Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-04-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Possibility of Mckinley as the Re-
publican Standard Bearer.
Important Railway PrOject..The COlum'
bian Exposition.

son COnClgent 10 euecC an OrBanlzatlOu
within the next ten days, with the pos
sibility of Gov. Mckinley as the Repub
lican standard bearer, naturally at
tracted wide spread interest at the
Capitol. In the House, where MIR. Nc,
Kinley is so well known, it was a topic
of conversation in the cloak rooms, and
at least one prominent Republican from
the West, who has hitherto been an
ardent admirer of the President and an
outspoken advocate of his renomina-
tion, took occasion to express some
pessimistic views of the dangers which
now beset Mr.. Harrison, and to say
thath believed that at the present time
Maj. Mckinley was the most available
man in sight, as well as the man whose
chances of selection were today the
brightest. 1t must not be imagined for
moment, however, that the friends of
the President were at all discouraged
by the action of the Pennsylvania
and Massachusetts conventions in fail.
ing to instruct their delegates for Har-
rison. The President has some stead
fast and watchful friends in the Sen ate,
who see that his interests are not neg
lected and who are by no means without
hope.
The project of a railway to connect
the railway systems of North America
with those of SouOh America, and to
render possible continuous journey
by rail from one extremity of the con-
tinent to the other, which was one of
the results of Mr.. Blaine's Pan-Ameri-
can Conference, is beginning to be re-
garded as perfectly feasible, and as re-
quiring only time and money for its
full and satisfactory accomplishment.
The amount appropriated for these sur
veys last year was S65,000. This year
Secretary Blaine has asked for an in
creased appropriation of 100000, be-
cause he desires to put two more sur
veying parties in the field in order to
expedite the undertaking. The dispo-
sition of the House seems averse to
granting this increase, but it is to be
hoped that Congress will take no action
which will interrupt the progress Of
the work, for any such interruption
would make much of what has been
done useless, and render resumption at
later period unnecessarily expensive.
Considerable interest is manifested
in the proposed naval review in con
nection with the Columbian exposition.
In view of the economic tendencies for
political purposes of the House OF
Representatives the idea of separate
appropriation has been pretty well
abanded. The plan of the friends OF
the project is to amend the naval ap
preparation bill by adding an item OF
$500, 900 to pay the expenses necessary
to be incurred. The people of this
country do not begrudge any lawful
and necessary expenditures of money
to contribute to the success of this i'm
portant commemoration-this great ad
vertisement to humanity of the benefits
accruing to it from the deed of Colum.
bus. The occasion will be signalized to
our national advantage in many ways.
1t will make good our claim to act as
host and master of ceremonies for all
America when the world comes to see
what has been doing on these shores
since Columbus brought them under
the eye of the old world. 1t will stim.
ulate the national sentiment from
Maine to California, from Texas to the
great lakes.
1t would make the old anti Federal
lists turn over in their graves if they
could only know something of the prop
ositions that are now brought before
Congress. The latest is request tha
the Government import and breed An
CORA goats. The reason put forth fol
the maintenance of a Government goa
farm is that Turkey will not allow an,
one to export Angora goats, and it il
thought that perhaps an official reqpes
from this Government might meet will
better luck than has ttepded the e
forts of private parties.
While Mr. Holman's amendmen
striking out of the naval appropriation
bill the single new vessel of high grad
provided for was defeated, the Hous
passed the measure without the desire,
increase of the number of armore,
cruisers and battle ships. 1t is hope,
the Senate will adhere to its probabl
action in providing for the requisite en-
largement of the navy.
Since the dismissal of its executiv
clerk the Senate has provided the pres
with reports of its proceedings that are
if such thing is possible, more ful
than before. There is evidently
"trained journalists under cover some
where.
The Congressional Record stoppe
just as it was on the threshold of mas
nificent financial opportunities to b
realized by giving advice as to who's
soap to use and what kind Of shoes I
wear,
The gentlemen who are authorize
to speak for Mr.. Blaine" are numerou
enough to hold national conventio
on their own hook.
The report that Senator German ha