Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-03-09
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
The VARIOUS CAUCUSES SUG-
GESTEO BY The PRESIDENT

The VARIOUS CAUCUSES SUG-
GESTEO BY TIE PRESIDENT
Would 90 Through without
Popuii>fic iid
F~om on Lv-.'i'a- Corr, s;o.,iv,:.
WASHINGTON, March }, 1891.
1t j. not generally known, but it is
none the les, true, that the remark
able series Of caucuscs held by tho
Democratic Senators this week on the
tariff bill were the direct result OF Sug-
gestion> from President Cleveland hc-
lore he went away. Several Demo-
cratic Senators told Mr. Cleveland
that they were dissatisfied with the
bill as the sub committee intended to
report it to the Finance Committee,
and to each Of them he suggested the
idea OF holding a caucus in order that
the bill might he changed sufficiently
To receive the solid vote OF the Demo
Gratis. Senator Voorhees,, although
satisfied with the bill as arranged by
the subcommittee, was perfectly will
ing that caucus should pass upon it
before it was reported to the full Com
mittcc. That is why the bill was
turned over to the caucus, instead OF
being reported to the full Committee.
While there are some regretable
circumstances connected with the
holding of so many caucuses, it is far
preferable, either from party or
general point of view, that concessions
be made in a party caucus than that
they be forcibly obtained with the aid
of Republican votes on the floor OF the
Senate. Whether the bill as finally
reported by the Finance Committee,
to which the caucus returned it, will
be q better or worse measure than was
the Wilson bill as passed by the
House, may be debatable question,
but that the votes OF at least II out of
the Al Democratic Senators will be
necessary to pass any tariff bill is a
fact that admits Of no debate, since
two of the Populist Senators have said
that they would not vote for it unless
the sugar schedule is pleasing to them.
At this writing every indication points
to an agreement that will result in
bill that can be passed by Democratic
votes without any aid from the
pOpulist Senators, and President
Cleveland being absent from Wash
ington cannot be charged with in
fluencing the Senators, or even trying
to do so.
Some Republicans in the House
notably Bingham, of Pennsylvania
are wrothy because Postmaster Gener-
al Bissell gave the contract for print
! ing postage stamps to the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing, notwithstand-
ing the efforts of well-paid lobby to
prevent his saving money for the
government by doing so, and some of
them are talking about having a
Congressional investigation. 1t is |
little short OF nonsensical for Congress
to investigate the right OF the govern
ment to do its own work, but if such
an investigation would expose the |
names and methods OF the lobby which
was employed in this particular case it
should by all means be held. know
that neither Postmaster General Bis
sell, who gave the contract, nor Sec
rotary Carlisle, who authorized the
Bureau of Engraving to accspt the
work, would raise any objection. On
the contrary, the both could, and
doubtless would, aid Congressional
Committee in showing up the stamp
lobby, which was headed by ali ex-
member of the cabinet.
Representative Somers, of Wis
consin, who is a personal friend OF
Judge jenkins. whose injunction |
against the right OF employees of the
U. P. r. Il. to strike while the road was
in tho hands of court receivers, the
House Judiciary Committee has de-
cided should be Investigated, has been
hunting up precedents, and he finds
that injunctions OF similar nature
have been issued by Judge Kicks, in
Ohio; Judge William H. Taft, in
Pennsylvania; Judge Pardee, in Texas
Judge James II. Beatty, in Idaho
Judge Elmer S. Dundy, in Nebraska,
and Justice Brewer, of the U. S.
Supreme Court, while presiding over a
court in Missouri. Mr.. Somers says
he has no objection to an investiga- |
ton, but that he does object to
singing out Judge Jenkins to be in
vestigated when there are so many
Judges who issued the same sort of in
functions before he did. "Include
them all, and l am ready to vote for
the investigation" said Mr.. Somers at
the conclusion of conversation on
the subject.
A popular bill is that introduced in
the House by Representative Bryan, of
Nebraska, providing an amendment to
present law, making the votes OF three
fourths OF q jury constitute legal
verdict in all civil cases. With that
amendment in force hung juries would
be almost unheard OF in civil cases and
the cost OF litigation would be largely
reduced. The lawyers are about the
only people who are likely to oppose
the change; it would cut into their
fees quite heavily.
Common sense again assumed its
sway in the House this week and the !
Democrats disposed of the Bland bill
and ceased to furnish the Republicans
with campaign material, by again
getting down to business after a tie-up
of more than two weeks. Speaker
Crisp made a decided hit just before
quorum voted, when asked to enforce
the rule compelling members to re-
main in their seats and to vote when
their names were called, by saying in
reply: 1.-THE chair is the organ of the
House, not its master, and as long as
the present occupant is in the chair he
will never make q rule" Dem.
Ar ELOQUENT APPEAL.