The Delta independent., 1893-09-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent

ing out that there are some things which
even a President with a powerful will
cannot do, and one Of those things is to
compel the U. S. Senate to vote upon a
bill before its members get good and
ready. A week ago the announcement
was made that having become tired OF
the delay Mr.. Cleveland intended to
personally force vote on the Voorhees,
repeal bill. Well, the vote has not been
taken and there is no indication that it
will be taken very soon. On the contrary.
the indications are that it never will
be taken. unless the Senate shall adopt
the change OF rules proposed by Senator
Platt, which would practically be cloture,
and Senator Voorhees, who is Mr.. Clcyc-
lands personal representative on the
floor OF the Senate has publicly said that
he would never consent to cloture. The
silver Senators have announced their
determination to tillibus;er indefinitely
to prevent vote, and they are quite
strong enough to do it under the present
rules OF the Senate.
The Democrats in the House have for
the purpose Of getting the bill repeating
all laws authorizing Federal supervision
Of Presidential and Congressional cleo
tions before the House adopted the most
outrageous cloture rule ever even sug
gested to legislative body. rule OF
which Representative Burrows truly
says: In the Fifty first Congress all that
we ever did WAS TO cut OF dilatory mo
tions- But now. il the Capitol should
fall down or take fire while the commit
tees were being called. we could not even
take a recess" II this unusual method
had TO be adopted by the Democrats after
a weeks Intellectual efforts TO get this bill
before the House it is difficult, 10 imagine
what they will have TO resort TO before it
is passed. The Republicans in the Housc
will fight it with all the means at their
disposal. and Republican Senators may
be compelled TO use the silver question as
II club to kill it.
The closing days OF the tariff hearings
were made exciting and decidedly un-
pleasant fer chairman Wilson and his
free trade Democratic colleagues on the
House Ways and Means committee. by
The presence of one hundred prominent
Democrats from the states OF Maryland.
Virginia and West Virginia, Who demand.
ed that the tariff on biiuminous coal be
let nlonc. Mr.. Wilson and his colleagues
were told that il they removed the tariff
on coal they would kill one Of the most
important industries OF those three states,
TO say nothing Of all chance for keeping
those states in the Democratic column.
The men who publicly made those state
mcnts were not confined to those person
ally interested IN the mining and trans
por,ation OF coal, but included such
prominent Democrats as Gov. McCorklc,
Of West Virginia. The public statements
of these Democratic protectionis,s Great
oi sensation among the Democratic
free traders in Congress, but their private
talk created n panic in the same class.
They told Mr.. Wilson and other Demo
Gratis iha, they might as well bid a long
farewell to public life il they persisted in
their free trade idcas. They also told
them that they had all the facts concern
ing the organization OF tho Whitney
syndicate. which has obtained options
upon all OF tho Nova Scotia bituminous
coal mines with the expectation Of mon
opolizing the trade OF the United States
when the tariff on foreign coal was re-
moved. and that they would make public
the full details. no matter who was injur
ed. il this tariff was removed or lowered.
reading at the White House as 1t is well
known that the Whitney syndicate is
largely composed OF the men who contri.
buted the money that made Mr.. Cieve
lands election possible.
Speaking OF money contributed to elect
Mr.. Cleveland. the nomination OF James
j. Van Allen. n son.in-law OF William Is.
Astor, to be Ambassador to Italy. il a di
rect result OF certain large contributions
to the Democratic campaign fund. Mr..
Van Allen is credited TO Rhode Island,
because he owns an establishment there.
but he should in reality have been credit
cd to Europe. where he has lived nearly
all the time for number OF years.
The nomination Of William B. Horn
blower. of New York TO the vacancy in
the U. S. Supreme Court is said to be in
the nature OF u repayment OF certain per
sonal obligation in which were involved
come very fat legal fees which Mr.. Horn.
blower by reason OF his connection with
large and wealthy life insurance com
pany threw in the way OF Mr.. Cleveland
when he was practicinp law in New York
several years ago The ability OF Horn
blower is unqucstioncd. but his nomina'
ton IL nevertheless very distastcful to
TIM Nnw Nnrk Scnnfnra