Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-05
Not Likely That the Republicans
Will Make Any Alliance.
THEY WILL Be SHORT OF A QUORUM
viii Probably Wait for Success in
IL. 1896.
SPECIAL MESSAGE RUMORS


about the republicans Of the Senate enter
ing into an agreement with the democrats
by which the offices of that body are to be
divided between the two parties. exclud-
ing the populists. is not supported by any
expression from the republican managers.
The democrats, though they will no longer
have majority Of the Senate after the 4th
OF March, have possession of the organiza-
tion, which in the absence of a distinct re-
publican majority is more than nine points
of the law. Only by combination can the
republicans dislodge them before '06. How
the republican leaders feel about the mat
ter OF making combination no one has
been able to find out. The democrats have
tried in diplomatic way to sound them,
but they have been silent and discreet.
They keep their Intentions carefully to
themselves. II they should combine with
the populists to secure the organization
they would be nominally In control of both
houses, and so be publicly held responsible
for legislation, while they would not have
the power in the Senate to legislate. If
they divide the organization with the DEM
ocrats they will relieve the democratic
party before the country from the respon-
sibility for legislation in that body and
possibly save them from considerable em-
barrassment.
They will start in afrer the 4th of March
with forty-three Senators who go into the
republican caucus, while it will take forty
five for majority. In the following Jan
uary there Will. in all proba bility, be two
republicans elected from Utah. This will
give them forty-five, but at the same time
1t will increase the number necessary to a
majority to forty-six, that they will be
still one short unless they are rejoined by
Jones of Nevada. Thus it will be seen that
the chances are egainst their having to
take the responsibility for the Senate at
any time during the balance of Mr.. Cleve
lsl.d's term, though the democrats, not
having a majority either, will be at their
mercy.
But If in '96 the republicans are victor
ious in the presidential election. they will
almost certainly be. in control of the entire
government. with good majority in both
houses of Congress. They can look forward
to '07, when the change of administration
will occur, to adding TO their present list
of Senator's one from New York, one from
Ohio. one from Indiana, one from Illinois.
enc from Wisconsin, one from Kansas and
one from Nevada, giving them. with the
two from Utah, fifty-two. and by that time
they may haye two more from New Mexico.
= With THIS Ntuation surrounding them and
this prospect before them 1t is not likely
that they will make any entangling al
hances during the remainder of Mr.. Cleve-
lands term.
The Special Message Stories.
The stories about the President sending
in special message as they went the
rounds during the past two days illus
trate how conflicting reports on the best
authority" get growth at the Capitol
There could be nothing more positive than
the two statements made, the one that
he would and the other that he would
not send in a special message. A Star
reporter started QUITO trace the two state
ments to their starting point, it being
claimed that both resulted from talks had
by members Of the House with the Presi-
dent. After making pledges at every step
of the inquiry not to disclose any sources
of information this is what was learned:
That in talking to one man sorle days ago
the President agreed that there might
possibly be something to he made by send
ing a special message to Congress- and
that the matter was worth his conSidera-
ton. The man at once communicated in
confidence the statement that the Presi-
dent would certainly send in message.
The next man said to some other member
of the House that he had it from fellow
member, to whom the President had made
the statement, that the President had said
that he would certainly send in mes
sage.
A day or two after this member went
to the President to urge him to send in
message. The President retorted with
some irritation that he did not see why
he should be called upon to be all the
time reminding Congress of their duty;
that he had made recommendations and
that they knew the situation as well as he
did AS .in the other case he did not say
whether he would send the message or
rot. He simply express impatience at
beipg.Aealled upon to do so. The member
in1rnHAfAtely reported, however, that the
Prestdent. had declared that he would
send no more messages.
From this grew the two reports in conflict.
Neither man intended to convey misin-
formation, but each failed to differentiate
and repeated the impression the declara-
tion of the President made on him, instead
If exactly what was said.