The Coconino weekly sun., 1892-12-22
WASHINGTON LETTER
From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington Dec. 16, 1892.

mugs just INV, anu thcy are DelnS as
'iduously courted by both republicans
md democrats. Not because they
owe them more than they used to but
because the populists are in a position
to dictate the election of United States
Senators in North Dakota, Montana,
California, Wyoming and Nebraska,
md the politicians of both of the old
PARTIES are anxious to convince the
.,opulists in congress that it is their
luty to use their influence with the
members of their party in the aforesaid
legislatures to elect Senators who will
pledge themselves to act with one or
The other of the old parties on political
questions. That is, a majority Of the
politicians are in the convincing busi-
ness. There is a minority, however,
in both the democratic and republican
parties who make no bones of saving
they would prefer seeing their oppo-
nents control the Senate to controlling
it themselves; these are not bothering
themselves about the Senatorial situa-
ton. Said one OF them: There is
big money and persuasive tongues to
be used In this Senatorial business and
before it is ended more than one popu-
list leader will have an opportunity to
prove his metal
1t is not often that Senator makes
an argument'before House committe
in favor of bill, but that is what SEN
ltor Morgan did this week. He made
quite long speech advocating the
Nicaragua canal bill to the House
committee on Foreign Affairs. The
Senate committee is prepared to favor
ably report the bill, but it prefers that
the iniative be taken by the House
committee, believing that ii would
give the measure n more favorable
standing in the House, where there is
much opposition to it, hence the ap-
pearance of Senator Morgan, who is a
member of the Senate committee, be-
fore the House committee.
The Senatorial discussion Of the res
olution providing for commission to
negatiatc an agreement with tho In
lians of the five civilized tribes, where
by they are to take up land in sevcralty
and sell the government what is left
20 be opened for settlement, contained
much information about those Indians
which was not generally known. For
instance, how many people realize
hat the $4,000 Indians in the Indian
Territory maintain five separate indie
pendent sovereign governments within
the boundaries of the United States,
each of which is almost wholly foreign
to us. owing neither allegience nor
responsibility to the United States, eX-
cept that the shall make no laws incon-
sistent with the constitution of the
United States or with the laws OF Con-
yress regulating trade and commerce
with the indians? How many people
now that the l25,00O whites now in
the Indian country are there not as q
right but rs favor; that they have no
say in the government aud may le-
gally be sent away at any time these
Indian governments may be disposed
TO do it?
Representative Davis OF Kansas, has
favorably reported to the House from
the committee on Labor bill prohib-
iting the employment Of convict labor
upon public work, and the bill is so
manifestly just that there is SO far no
open opposition to it.
A bill has been introduced in the
House to Increase the tax on whisky
from 80 cents to Sl.25 per gallon, but
those who ought to know say there is
no probability Of increasing this tax
more than 10 cents gallon, if it be
increased at all,
A delegation Of big railroad men,
among whom were Chauncey Depew,
president Roberts of the Pennsylvania
road and president Ingalls,, of the
Chesapeake and Ohio road, were be-
fore the Senate committee on Inter
state Commerce this week to advocate
an amendment to the Interstate Com
mcrco law to permit the railroads to
form pools, They claimed that a large
majority of the railroads of the coun-
try favored such an amendment.
A bill has been introduced in the
House and in the Senate authorizing
the Postmaster General to contract
with the st. Louis aud Chicago electric
railroad for carrying the mails at ex-
isting rates for ten years between those
two cities, upon condition that they
shall be transported at no less than
100 miles an hour, and that the rail
road company shall agyee to furnish
to farmers and others along the line
of lis road, whenever requested to do
so, electrical power for agricultural
purposes and electricity for light and
motive power at reasonable rates.