Milford chronicle., 1893-10-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
wAsaINaroN. october 9. 1898.

WASHINGTON, October 9, 1898,
"Let them do as I wish them to do, or go
home" is the remarkable language Mr.. |
Cleveland is reported to have used in speak
ing of the Senate. The test of physical en-
durauce which is to begin in the Senate on
Wednesday of this week is intended to force
a vote on the repeal bill. At least this is
the impression Senator vorhees wishes the
public to get Of it. But its real purpose is to
demonstrate to Mr.. Cleveland the impossi-
bility of forcing vote and to get him to
listen TO the advice of his cabinet and many
of the shrewdest Senators and Represent
atiyes in his party and consent to the adop-
ton Of a compromise amendment that will
secure the votes of three-fourths Of the Sen
ators. In holding continuous session the
unconditional repeal Senators play their last
trump card they will have to keep forty-one
Senators continuously on the floor, as the
opponents of unconditional appeal have
given notice that they will only keep two
Senators on the aoor at time-one to speak
and one to watch the others, thus allowing
the rest Of their force to rest. The session,
which will begin Wednesday, at II a. m,
may possibly be kept up for as long period
as forty-eight hours, but it will surprise no
one here if it 6zzles out before daylight on
Thursday morning, for a quorum. The
twenty-five Republican Senators who are
counted for unconditional repeal have
adopted no programme, but 1t is believed
that few of them will feel it incumbent upon
themselves to eudanger their health by
remaining in their seats all night, particularly
when they know that nothing can thereby
he accomplished.
Opinion differs as to what will be done
after it has been shown that vote cannot be
forced by a continuous session Of the Senate.
If Mr.. Clevelands idea be followed Congress
will at ouce adjourn, not take recess, he
having stated his belief that it would be bet
ter for Congress to adjourn until the begin
ming of the regular session in December than
to take a short recess. But the general i'm
preston is that a compromise amendment
will be adopted before next Saturday night,
thus giving Mr.. Cleveland an opportunity to
carry out his implied threat to veto anything
other than unconditional repeal that might
be sent to him.
There is trouble in the House as well as in
the Senate. The bill for the repeal of the
Federal election laws, instead of solidifying
the Democrats of the House as it was ex-
peeted TO do has made new split in their
already split up ranks. The Tucker bill,
which is the one under consideration, re-
peals every single Federal statute dealing
with elections, and considerable number of
Democratic members of the House think il
too radical A caucus is TO be held tonight
to decide the dispute. The caucus will
doubtless decide in favor of the Tucker bill,
but it is very doubtful whether that bill can
be passed tomorrow, according to pro-
pramme. The Republicans will not vote to
make a quorum and the House may find it.
self without one for an indefinite period by
reason of the absence Of Democrats opposed
r thsbill.
Senator Peffer's latest bill is the king pin
of all that has gone before in the long line of
absurd propositions, and it is only fair to
Mr.. PETER to say that he does not father this
monstrosity, but introduced it "by request"
The bill starts bs directing the coinage of all
the gold and silver now in the Treasury and
the coinage of all of either that shall be
offered until the aggregate Of 81, 1000, ,ooo, 900
shall be reached. But this Is merely a sort
Of preamble, as it were; the gist of the bill is
that portion which provides for universal
prosperity, by appropriating $500, 600, 600 to
be distributed pro rata according to popula-
ton among the states and territories, the
same to be spent in the improvement of
public highways, building school houses,
etc, in wages of $4 day of eight hours TO
each person engaged in the work. The
bill further provides that all citizens of :he
United States offering their services shall be
employed. It would be more sensible, and
more beneficial, if Congress would appro-
pirate money to maintain a kindergarten of
political economy, and compel the regular
attendance thereat of those Senators and
Representatives who show by the nature of
the bills they introduce their lack of even
the rudiments of that science.
Quite a number of Democratic Senators
refuse to be bossed by Mr.. Cleveland on the
silver question, but the alacrity with which
some of the same Senators drop their own
views about the advisibility of confirming
the nomination of $4,000 Van Allen to be
Ambassador to italy and adopt those of ex-
Secretary Whitney indicates that Mr.. Whit
ney knows how to boss the Democratic
Senators. The confirmation of this nomina-
tion for which it is clear to everybody $50
600 was paid, will stand out in history as a
blot upon the fair name of the U. S. Senate,
aud every Republican should be glad that
his party is responsible neither for the nom.
iuation nor the confirmation. The whole
business Is exclusively Democratic.