The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-02-15
W ashingtOn Letter.
From our regular Correspondent
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tana, took the oath of Office the demo-
cratic majority of the Senate disap-
peared-let us hope never to come
back again. The Senate now con-
sists of Sc members, 43 democrats, 80
republicans and 5 populists. When
the republican Senators from Wyom-
ing and Washington take their seats
the Senate will be full for the first
time for several years, and 45 will be
majority. The only change made
by the accessions to the Senate, from
a financial point of view, is to
strengthen the silver men, who already
had majority AS an answer to ap-
peals which have been made to them
to join hands with the administration
and pass financial bill, several re-
publican Senators have been made
careful canvass Of the Senate ard the
result IS that 4 Senator's &c fcg the
free coinage OF silver and 80 against
it. The free coinage men will have
49 votes when the Washington and
Wyoming Senators arrive.
There is hitch in the administra-
tons programme for the new Issue of
bonds While it is given ont that the
administration is waiting 10 see if
Congress will act upon Mr.. Cleveland's
gold bond recommendation, it is well
known til & delay has been caused
by the demands OF the capitalists who
are expected to subscribe for the new
bonds. Orders have been issued to
the Bureau OF Engraving and Print
ing to print $5O0,000.00o OF 4 per
cent thirty year bonds authorized by
the specie resumption act OF 1872, but
what amount will be issued is not yet
known. Mr.. Cleveland is said to favor
for bids without stating
any specified amount and accepting
all satisfactory bids, bat the Cabinet
is understood to he divided on that
idea. The question may he settled at
the Cabinet meeting to be held
tomorrow
Through the instrumentality of
Senators Frye. Of Maine, and Dubois,
of Idaho, Senators Chandler and Gal
linger, of New Hampshire, have re-
sumed amicable relations with each
other, much to the qualification of
their republican colleagues. Previous
to their reconciliation the two Sena
tors had not spoken to each other for
some years.
Ii the generally accepted version Of
the cause of the resignation Of Solici-
tor General Maxwell, that he resented
being censured by Attorney General
Olney for having consented to getting
the case involving the constitutionali-
ty of the income tax advanced by the
Supreme Court, be true, the Attorney
Generals resignation ought to quickly
follow The people do not understand
that it is the duty of the Department
Of Justice to throw obstacles in the
way of getting sdeedy decisions upon
any question involving constitutionali-
ty of law, whenever the Attorney
General shall be afraid that the deci-
sion will injure bis political party.
On the contrary, they expect, as they
have right to, that this department
shall, as the late Solicitor General did,
use all due diligence to expedite such
decisions, regardless OF effect or feared
effect. To carry out the Attorney
Generals ideas would bc an attempt
by the executive branch of the gov
to encroaeh upon the prero-
gatives of the judicial branch. The
failure OF its numerous recent at
tempts to control the legislative
branch should be warning enough.
The most disgraceful personal en-
counter of the present session-the
only one, in fact-was that in which
two ats-Breckenridge of KY,
and Heard of Mo.,-were the princi-
pals. There would iave been regu-
lar rough and tumble fight on the
floor of the House had nobody inter-
fered. The epithets "liar" and "con-
temptible" were exchanged, and then
as usual, apologies were offered and
the House gave its consent to striking
the whole business from the record.
The House will this week decide
what shall be done with the Cleveland
gold bond bill, the committee on Rules
having decided to report an order set
ting aside TUESDAY, Wednesday, and
Thursday for its consideration. If
this order is adopted by the House the
final vote will be taken next Thurs
day, but there seems q probability,
notwithstanding the extraordinary
efforts Of the administration to prevent