Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-09-22
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
NO RETROGR3SSION FOR THE
DEMOCRACY.
Cleveland Firm for Unconditional
Repeal of the Sherman Law-The
Administration Rather Shaky on
the Chinese Question - Minor
TOulcS.


Topics.
From our Regular Correspondence)
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 1898.
1t seems difficult for the Republi-
cans TO understand that the Demo-
Gratis in Congress intend to redeem
the promises made in the Chicago
platform. They actually seemed to
think that it was possible to cajole the
Democrats into letting the Mckinley
tariff law, which was denounced from
every Democratic stump and in the
columns of every Democratic newspa-
per in the land during the last cam
paign, remain on the statute books,
for a while anyway. And their mis-
take in the tariff business, which is
now very plain to them, taught them
nothing. They are now engaged in
the useless business OF trying to
frighten the Democrats out of the no.
ton of repeating the Federal election
laws, laws which made the notorious
John l. Davenport possibility and
which in the hands of an unscrupu-
lous administration have in the past
(and may in the future, if allowed to
stand) surrounded the voting places of
American citizens with bayonets in the
hands of soldiers.
The number of Democrats who can
be frightened by Republican twaddle is
small, and, as Representative McMillin
said early in the session, "let those
Democrats who feel timid about car
rying out the Chicago platform go to
the rear; there will be enough left in
front to do the fighting" The Tucker
bill for the repeal of all laws providing
for Federal supervision of elections has
been reported to the House and will
be given the right of way until passed.
How long it will take to pass it de-
ponds largely upon circumstances.
The Democrats are perfectly willing
that it shall be fully debated, and no
attempt will be made to force a vote
until legitimate debate has been ex-
hausted, but no fillibustering will be
allowed.
Everything indicates that the de-
bate on the Voorhees, repeal bill is
drawing near its end in the Senate
and that the long contest of personal
endurance by means of q continuous
session of the Senate with a quorum
always present or within call will soon
begin. Another attempt, in fact. sew
eral of them, were made this week to
get President Cleveland's consent to
some sort of compromise that would
secure an immediate vote and avoid
the hard feelings between Senators
which always follow prolonged ses-
sions, but Mr.. Cleveland was inhexible.
A number of the Democratic Senators
who will vote for the Voorhees, bill are
personally willing to agree to COM
promise that would in some shape rec
ognize silver, but having promised Mr..
Cleveland that they would vote for un-
conditional repeal they do not feel at
liberty to do so without his consent.
| The House Committee on Foreign
Affairs will report bill providing a
substitute for the much-discussed
Geary anti-Chinese law. The bill
introduced by Representative Everett,
OF Massachusetts,, is now being con-
sidered by the committee and will
probably be favorably reported, with
slight notifications suggested by
Representative Geary, of California.
So many sensational statements have
recently been made concerning the
intentions OF the administration that
Attorney General Olney gave out an
official statement this week that the
Geary law would not be enforced until
Congress acts, and that the Govern
ment does not acquiesce in the inter
probation given the law by Judge
Ross in his recent decision, as to the
right of private citizens to begin pro-
ceedings against the Chinese and
call upon the government to provide
for further deportation.
No one can call at the White House
without becoming aware of the salts
faction that is felt from the President
down to the humblest employee over
the good fortune that has followed
Mrs. Cleveland and her baby girl
Congratulations are still pouring in
by mail from all sections of the coun.
try and from all classes of people.
Jerry Simpsons refusal to engage
in joint debate with Congressman
Marshall Cyclone JIM, of West
Virginia, when they were both speak
ing at the same Virginia town the
, other day, has been the cause of
Jerry's getting lot of chatting from
his colleagues in the House. Jerry
comes from cyclone country and he
knows the danger to be expected from
them, and wisely declines to know
ingly put himself in the path OF one.
The tariff hearings before the
House Ways and Means Committee
have at times been quite interesting
this week, and several manufacturers
agents who found themselves con-
founded when they presented the
stock protection arguments went
away thoroughly convinced that the
Democrats ON that committee are
much better posted on the practical
workings of the present tariff than
the newspapers generally have given
=, them credit for being. Tom Reed
continues to play the role OF clown.
Dem