The Indianapolis journal., 1892-12-01
TWO Absorbing QUESTIONS.

TWO Absorbing QUESTIONS
Cleveiand's Cabinet and an Extra Session Of
Conersss-Gossip and Speculation.
Special to the Indianapolis JonrnaL.
WASHINGTON, Nov. S0.-As the session Of
Congress approaches there are two topics
in Washington which absorb, to the ex-
clusion of ell others, the attention of
every one interested In national politics.
Those two questions. each of them SO CON-
plicated as TO possess ali the charm of un-
certain speculation, are: first, the compost
tion of the Cabinet to be announced next
March. and, second. whether there will be
an extra session of the next Congress
called By President Cleveland.
As to the first of those questions-the
composltion Of Mr.. Cleveland's Cabinet
tho political prophets found some light to-
day in the apparently authentic announce
ment that the post of Secretary of the
Treasury will be filled by Mr.. Fairchild. of
Now York. If it is true that Mr.. Fairchild
has really been asked by Mr. Cleveland to
accept the position in which he succeeded
Mr.. Manning. the Cabinet situation is
cleared up 60 tar as the most important
place in 1t, in both public and political
sense. is concerned. There will be
no Cabinet officer of the next ad-
ministration burdened with more
serious problems than the Secretary
of the Treasury. The results or the possi-
BILE results Of the international monetary
conference. now In session at Brussels. will
be largely affected by his views; the ques-
tion of the free coinage of silver. which
will undoubtedly be injected into the pro-
ceedings of the next Congress. will also be
influenced by his bias; the varied schemes
of the third party for the issuing of bonds
or of currency based upon stored aGri-
cultural products will also have to be en-
countered by this official; and, perhaps.
more important than any of those prob
lens, will be the question of how to again
pile up a surplus in the treasury for polit-
ical effect, while ct the same time meeting
the clamor Of the crazy theorists of the
West and South.
HARRITY POSSIBILITY.
The talk about Mr.. Fairchild's appoint.
ment as Secretary of the Treasury is met
by the usual discounting cry that his in
come from his private business is too great
to be sacrificed for o portfolio carrying
with 1t q salary of only 8. 900 year. This
is an argument that need not be seriously
considered, inasmuch as the position of
Secretary OF the Treasury can be made to
lead to more lucrative positions in the
financial world after it's expiration. but 1t
may be properly borne in mind by the Cab
inet-makers that one William F. Harrity,
of Pennsylvania. claims to have had some
thing TO do with the election of Mr.. Cleve-
land. Mr.. Harrlty has been slated by the
prophets for the place OF Postmaster gen.
that under the last Cleveland admins
tration he was the much criticised
postmaster OF Philadelphia. AS mat
ter of fact Mr.. Harrity Is known by his
general MIR. Harrity Is the president of q
prominent trust company in Philadelphia.
just as is Mr. Falrchid in New York. and
in case the latter has not been actually
offered and accepted the Treasury secre-
taryship, 1t will BIZ no surprise to see this
position offered to tho chairman of the
Democratic national COMMITTEES. Whoever
may be appointed Secretary of the Treas
ury by Mr. Cleveland will certainly en-
counter great deal of criticism from the
various branches of the Democracy and it's
allies. who arc 80 seriously divided upon
questions of currency and finance. The Sc
lection of q Pennsylvania. whose connec-
fiOn with Wall street might be assumed to
Oo lcso QlIcCb tudn tudt Ot oN-CtCEotdTy
Fairchild. would not. therefore, be sur
prisIng.
Aside from Pennsylvania the Cabinet
makers are considering New England. 1t
Is generally conceded that the highly in
teliectual mngwump element must bs
recognized. and it is guessed 10y many that
the Secretary of State will come from one
of the New England States. One name
frequently mentioned 10 that of l.. j.
Phelps. who was minister to England
md a
by President Hsrrison as one of the counsel
In the Behring sea case. The political
humorists bring forward the name of
George, Fred Williams as representing the
ex-Congressman Patrick Collins is urged
by others for the post of Attorney
general But the South, the middle
Western States and the far West
all puzzle the Cabinet SPECTATORS.
The friends of Horizontal Bilr Morrison,
OF Illinois. for example, wish him promot-
ed from the Interstate-commerce Commis-
sion to place in the Cabinet. The Demo-
Gratis in Illinois demand recognition IN
some Cabinet position, even though axman
Adiai Stevenson has rather plainly said
that the vicespresldency ought to be
enough for his State. Wisconsin will also
press for recognition, and has already pre-
sented two names In Chairman L. z. Wall,
Chairman John l.. Mitchell of the
Democratic campaign committee. The
Pacific coast will also meet Mr.. Cleve-
land, when he returns from his shoot
ing expedition. with whole flock
of Cabinet possibilities. while the South
will expect TO be recognized with at least
one Cabinet appointment 1t must be said
that all this Cabinet gossip, absorbing as
IL may be TO poliJicIans Is of little real
value. inasmuch as the Presldent-elect is
believed not to know his own mind as yet
about any single member of his official
family.
WILL FORCE AN EXTRA SESSION.
Az to the other questi0n-that of an extra
eession-which is producing prolific inter-
views from every arriving statesman in
Washington. the prospects multiply that
whether Mr.. Cleveland favors an extra
session or not already. members of the
Democratic House will endeavor to force
one. Various schemes to bring this result
about have been suggested. One of the
most probable is the attachment of legis-
lative riders to one or more of the appro-
priation bills ne cessary to carry on the
government, and which are likely TO form
the bulk of the business of the coming
session. For example, il might bo easy for
the Democratic House to attach to one of
the essential appropriation bills a rider
repeating all the federal statutes author
marshals ut federal elections. This would
be In accord with the farcIaI "force- bin"
cry. Even should an appropriation bill
with such rider succeed IN
passing the Senate. which is. of
course impfObable. IL would be vetoed