The Progress., 1892-12-17
FROM WASHINGTON. D. c.
Notes of Interest Gathered From Around
About the National Capital.

Special Correspondence to The Progress:
Congress is feeling its way very
slowly, and beyond the introduction
of a few bills, some of them of i'm
portance, its members have been de-
voting their time to ascertainlng the
sentiments of each other towards pro-
posed legislation. The Republican
members feel that it is not for them
to propose, and the Democrats feel
the necessity for going slow on any
thing new, and they appear to be IN
doubt about some things that are not
new. The Republicans say the Dem
ocrats are waiting to ascertain Mr. |
Cleveland's wishes before showing
their hands. .
There is at least one thing upon
which the Cleveland Democrats and
the Hill Democrats appear to be In
perfect accord. That is the repeal OF
the Sherman silver law. Senator
Hill has himself introduced bill IN
the Senate for its repeal, and SINH
lar bill has been introduced IN the
House by Representative Williams,
of Massachusetts, who is one OF the
most ardent admirers of Mr.. Cleve-
land in Congress. The introduction
of these bills indicates that the Dem
ocrats expect nothing to be accom-
plished by the International None
tary Conference, and they are not
alone in that expectation.
If the talk of members is any lndl-
cation it seems safe to predict that
President Harrison's recommended
tions concerning a further restriction
of immigration and the establishment
of national quarantine will be acted
upon at this session. A bill has been
introduced in the House by Demo
crat to provide for national quaran-
tine and one in the Senate by Re-
publican to suspend immigration one
year from next March. This last
bill is approved by both Senate and
House immigration Committees, and
will also be introduced in the House,
so that it can be pushed without any
unnecessary delay
Senators Kyle and PETER appear
to be fully alive to the Importance of
their votes in the organization OF the
Senate of the Fifty-third Congress,
and neither of them will give the
slightest indication of which party
they intend to vote with In the organ
ization of the Senate 1t apparent,
however, from their cow" AtIon t. at
: they expect. with other Third party
Senators yet to be elected, W hold
t the balance of power in the next Sen
t ate, and that their intention is to IN
sist upon certain c. ncessions from the
{ party that gets their votes
Y Congress never during my long
j service in Washington receiv d iIr &-
: ident's annual message with the In
: difference that it did President Har-
s rison's, this week Of course the
9 message meets the approval of Re
Q publicans, but for various reasons
b they have displayed no great inter
: est in it, or in fact in anything else.
T As facetious ex-speaker Heed puts 1t
Y I'VE are merely lookers-on now.'
o The Democrats speak slightly OF it,
, Just as the Republicans in Congress
q will be certain to do of President
C elect Cleveland's messages. Ton
Il Watson, the Georgia populist mem
y ber of "where was l t." fame, says
It the message reminds him of boy
l. who has been licked daring the Other
fellow to do it again. And so i
r. goes. "The king is dead; long live
?. the king" Nevertheless there are
h things in that message that, hS'
h Banquo's ghost, will not down. as tn
IA Democrats will discover i'll the nea
1T future.
A. Secretary Fosters annual report
NJ in which he shows, to his own salts
Iv faction, that there should be a sur
ii plus, instead of the predicted deficit
Or for the fiscal year ending June 81
" 1894. is not as comforting as ,oa
IL would have supposed such informa
AZ ton would be to the Democrats VIII
to are now engaged in preparing tn
al bills carrying the appropriation fo
rs that year, which must be PISSED b
lie the present Congress, for the yer
nd simple reason that they do not al
,at cept the Secretary.s figures.
as In quiet way the speakership {
SO the next house is already exitin
,rt considerable interest, and, If 1T sha
of soon be apparent that Represent
m tive Hooker's bill changing the tin
for Congress to meet from Decemb'
It'll to March stands good chance II
he becoming law at this season, th'
M interest will become all-absorbinl
he MIR. Crisp is the only avowed cano
IS date, and he has the advantage
he possession; but there are four ge
of tlemen-Wilson, of West Virginl
er- Bynum, Of Indiana; McMillin,
T. Aaessee, ana Breclinridge, of he
lor tucky-any of whom may become
ion competitor, with the backing of n
AS Cleveland.
ux- The movement began in Congr'
be at the last session to bridge abont t
ex- abrogation OF the treaty with Grt