The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-03-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFron our regular correspondent.

luS luc tdiIh uiii, oihSO io "oo pstoeO" by the house, but it did not entirely succeed in bringing about harmony among the democratic senators and the bill was sent back to the finance com mittee. Never before have there been so many caucuses in such a short time, and seldom have there been such excit- ing caucuses held by senators. Senator Brice, of Ohio, who has not heretofore figured as leader, led the assault on the bill as it had been fixed up by Sem ator Jones, of Arkansas, Vest and Mills the subcommittee he was sup ported by nine other democrats, in- cluding such prominent senators as Hill, of New York, and German, of Maryland. These senators demanded that the caucus change the bill to meet the interests of their constituents, or take the responsibility of defeating all tariff legislation at this session of con gress. It would, of course, be easy enough for the other democratic sena- tors to outvote the ten objectors in caucus, but that would not help the bill any, as at least seven, and possibly eight of those senators must vote for the bill or it is bound to be defeated, as two of the populist senators-Peffer, of Kansas, and Allen, of Nebraska-have announced that they will not vote for the bill if it does not take care of the makers of domestic sugar. The demo- crats have been before those announce ments, counting the populist votes in favor of the bill because of the income tax. Now, wise men are not counting on anything; they are waiting to see what, if anything, the democrats will decide upon. It is said that President Cleveland, who was particularly anx- ious that the free list of the bill, as it passed the house, should not be materi- ally curtailed, was given an inkling of what would take place this week, and that he concluded that he would rather shoot ducks than stay to see it.
 It is now certain that the Hatch anti option bill will be favorably reported to the house, MT. Hatch having succeed ed in having the bill referred to the committee on agriculture, of which he is chairman. Had the bill been referred to the ways and means committee, as it's opponents desired, it's fate would have been doubtful, with the chances against its being heard again during the present session.
 Representative Taylor, a democrat, from Indiana, has introduced resou- tion in the house charging employees of the medical division of the pension of flee with making false reports to their superiors in order to secure unjust de- cisions, and directing the committee on invalid pensions to investigation.
 Representative Bryan. of Nebraska, this week introduced bill in the house that provides for what many people consider an important court reform, that three-fourths of jury in civil cases shall constitute verdict. Mir. Bryan says of the bill: "I have favored such a change for several years, and my attention was called to it anew by a suggestion made by Judge Brewer at the Chicago Union League banquet. In civil cases there is no reason why the litigants shall be compelled to fight until one can secure unanimous yer. dict. A majority of court renders decision even in criminal cases; why can we not trust three-fourths of jury in a civil casep"
 Members of the house are under ob- ligations to Hon. John NJ. Allen-"Pri- vate John Allen"-- of Mississippi, for the speech he made this week. This speech, although containing some hard hits at the democrats who were block ing the business of the house by refus- ing to vote to make quorum, was, on the whole, so full of quaint humor that it resulted in getting the i'll humor which had been so apparent for several days on the floor laughed out of every body. If that speech was not bit of true philanthropy your correspondent is out of his reckoning, which shows that there are times in comgressman's life when it is better, for his colleagues, if not for himself, to be humorous than to be great.
 A feeble interest in Hawaii was re- vived by the four reports from the committee on foreign relations which mean about whatever you wish them to mean, and a speech made by Senator ErN-o htt if xvaa nnly ., Naof;o,, ,.;,,;,ol