The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-26
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Tribune Bureau.
No. 5l5 lith ST., n. w.

Washington, Dec. %.
This is Christmas Day ana all Washing
ton Is celebrating the event. The depart
ments are all closed. So Is the big build
Ing on the hill. where the nations legis-
lators meet and make and unmake laws.
tomorrow, however. every member and
senate is expected to be In his seat ready
for work. The ways and means commit
tee held Il session today and nearly, II not
altogether, completed new revenue bill
which will be reported TO the house to-
long winded debate on the new measure.
1t will be rushed through with a quick
ness that will make ex-Speaker Crisp and
his handful of free trade followers dizzy.
OF course all Of the Democrats are en-
pected TO, and no doubt will. vote against
the tariff advances, but the Republicans
that the Democratic opposition will not
amount to more than q soap bubble in a
gale of wind. Free trade will. indeed. be
roughly handled by this congress-espe-
cially in the house.
The proposed horizontal advance will
meet with some opposition In the senat te
from western Republicans. The bond bill
will also meet with considerable opposition
by southern and western senators, unless
concessions. satisfactory to the silverites.
are made there will be a hitch in the SEN
ate which may ultimately result in the
defeat of the plans decided upon by the
Republicans In the house. More meritori-
GUS measures have been talked to death
in the senate.
1t might be wise not to count your
chickens before they are Matched.
\ Il Il
The commission to locate the boundary
line between Venezuela and British Gui-
ana has been chosen by the president, but
the names will not be announced until
men Selected will serve. Among the names
included in the list from which the presi-
dent Is said to have made his selection
are Chief Justice Fuller. Associate Justices
Harlan, Brewer and Brown, ex:secretarry
J. w. Foster. Mr.. Coudert. of New York
ex-Secretary Fairchild, ex-Secretary Whit
ney, Don NJ. Dickinson. ex-senator Ed
munds, eX-Minlster Phelps. ex-Minster
White, White, NJ J; n Garter; Of New York
Lindsay. Of Kentucky, ex-Minister Lin
coin, Professor A. B. Andrews and ex-
Minister Winchester, of Kentucky. The
probabilities are that the commission will
consist of two Democrats and one Re-
publican. and that 1t will be announced
before the close of the present week.
Il i \
Senator Hills presidential stock ought
to be above par in the South. His bill re-
pealing the old proscriptive laws against
S-Confederates enlisting in the United
yesterday. There was some opposition to
1t by Senators Sherman and Hawley. They
wanted the bill referred to the committee
on military. but Mr.. Hill insisted that IL
sort of Christmas gift for the old fellows
who had to be whipped into line more than
thirty years ago.
While speaking of Senator Hill as n
presidential candidate i might not be out
of order or in bad political form to say
that unless the New York senator can
make n grandstand play of some kind
within the next few months his name will
probably not be mentioned in the next
national convention. His political career
seems to have suddenly ended as far as the
presidency Is concerned
/ Il \
This will be sad news to Martin Flynn
and Sam Boyd. but the whirligig Of time
often upsets and skaters the idols of the
best OF us.
While on the presidential subject I
might say that there is every reason to
believe that the pernicious unit rule sys-
TEN inaugurated by Mr.. Harrity Will not
prevail in the Pennsylvania delegation
the most reliable sources I learn that Mr..
Harrity will be overthrown at the next
state committee meeting. and also that
the next state convention Will not be con-
trolled by him. 1t Is understood that State
Chairman Wright will not be a candidate
for reelection for the reason that he has
tired Of serving Boss Harrity and his un-
scrupulous methods.
General Bingham has introduced joint
resolution in the house. which, II adopted,
may get this country into a war with
Spain. 1t ID as follows:
"Whereas, The inhabitants Of the island
of Cuba. In the exercise or an tnalienable
right. have abolished their government
and have instituted new government
,,ttbl In
'Whereas, The Republic of Cuba has
not received that recognition as free and
Independent republican government from
the United States which should have been
therefore, resolved, etc.. That the
president be directed to recognize the Re-
public Of Cuba"
TO recognize Cuba as an Independent
serious matter. In special message to
congress in 1870 President Grant, in speak
ing Of the insurrection then raging In
Cuba. said:
fact not to be decided by sympathy for or
prejudice against either party. The rela-
tions between the parent state and insur-
rectionists must amount In fact to war In
the sense of International law. Fighting,
though fierce and protracted. does not
alone constitute war. - and to
Justify a recognition of belligerencf there
must be above all a de facto political or
ganization Of the insurgents sufficient In
character and resources to constitute It, II
left to itself, a state among nations ca
pable of discharging the duties of u state
and of meeting the just responsibilities
II may incur as such towards other powers
in the discharge of its national duties.
1.-THE insurgents hold no town or city,
have no established seat of government.
they have no prize courts. no organization
for the receiving and collecting OF reve-
nues, no seaport to which prize may be
carried or through which access can be
had by a foreign power to the limited in
terror territory and mountain Businesses
which they occupy"
The same condition of affairs exists in
Cuba today. Five years later President
Grant had the following to say In regard
to recognizing Cuba as belligerent:
"If the belligerency be recognized the
commercial marine of the United States
becomes liable to search and to seizure by
the commissioned cruisers Of both par
ties; they become subject to the adjudica-
ton of prize courts"
The United States offered its friendly Of
fees for the restoration of peace, but they
were rejected by Spain. The struggle
lasted ten years. only to be renewed seven
teen years later under much the same con-
ditiOns.
II
Patents have been issued to Arthur II.
Squier, of Scranton, for condenser; 70
Frank Hemelright and j. W.. Taylor, OF
Jermyn, for rotary cut-on valve; TO
Jacob Muller. of Honesdale. for merry
go-round; to Francis j. Pribyl. Of Halle
ton, for a bottle stopper. w. X. b.