Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-09-23
AT SWORDS POINTS.
Southern Congressman Differ
from Cleveland
AS to the Policy to be Pursued.-Cen-
tenniaI Celebration.
From our regular correspondent

AS to the Policy to be Pursued.-Cen-
tenniaI Celebration.
From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, September 1S, 1S93.-A
majority of the Democrats in Congress
are very near to being in open revolt
against Mr.. Cleveland, and unless that
gentleman displays more conciliatory
disposition there may be a permanent
split in the Democratic party in the very
near future. The straw which has almost
broken the back of the Democratic ami
NAL is Mr.. Cleveland's opposition to the
taking up of the bill for repeal of the
federal election laws by the House, I'M
til after the Senate disposes of the silver
repeal bill. 1t is said that Mr.. Cleveland
spoke in a most dictatorial manner to
Speaker Crisp because of his having con-
sented that this bill should be reported to
the House without having first obtained
permission, and that Mr. Crisp got net
tied and told him that he was under the
impression that the President was at the
head of the executive, not the legislative
branch of the government. Well, he
wants to be at the head of them all, and
he is openly accused by Democrats with
having influenced Democratic members
of the House to stay away in order to
break a quorum. Whether he did or not
it is certain that the Democrats tried in
vain to get quorum for three days last
week. To-day is holiday on account of
the centennial celebration of the laying
of the cornerstone Of the Capitol build
ing, and it remains to be seen whether
there will be a quorum Of Democrats in
the House tomorrow The Republicans
very naturally decline to assist in making
a quorum of the House for any such
purpose.
The condition in the Senate is practic-
ally unchanged. Senator Voorhees,, al
though he knows that majority of the
Senator's 40 Senators are claimed, and
the claim is undisputed- vote for
his repeal bill if it can be got to a vote, is
afraid to attempt to force the fight, al
though he continues to threaten to do so.
There is only one way to force the bill
to vote, and that is to keep the Senate
continually in session with a quorum
43 Senators-always on the floor, until
the opposition becomes sufficiently worn
out to consent to a vote; but Senator
VOORHEES, does not feel certain that he can
do that for the very good reason that a
number of Senators who are willing to
vote for repeal have said that they would
not consider it their duty to remain con
tinuously on the floor in order to force
vote. Then, there is another side to this
question of endurance. Enough of the
repealers may become worn out to ena
BILE the silver men to vote down the bill
or to amend it to suit themselves. 1t is
no child's play either way you look at it,
and whatever may be the opinion of out
siders, every Senator fully realizes the
seriousness OF the situation.
The principal reason why Mr. Cleve-
land does not wish the House to start |
the acrimonious debate that is certain to
follow the taking up of the bill for the
repeal of the federal election law is that |
he realizes the necessity of having the
active assistance of Republican Senators |
if the Voorhees, bill is to be passed. and
fears that assistance may be lost through |
the abuse of Republicans in the House
And there are good and sufficient grounds
for his fear. Not that anything any
Democrat could say would change the |
vote of any Republican Senator who up
on principle favors the repeal bill, but |
that it might result in causing some of |
them to absent themselves at a critical |
period, which might result in the defeat |
of the bill Take it all in all the Demo |
Gratis, split in half as they are on the sill
yer question, occupy very ticklish po-
sition. The southern Senators are con-
stantlv hearing of Populist gains at their
homes, and it begins to look as though |
the repeal of the purchasing clause of |
the silver law might accomplish one very
desirable thing-a break up of the solid
South-if the repeal itself can be accom-
plished.
Monday there was flag of truce fly
ing, so to speak, and the President, the |
Cabinet, and Congress were helping the
people to celebrate the centennial of the |
laying of the cornerstone of the Capitol. |
The celebration was great success, the |
plaza facing the east front Of the Capitol !
being packed with something like 200, |
600 people to listen TO the speaking, |
music and the grand chorus of 1900 voices |
which has been in training for months. /
The President made the speech introduce |
ing William Writ Henry,o Virginia the |
principal orator; the Vice President
spoke for the Senate; Speaker Crisp for
the House of Representatives; Justice |
Brown of the Supreme Court, for the Ju-
dietary, and Commissioner Parker for the |
District of Columbia.
Senator Cullom's resolution to investi- |
gate the dogging of pensioners at their
homes by government detectives, for the
purpose of obtaining admissions to be |
used as evidence to reduce their pen
sions or to entirely deprive them of them,
which was offered several days ago, has |
aroused much indignation in Congress |
against the pension methods of the adj |
ministration, some of it among Dem
ocrats. The resolution will be heard |
from again.
Retrospective.
: !. !#! b! h. |