The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-19
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

Washington, Dec IS.
President Cleveland has spoken again.
This time he said something that stirred
the American heart and has advanced his
third-term presidential stock several
points. His message to congress yester-
day on the Venezuela boundary question
Is regarded among Republicans as we'll as
Democrats. as one of the strongest and
aElest letters written by a president in
half a century. Aside from the tingle OF
jingoism, 1t was a great message and one
that will immortalize President Cleveland.
Heretofore his messages. with the excep-
ton of his famous tariff reform letter
just prior to the presidential election in
1888, have been regarded as rather tame
and top-heavy. But his last epistle touched
a responsive chord in the American peo-
pie. and If 1t were necessary an army
large enough to whip any nation on earth
could be raised by word from the presi-
dent in twenty-four hours. Whatever
opinion people may have had about Presi-
dent Cleveland's courage has been dis
PEELED. That he has the backbone OF q
real soldier goes without saying. and
hereafter his state papers will be looked
forward to with more than passing inter-
est. Even his most pronounced enemies
threw up their hats and cheered for
Cleveland when they read his bold and
courageous lecture to Great Britain. 1t
wa, notice to England to keep hands
Off, things that do not belong to her.
And the American people will sustain
President Cleveland or any other chief ex-
ecrtive who will stand up for the rights
of this country.
The only thing that has a tendency to
detract force from the message is the be-
lief that President Cleveland is not the
real author of 1t. 1t Is generally believed
here that Secretary of State Olney wrote
tf'e ultimatum. The language used is so
different from that usually employed by
President Cleveland that the authorship
is disputed. 1t has the ear marks of Mr.
C.ney's style of composition. But that
Is neither here nor there. The message
contains the signature of President Cleve-
land and that ought to be sufficient to
arouse the Independent spirit in every
American heart And 1T has. Let hands
off, be the watchword of every true
American!
Ex-Clerk Of the House James Kerr has
leased his residence in this city and will
remove his family to Clearfiald on the first
of the new year. Mr.. Kerr is rather glad
that he is out of office-not for the reason
that he wanted the house In the hands of
the Republicans. but because he will have
more time to devote to his large and con-
stantly increasing business interests. Mr..
Kerr has several large railroad contracts
on hand at present. He has Just COM
ploted a railroad of l2O miles in length in
Oklahoma In addition to his railroad in
terests Mr.. Kerr Is large miner of bitum-
nous coal in central Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Kerr does not intend to quit pol
itics. but instead will take more active
interest in the management of the DEM
ocratic party in Pennsylvania than ever.
He is the recognized leader of the anti
Harrity forces In that state, and he and
his friends expect to have something TO
say about the selection of delegates TO the
next Democratic national convention. He
is opposed to the pernicious unit rule
system which placesoAn the power in the
hands of one man. He believes that every
delegate should be allowed to cast his
own vote and for whom he pleases, and
not be forced to stand back with hands
folded and allow somebody else to do his
voting for him. Mr.. Harrity bar.ered
away the Pennsylvania de.egat ton at Chi
cago three years ago for the federal pat
ronage Of the state. AS a result candl-
dates for offlce-no matter how large or
how small-had to fail down and worship
at the shrine Of Harrity before they could
secure appointments. Lackawanna county
had taste of Harrity's power. Every
body knows the result. From a close--in
fact. usually Democratic-county, 1t has
passed into the hands Of the Republicans
probably forever.
The day of Harrlty is fart approaching
an end.
II Il Il
Congressman Acheson is anxious to get
through congress this session a bill for
a public building at Little Washington,
his home. He wants 1t as sort Of monu-
ment to his industry while a member of
congress. The chances are he will not
get It.
i II \
Congressman Scranton is mad. He was
q member OF the famous combine that
elected the officers Of the house. and was
promised bone" for his vote. He has
been offered the "bone," but there IL not
enough meat on It to suit him. Hereto
fore Joseph has always had a pretty lib
eral slice ofapHtronage under the house, |
but this trip an assigned to him Is la.
borer's place worth only $50 per month.
This IL why he 10 mad. In the Fifty-frst
Joseph had a $1,000 cierxship Is
Ms share, Of the spoils. It was newspa-
bsr clerk and was fliled BY Billy Dapisls. !