The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-08
ATrHE hArIoN'S cAPITAL
WHAT THE Law MAKERS ARE DOING
,nce TO THE DEMOCRAT

kNOIIcSpouOcHSO W LIE OAiAOSnAA"
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 8, 1892.
1.-THE House will please be in or.
der" we're the words Of Speaker
Crisp 40 the hand on the big clock
facing the Speakers char came TO-
Rether over the XII, and they were
accentuated by sharp rap with the
gavel he held uplifted in his right
hand; and the last session Of the
Fifty second Congress was open for
business. The attendance was
fairly good for an opening session,
although the number OF empty seats
on the dsmocr attic side was entiraly
too large for those who fear that
absenteism may give the party lead
ers as much trouble at this session as
at the last. However let us not
take the shaded view of the future,
but rather give the democratic MEM
bers of the House credit for sufficient
love Of party and patriotism to set
taat democratic quorum is not lack
ing at any time when it becomes de-
sirable to have it present, and that ls
practically all the time.
Mr.. Harrison's annual message
will not 90 to Congress until tomor-
row, but your correspondent has
read it, although it was an onerous
duty to wade through It's more than
1000 words, and not a pleasure. 1t
strikes me as being In the nature of
skillful lawyers plea for the acts
of the present administration and
for the leg islstion Of the republican
Congress-, and an altogether useless
aud unnecessary one, inasmuch as
the Court Of final appeal-the pso-
ple-rendered it's verdict in the case
nearly month ago. The general
style of the message is far below
that Of those previously written by
Mr.. Harrison; but, come to think of
it, the circumstances under which
this message was prepared were such
as to make it unfair to criticise it
from literary point Of view. IL
demonstrates one thing very clearly.
Mr.. Harrison still clings to protec-
ton and the other republican ideas
which we're so overwhelmingly con.
demned by the American voters On
the eighth Of last month.
The attendance at the opening
session Of the Senate was better
proportionately than In the House, but
that may have been largely owing to
the fact and by a resolution adopted
at the last thatsession the anti.option
bill WAS made the regular order for
today, which gives that measure,
which it will be remembered has al
ready passed the House, Jne right OF
way as unfinished business until it
shall have been dlsposed of or the
session shall come to a close. There
Is decided difference of opinion rs
to whether this bill will be disposed
OF by vote Of the Senate or by the
close Of the session. It's opponents
claim that enough Senators from the
South have changed their minds
about the bill to n axe it certain that
they can defeat it on a direct vote,
but all The same they are now sche m
Ing to prevent vote being taken.
Tners are a number Of Important
measures, from democratic stand
point, which may be brought forward
and passed by the House at this ses-
sion or may be held until the begin>
ming Of the Fifty-third Congress, just
as the democratic conference or cau>
Gus. shortly to be held, NAV decide.
1t is believed that there are enough
republican Senators willing to vote
with the democrats 10 repeal the
present silver law, provided an agree
| ment can be reached on substitute,
and some of them have expressed
themselves as favoring a return to
the Bland law if nolning more salts
| factory can be arranged by demo-
! Gratis from the International mon eta.
~ conference, now sitting, in soIv-
ing the sllver problem.
Unless several republican Senators
| shall vote different from the way
they talk it is probable that the House
| bills for the admission to Statehood
Of New Mexico and Arizona will be
taken up and passed by the Senate
at this session. This is very desira.
BILE for many reasons, not the least
| of which is that 1t Is believed that
both states will send democratic U.
S. Senators in time to tske their
seats next winter.
The cholera scare Is being worked
for all 1t is worth to work up senti-