Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-13
ARE DEM 0RALIZED
The Matter With the Democrats in
Both Houses.
TURNING FROM ANT ELECTION RECORD
The Railway Pooling and CarIisIe's
Financial Bill Evidences.
SUGAR BILL AND THE MARKET

OO0Ah DILL AMI IHE MAHhEl
The vote on Mr.. Vests motion to take
up the sugar bill In the Senate yesterday
was not essential to prove to the well-in
formed about the Capitol that the popgur
bills would not be permitted to pass. II
any one entertained doubt on the SUBJ
tect, however. the result of this vote has
settled it. Yet it is not probable that the
last has been heard of the sugar bill. II
Is still on the calendar and subject to a
motion for consideration. 1t is believed
that those who are interested in the mar
ket will not permit this most useful OF
their purposes to lie idle. AS long as the
market can be affected-driven down or
lifted up-by threatened legislation, they
will keep 1t going like a pump handle, ex-
citing apprehension of legislation when an
opportunity for doing so Is offered, and
then letting ii be allayed again by the fail
ure to do anything There Is not the least
possibility that this bill any other of
the popgun bills can be passed. The Sem
ators have known this from the first, yet
IL the market can be affected by an occa-
sional agitation of the matter it means
money in the pockets of those who specu-
late.
The Fate of CIoture.
The fate of a cloture proposition, with
which Is so closely associated the fate Of
these and other political measures, was de-
cided by the vote yesterday, yet the com
mitteo on rules proposes to keep the ap-
pearance Of an effort to do something to-
ward a modification of the rules, and 1t Is
not improbable that they will report some
amendment. possibly sin line with the sug-
gestionS OF Mr.. Harris, permitting time
for voting to be fixed where the measure
under consideration is not a political ques-
ton In the sense of dividing the two par
ties In a fight for supremacy. They may
recommend change of rules. so as to
provide some means of counting a quorum.
This is only possibility-not a certainty.
II, however, the committee on rules should
take action there is the smallest chance
In the world of their recommendations
being carried out in the Senate. The dem
ocrats are not at all anxious to do any,
thing during this session which is likely to
excite nlibuSter, and the republicans are
about to enter into a term when the abil-
ity to act would carry with it a seeming
responsibility which il is not to their in
terest to assume.
Democrats Thoroughly DemoraIized.
The democrats In both houses of Con-
gress are as thoroughly demoralized as can
be imagined. 1t was to be expected that
Immediately on their return from the field
OF disaster they would be somewhat shame
faced but ii has become apparent that the
this. AS q class, they seem to be perfectly
bewildered, and disposition is manifested
10 back out as gracefully as possible from
the position on important questions which
they have heretofore occupied. The fact
that they attribute their defeat partly to
tardfneSS OF action during the first two
sessions OF this Congress seems to inspire
them with the idea that they should get
to work with great energy during the short
session, but as rule the direction of their
efrorts is not on lines which they were
riner tHA fOr,
pooling bill, the Nicaragua bill, the ship
ping bill and appropriation bills are seized
upon to give them occupation, but they
want TO keep as far as possible from the
tarin or silver.
A Change of Heart.
1t is not believed that the railroad pool
ing bill, which was passed the other day, |
could possibly have been got through the |
House without the change of heart which |
the party has experienced since the cleo |
ton. At the last session no one thought |
there was any possibility of the Nicaragua |
canal bill being passed. Now the prevail |
Ing opinion is that ii will certainly pass
the House, and probably the Senate. Had |
the financial recommendations of Mr. Car
Isle been made during the last session they
would hardly have had the support of /
enough members to secure the courtesy of
formal consideration. Now the matter is
forced into great prominence, made the
feature or the session, and there is almost
universal opinion among democrats that a
measure embodying this plan will pass the
House. Men who have always opposed
national banks, accepting them only as a
necessary evil, and who represent a con-
stituency traditionally opposed to the
banker class, are clamorous in their ad-
yocacy OF this proposition.
Getting Nearer the Administration.
There seems to be a stampede to get as
Tar as possible away from their ante-elec-
tiCn attitude. Instead of being further |
from the administration by their defeat, as
I was anticipated they would be- they
have generally taken chute the other
way and seem more anxious than any
hing else to get as far as possible away
rom association with popuHStic ideas. |
And the administration wing of the party
8 fat in the ascendency in the House |
where the blow of the 9th of November |
was most severely felt. The purpose of
The leaders is to avoid politics as much as
possible during the session, and dispose of
an extraordinary amount Of routine work
Nearly all measures of any merit and hay-
ng no politics In it seem to stand a pretty
good chance of consideration.
The Populists and CIoture,
Senator Allen. in commenting upon the
'act hat he and Senators PETER and KYLE
had voted against taking up the sugar bill
md the Vest cloture resolution, said they
lad taken this position on the sugar till
because they considered the movement to |
ret it up one in the interest Of the specu-
ators and in no wise an effort at serious |
egislation. "As for the cloture resolu- |
ion," he said. "the populist Senators be-
leve on general principles in rules that
will permit the transaction of business |
tut they are of opinion that the present |
fort to secure cloture is for the purpose
4 passing the Nicaragua canal bill and
utting through Secretary Carlisle's cur | ,
ency scheme; and they are not ready for
Vpt |