Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-06-16

Correspondence.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
rom Our Regular Correspondent. }

\rTOu Our heButdr Correspondents.
WASHINGTON, June IL, '94.
Republican Senators are not max
ing any predictions as 10 when the
final vote will be taken on the tariff
bill In the Senate, but they take no
stock In the assertion of Senator
Harris that the democrats will force
vote before the close of the present
week, not because they doubt Sena-
tor Harris's willingness TO do SO, but
because they doubt his ability to
keep r quorum on the floor contin-
uously for that purpose. The repub-
licans have not altered their posi-
ton. They contend that eight hours
day is sufficiently long for the Sen
ate to sit, and that they are entitled
to debate each schedule of the bill as
it Is taken up. Their willingness to
accept the agreement to debate GER
tain schedules under the FIVE minute
rule furnished convincing evidence
that they have no wish to filibuster;
but they do not intend that such im
portant portions of the bill as the
wool schedule and the income tax
shall be railroaded through without
debate. Senator henderson, of Ne
braska. expresses the opinion that 1t
will be nearer q month than a week
from this time when the final vote is
taken.
Senator Brice made one OF the
most remarkable statements ever
publicly made by Senator when be
said Whatever you may hear
about dIssension, / can tell you,
that there will be ioFty-three votes
for the bill, whatever there is In 1t.
Senator Jones may make modsfica-
lions, but whatever he finally de-
cides upon will be voted for by forty
three Senator's" In other words, IL
Senator Brice knows what he is talk:
ing about, iOrty-three Senators have
agreed to sink their own individual
ity and principles and to vote for
whatever Senator Jones tells them.
Never before has the majority of the
Senate delegated such autocrat-
ic authority to one man.
There are people who say that
Representative "Bilr' Springer, of
ILL.,, has no influence with the admin
istration, but notice that he has
Springer, a Lifetime position as
chaplain in the Army, although the
young man, who has been drawing
six dollars a day as clerk of the
House committee on Banking and
Currency while studying for the min
istry, was only ordained to preach
about two months ago. MIR. Sprin-
ger may not be able TO get places for
his constituents, but he manages to
provide for his family.
Ex-Representative Abner Taylor
OF ILL.,, is regarded as an authority
on political matters In that state
he has Just been over the ground
and this is the way he sizes up the
situation cit isn't a ques Ion o
republican success, but of how larg,
our majority will be. l put the re-
publican plurality at $4,000 ii
November, but shall not be surpris-
ed Il 1t reaches 100000. There is nc
longer the slightest doubt that th,
Legislature will be republican, anC
the democrats may consider them
selves lucky If they get as many Al
i've out OF the states's twenty-five
Congressman.
Representative Breckenridge o
Kentucky, has shown himself to b.
the possessor of a skin as thick a,
that of a rhinoceros, but thick as
is 1t was penetrated by a direct sho
from his democratic colleagues il
the House. He has bean boasting @
his intention to take charge of tn
general deficiency appropriation bi
when 1t was ready to be reported t,
the House, by virtue of his bein
chairman of the sub-committe
which has charge of that bill. A
soon as his democratic colleague
found out that he really meant t
do so they lodged a formal protes
with chairman Sayers of the Appro
priation committee, and the resul
was that Mr.. Sayers informed BrecI
inridge that he would not be above
to take charge of the bill, because
the refusal of democratic member
to recognize his leadership In even s
small a matter as the managemer
of a bill which usually goes throug
without any serious opposition.
Breckinridge were not entirely with
out the sense Of shame he would re
sign from Congress and withdTa
from hfs contest for renomlnablon.
The democrats of the House q
more susceptible to the influence
public opinion than the Senator
they have to stand up for renomin,
ton and reelection this year, al
they are hearing from their consti
uenJs. Consequently they are OF
posed to the sugar trust schedule
the tariff bill, and many of them a
outspoken In their determination
defeat 1t even If 1T be necessary
defeat the bill to do so.
The Senate investigating comm
tee is wasting more time over CO
tumactous witness-a member of t
New York firm of stock broke
through which the democratic SEN
tors are supposed to have done tn
sugar specializing. He refuses
tell the name of Senatorial custol
ers or to produce his books, a
the committee will ask that his CT
be certified to the Grand Jury, VIII
has not yet indicted the newspal
correspondents.