The Washington times., 1894-06-13
CLOAK ROOM AND GALLERY.


Representative McLaurin. of South Caro-
lima, is one Of the southern Democrats who
thinks that there is not much left Of the
original characteristics Of the Democratic
party.
"Ihe present situation reminds me-" he
says, "of a man in my state who claimed to
have fine old cask of wine 200 years old.
He asked number of friends ono day to go
down in his cellar and see it, after dilating on
its age and the excellence Of the wine.
"When the friends went into the cellar and
saw the cask they protested In emphatic Lam
guage that Its age had been misrepresenred.
One said: why, look Mt the slaves; they're
absolutely green. don't believe they are
more than eighteen months old at the most. ;
'Oh, no. said the owner, they are new. but
put them In because the old ones were rot
ting Another friend broke out with the
declaration that the hoops were compara-
lively new. and a third that the head OF the
barrel certainly had not been there all that
time. The man admitted this, too.
"Well." said his friends in chorus, "what is
there old about the thing, anyway" "Oh,"
was the reply, "the bunghole is old; that has
been there all the time"
People who are observers in the Senate are
beginning to wonder what Senator Murphy
came here for anyway. During his stay in the
Senate he has not made one real speech yet,
and this in the face of the fact that he repre-
sents in part the richest and mosr important
state In the Union commercially, and one
whose population Is nearly 1000. 900 people.
These can hardly declare that they are rep
resented" and certainly not that their senti-
ments are ''voiced'' by the New York Senator.
pta hnu fr,a IA
ually taken up by Hale, Chandler, Gallinger,
Aldrich, and others, who represent altogether
but a mere fraction OF the number that Muir
ply is supposed to represent, the silence OF
the New York Senator becomes all the more
humorous. Can he talk2
It is understood that Mr.. Quigg is perfectly
satisfied with Mr.. Aldrich's fight against the
tariff bill, and fairly we'll satisfied with Mr..
Reeds handling of the Republican minority
In the House.
Mr.. Coombs, Of New York, is always cne OF
the active participants in the debates on Dis
trict of Columbia days, and is always ready TO
scent out and oppose any scheme Of the street
railways to grab valuable privileges or con-
cessions. In his insistence upon passing
careful scrutiny on all measures of this char
acter he is an exceedingly valuable man, and
when he does attack a measure OF this kind
he does it with vigor whioE usually accom-
plished his end.
Among the resolutions which have Just
passed the House is one introduced by Repre-
sentative Bailey, Of Texas, providing for the
printing Of the presidential messages, ad-
dressed both 10 regular and special sessions,
since the establishment of the government
BY the amended resolution 6 900 copies are to
be printed. and they will be doubtless mnch
sought for as n valuable presentation in COM
pact form OF suggestions to different Con-
gresses
Incidentally Mr.. Bailey said yesterday
that he thought the publication Of book of
this character was eminently proper, while
the publication OF "horse books" and other
similar volumes, and then distributing them,
was as indefensible as printing and distributing
Biographies.
one very interesting point in his speech on
the removal of the state land tax to which
apparently no attention has been called. He
cited the fact, In discussing the right OF the
Federal government to pass law restraining
the citizen from contracting against any par
ticular sorts OF money, that the French courts
ndu oeclueu tnat contract against uote VI
the Bank OF France could not be enforced.
and urges this to prove that any government
can prevent the freedom OF contracts where
the element Of duress-as, for example, in
compelling the payment OF a certain kind Of
MONEYS, or is likely to be, present.
The point is a strong one, and deserves
careful attention and consideration. II q
creditor is to have the right to force the
debtor to make his contract payable In a kind
OF money which Is the base upon which
solid pyramid Of currency rests for ultimate
redemption, it is clear that the scarcity Of
that special money, which is the basis, may
result In remarkably disastrous apprecia-
ton of its value, and hence bring ruin to
every unprotected creditor.