The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-16
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Tribune Bureau,
No. 5l5 Fourteenth ST., n. W.,
Washington Dec II


Washington, Dec. Is.
1t will be two weeks on Monday since
congress convened and neither house has
done tap of work except the introduction
of few hundred bills. The house, of
course, elected new officers, but the SEN
ate has done nothing in that direction ex-
cept talk about reorganization Whether
1t will make a clean Job of 1t when 1t be-
gins Is a question. The Republicans are
not quite strong enough to do the job
alone, md the Populists, upon whom they
must depend for support want good
slice of the pie themselves. II they cam
not get what they want from the Republic
cans they will turn to the Democrats. In
that event there will be no reorganization.
The principal reason for reorganizing g
the senate is the fat jobs that are in it,.
At present all the offices worth having are
held by Democrats. All the important
committees are presided over by Demo-
Gratis. The minor committees are headed
by Republicans for the reason that there
are more committees than Democrats. Re-
organization simply means shift in
chairmanships and a distribution of the
bones among the horde of Republican
hunters now smiling around the capitol.
There is little doubt about the R6publi-
cans being able to reorganize the senate.
BY giving the Populists fairly good
craftsmanship each and thkowing out a
few bones" to the fellows who are tag
ging around after the Pops the Republic
cans can easily secure control In the sem
ate. The Democrats are not losing any
sleep over the matter.
About all the places under the officers of
the house have been given out. The Com
blne Is not hurt with modesty, either
When the Combine was formed last sum-
mer every fellow who Joined 1t was prom
lsed an Office of some kind, and true to
its word, 1T is taking care of its members
Every member in the Pennsylvania dele
cation has got bone" or will get one
between now and the first of the new
year. The fellows who opposed the Conn
blne are standing around cooling their
heels They are expected to make "hol-
ier,' however and they may force the
victors to disgorge some of the spoils
1t has always been customary for the win
ners In the fights for house officers to give
few minor places to their opponents. and
this is the first time the custom has not
been followed. The result is awaited with
curiosity. There will be some fun--for the
Democrats, at least.
\
For many years the press galleries at
both ends of the capitol have been con-
trolled by the newspaper correspondence
There are two good paying Jobs I'm each
gallery. and they have been filled by the
same men, no matter which political par
ty was in power. Efforts have OCCASION
ally been made to dispace these employees,
but the correspondents simply got up on
their hind legs and howled aginst the in
trusion of the new doorkeeper
upon whose roll the keepers of the
press galleries are borne The correspond
ents had occasion to howl this week and
they howicd. too The new doorkeepr w.
j. Glenn. n member Of the now famous
Combine. removed Charlie Mann, one of
the messengers Of the house press gallery.
His head had hardly landed in the bas-
;et until Macedonian cry went up. Door
keeper Glenn was Immediately waited
upon, and after the situation was ex-
planned to him. Charlie was restored. The
newspaper correspondents do not attempt
to interfere with other appointments but
they will not tolerate anything which en-
croaches upon what they claim as heir
nal!cnable rights. They have rights which
even n $3.50 officer of the house must
respect.
When Mayor Ghroy. OF New York. APP
pointed Amos J. Cummings street COM
missioner of that city In tho summer cf
1891 the printer-congressman facetiously
remarked that he had been thrown out
OF congress into the streets. He did not
resign his seat In the house because his
duties as commissioner Of streets were
not Incompatible with those OF congrcss-
man, and as he had been defeated for q
renomination and an election % al the