the house will pass that
bill they can force it through the SEN
ate. Mr.. Harrison, of course, stands
ready and willing to veto any free
coinage bill that gets through.
Chicago wants congress, and with
the characteristic energy of the city,
which usually gets what it wants, it
has sent strong committee here after
congress. The proposition is to take
congress on special trains to Chicago
on Saturday night, the goth instant,
giving the members chance to spend
Washington's birthday in finding out
what is being done for the worlds
fair, and getting back to Washington
in time for business ON Wednesday,
the 24,ll n,iamt. Present indications
are that about onc-,hird of congress
will make the trip.
IF the bill which the house banking
an, currency committee has favorably
reported becomes lawit will be hard,
if not impossible, for the officers OF
national banks to flim-fam The depos-
itors by borrowing large sums from
the bank on worthless securities.
The house has been in decidedly
investigating humor this week. II
adopted resolutions providing for in.
vestigations of the worlds fair, the
wrecked national banks of Boston and
Philadelphia, and of the pension
bureau.
Mr.. Blaine says the statement that
his letter withdrawing his name from
the Presidential contest would be
shortly followed by his resignation
from office was can internal licl" He
ought to know.
The house talks economy, but when
it comes down to increasing its own
patronage by the appointment of two
additional messengers it agrees to il
by 1873 to 96.
Representative Bushnell, of Wis.
consin, has ofleaed resolution to the
house for the. appointment of com.
mittee to investigate and report
whether any articles of home manu-
facture are sold abroad cheaper than
at home, and if so, what are the rea-
son therefor. The same gentleman
has offered resolution providing for
the adjournment of congress on May
81. The first resolution may be
adopted, but there is little chance for
the last one, as it is now dollars to
straws that the dog days will find
congress sweltering away.
Gen. Flagler, chief of the army
bureau of ordnance, appeared before
the senate committee on coast defenses
this week to argue for the establish
ment of duplicate of the Watervliet
On. W gun factory on the Pacific
coast.
The Canadian reciprocity commits
sioncrs are holding daily conferences
with Secretary Blaine and Gen. John
W. Foster, representing the United
States, at the State department. The
conferences are, of course, secret, but
if they result in even little bit OF
reciprocity the public will be greatly
surprised. The Canadian commission
ers are here of their own accord to
submit certain propositions to this
government, and not upon the invita-
ton of this government, as has been
published. This government will
hear the propositions, just as it would
those from any other friendly govern
ment, but accepting them is another