The Opelousas courier., 1894-05-26
Washington Letter.
From OUT Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, NAV 81, Il

WASHINGTON, May Il, 1894.
There is nothing like presenting a
united front to the enemy for cOnvlnc-
ing them that business is meant. The
Senate just now presents a striking con-
firmation of this assertion. just az
soon as every democratic Senator III
town signed an agreement to remain in
their seats each day until Senator Har-
ris should move to adjourn, the republic
cans saw that the fllibustering jig was
up, unless they were prepared to re-
main in their seats for an indefinite
period to keep 1t up and there was little
probability of success ever then. as the
silver republicans publicly gave notice
of their intention to aid the democrats
in keeping q quorum and in getting a
vote on the bill, and there are other re-
publican Senators who privately Ok
pressed the same sentiments. The FL
libnstering died hard, but when Sena-
Hurry nfUtfon%wnsaMada@feF the
Senate to meet, beginning to-day, at 10
o'clock, was made, no negative votes
were cast.
This does not, Of course, mean that
republican opposition to the bill has
been withdrawn, but It has been forced
down to a legitimate basis and that ex
tended debate is no longer expended
upon minor items in the bill. The dem
ocrats have no desire to stifie debate
on the really important sections of the
bill and the proposed amendments, and
they expect that q reasonable amount
of time will be consumed when the gu
gar schedule, the income tax and other
important PORTIONS Of the bill are reach
ed, but they do not intend that debate
merely for delay shall play 1ny further
part in the consideration Of the bill, and
in that determination they have every
reason to believe that they are support
ed by nine tenths of the people of the
country. regardless Of politics, who
want this question settled at the earliest
sumption of business.
The fairness of Vice-President Stew
enson in selecting the committee which
to-day began the investigation, author
lied by the resolution adopted without
a dissenting vote by the Senate last
week, was in marked contrast with the
action Of republican presiding officers
of the Senate in selecting similar COM
mit!ees in the past. Although he would
have been justifable in putting three
democrats and two republicans on the
committee, he only selected two demo-
crats-Gray, of Delaware. and Lindsay,
of Kentucky, allowing the populists one
member-Allen, of Nebraska, and the
republicans two-Lodge, Of Massachu-
setts and Davis. of Minnesota.
The first work of the committee will
be to try I" get at all the facts connect
ed with the outrageous attempt to bribe
Senators Kyle. of s. D., and Hunton, of
Va, to vote against the tariff bill. Sem
satiOnal disclosures are looked for in
this case, but your correspondent is not
over sanguine that they will pan out !;
not because they do not exist, but be-
cause when mel start out to accomplish
anything by bribery they seldom leave
their tracks uncovered to a sufficient ex-
tent to have the crime legally fastened
upon them.
Tue committee will also investigate
the numerous charges connecting the
Senators who arranged the amendments
to the tariff bill with the sugar trust in
q scardalons manner, and your cores
pendent does not hesitate to predict
that the foundation of every one Of
thear charges will be found the same
partisan vindictiveness against tariff
reform. But whatever the foundations
may be the committee proposes to get
down to them if such a thing ia posi-
BILE. Several w~ell-known republican
newspaper men will find it difficult to
produce authority for charges they have
made against Senators. and it will not
be surprising if some of them eventual
ly figure in court as defenders 10 crimi-
nal libel suits.
The first big batch Of discharges from
the Government Printing Office we're
made Saturday. They will be contin-
ued until the force is reduced to it's
proper number; near while but few
appointments are being made.
The House has the business of the
session at we'll advanced that it gave
itself a holiday by adjourning over Sat
urday, something it 10 not in the habit
of doing. 1t has worked faithfully on
the appropriation bills and it has them
all in such shape that it will soon be
able to take up and dispose of some
other important business while waiting
for the Senate to send back the tariff
bill with it's amendments.