The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-02-10
WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 1903.

This is going to be silver week in
Congress, and conservative democrats
will be very much disappointed if the
result is not compromise measure
that will become law, and settle, a,
least for a time, the very troublesome
and very important question. 1t has
been known ever since Congress came
together that President-elect Cleve-
land vas very anxious for this Con
gress to put stop to the purchase of
silver, which he believes to menace
the prosperity of the country. 1t was
through the efforts OF his immediate
friends IN the House that Thursday
and Friday of this week have been
designated for the consideration of the
Andrews bill for the repeal of the
Silver law and amending the National
Banking law. 1t is believed that a
sufficient number of democrats in the
House have changed their views on
this question to make the passage of
this bill probable by the House, but it
is not thought that it can get through
the Senate; hence the movement to
effect a compromise that will be
satisfactory to the silver men and at
the same time will suspend the pur-
chase of silver. Senator Hill, who
voted for the present Silver law, now
holds the same opinion about the
purchase of silver that Mr.. Cleveland
does and is working to bring about its
suspension. This week will deter
mine whether compromise is possible
and if it is not accomplished an extra
session early in the spring is believed
by Mr.. Cleveland's closest friends to
be inevitable.
1t is probable that there will be
some tariff legislation at this session
after all. The House Ways and
Means committee favors, and there Is
very little opposition anywhere, the re-
peal of that clause of the Mckinley
law which raises the tariff on linen
goods fifty percent on and after
January /, 1894. 1t is admitted by
the republicans that tbs clause has
failed to accomplish what it was in
tended to do-develop the linen in
dustry in the United States.
Senator Harris, of Tennessee, says
that Judge Jackson Of that State who
has been nominated to the vacancy
on the Supreme Court, although
commonly classed as a democrat, and
appointed to his preseut position on
the Bench of the Circuit Court by
Mr.. Cleveland, is as good republican
as Mr.. Harrison. That there will be
strong opposition from both sides OF
the Senate to Jackson's confirmation
is certain, but whether it will be
strong enough to defeat him is not yet
apparent Some republicans will
oppose him because he is classed as a
democrat, others because they had
served notice on Mr.. Harrison that
they would oppose any nomination he
made to the vacancy. Most of the
democrats who oppose the conhrma-
ton do SO on principle; they believe
the vacancy should have been left for
Mr.. Cleveland to fill, but there are
others who while not opposed to
Judge Jackson personally will vote
against his co6rmation because to vote
for him would morally bind them to
vote for Mr.. Harrison's nomination tc
the vacancy which his confirmation
would leave in the Circuit Court, and
it is considered certain that re-
publican would be nominated. 1t j:
creditable to Judge Jackson that not
one word has been said by anybod,
against his ability and personal fitness
for the honor. Contrary to preced
ent his nomination was referred to {
committee, and it will surprise very
few should that committee fail to re
port it back to the Senate.
Representative Blount, of Georgia
chairman of the House committee OF
Foreign Affairs, who voluntarily re
tires from Congress on the a of March
after having served continuously there
in for twenty years, was the recipien
on Saturday of an unusual and unex
pected compliment from his col
leagues on the floor of the House
1t was while the diplomatic and con
sular Appropriation bill was unde
consideration that Mr.. Blount was
honored by such praise as few mel
have received, from political as
sociates as well as opponents