The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-02-26
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-Speaker Crisp is at
Fortress Monroe, and unless he disobeys the
positive orders of his physician he will
not return this week, although he said
when he left that he would return in time to
preside over the House on Wednesday, unless
he was too lnwell to do so. In his absence no
meeting of the Committee on Rules can be held
to act upon the request of those who signed
the petition asking that II date be set for the
consideration of the free coinage bill, and, i'll
view of the announcement that the Ways and
Means Committee would on the list of March
call up one of the tariff bills for consideration,
the situation is little embarrassing, and calls
for some very fine party management
1t is estimated that not less than six weeks
will be required for the debate on the three
tariff bills, and us several of the appropriation
bills Will meanwhile be reported and disposed
of, it seems safe to say that it will be May be-
fore the final vote is taken on the last OF the
tariff bills. Mr.. Bland, speaking for the silver
Democrats, says they will not object to the
tariff bills having precedence if the Committee
on Rules will set day for the consideration of
the free coinage bill, but that they will give
way to nothing unless such day is set. He
will not hear of the compromise proposition
in the next session of Congress be set for the
taking up of the free coinage bill. Some
sort OF compromise, such as can be approved
by all conservative democrats, will have to be
reached before the House can proceed much
farther. 1t is an absolute political necessity.
The Government Printing Office deficiency
for the current fiscal year is S3S5.OO0. Not
withstapding the immense appropriations
made by the billion dollar Congress, there will
be deficiency in nearly every one of the de-
partments of the government.
Mr.. ID. D. Mills, who is the head of the syndi-
cate which holds the Behring's Sea sealing
son and Secretary Blaine ut dinner given by
his old business associate, Secretary Elkins an
evening or two ago, and gossip says his COM
ing here at this time is closely connected with
the business before the Behring's Sea Commits
sion. With two such friends Secretaries
Blaine and Elllins in the Cabinet, Mr.. Mills has
a right to feel confident that his interests will
be properly protected by the administration.
Representative Harter, of Ohio, whose oppo-
sition to the free coinage of silver has given
him considerable prominence of late, has
handed Mr.. Holman, chairman of the Demo-
cratic caucus, a request signed by forty odd
Democrats for the calling of caucus on the
silver question, and Mr.. Holman says he will
issue the call this week. The call may be is
sued and the caucus held, but unless it is
much more largely attended than the last eau
Gus held for the same purpose, it Is not proba-
BILE that it will settle the policy to be pursued
by the House.
The committee to investigate the Pension
bureau will hold its second meeting Thursday
when Il day will be set to begin taking evil
dence, which promises to be volumnous Re-
representatives. Cooper and EnlOe will represent
the prosecution, so to speak, and EX-RepreSen-
tative Payson, of Illinois, and Green B. Raum,
ST., are counsel for the Commissioner of PEN
sions. 1t may be that the beginning of the in
yeStigatiOn may be postponed few days to
accommodate Representative Cooper, who is
one of the leading counsel in u murder trial to
take place i'll Indiana.
Congress is in Chicago to-day, and the capt.
tol reminds one of the middle of the long re-
cess, so quiet is everything. The adjournment
was only until tomorrow, but as there is not
quorum of either House or Senate here, moth
ing can be done until Wednesday, when the ex-
cursionists will be back.
1t seems strange that man who was set
down upon by the voters of the country as
hard rs was eX-CZar Reed, should still cherish
political ambition, but he does, and he is work
ing to secure the support of the Maine delega-
ton to the Minneapolis convention to his Pres
idential pretensiOns. MIR. Harrison has called
upon Mr.. Blaine to checkmate the movement,
and he has promised to do so, but the man in
the White House is afraid of the eX-Speaker all
the same, as he knows that he bears him Meth
er love nor goodwill.
1t begins to look as though the joint resou-
ton providing for constitutional amendment
authorizing the election of Senators by the
people would get through Congress ut this ses-
sion. c. Al s.