Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-01-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Special Correspondent

than in the existing Democratic Con-
gress, or else he is pretending that he
has, in order to induce the Democrats
in Congress to pass the Carlisle cur
rency bill or some other bill along the
same lines. 1t is certain that a hint
almost as strong as an official notifca-
cation has been given prominent Dem
ocrats In Congress as nearly direct from
Mr.. Cleveland as ii could have been
unless he had himself given it, that un.
less this Congress passes some financial
bill Of a nature satisfactory to the ad-
ministration, an extra session of the
new Republican Congress will be called
soon after the fourth of next March,
for the express purpose of dealing with
financial matters. The hint has not,
however, had the effect intended. In.
stead of making the Democrats more
anxious to get together and pass a fin
ancial bill, it has been seized by many
of them as offering a good excuse FOR
not passing a bill. These Democrats
say that as a matter of party policy the
Democrats in Congress can not do bet
ter than to shift the responsibility of
financial legislation to the next Con-
gress, in the hope that the Republicans
may make some mistake that will give
the Democrats a chance to elect the
next President, something they ack.
nowledge themselves to be without at
this time. Republicans smile at this
condition of affairs and point to the
fact that no Congress controlled by Re-
publicans has ever attempted to shirk
any of its responsibilities. Republican
Congresses have made mistakes. but
they were mistakes caused by action,
and never by fear of acting. Republi-
cans have been approached and asked
to name what amendments to the cur.
rency bill would be necessary to secure
their support for the bill. None have
been named, however, as nothing could
induce Republicans to support the bill.
There seems to be a plot among a
few members of his own party to try
to make ex-Speaker Reed believe that
he will endanger his Presidential
chances by excepting the Speakership
of the next House. The following re-
marks were made by one of them, and
is a fair specimen of those used by all
who are in the plot: IF Reed is the
wise man l think he is, he will decline
the Speakership. He has got all the
reputation out of it he can, and if he
takes it again will put himself in a po-
sition to offend about one half the Re-
publican members, as there will not be
committee chairmanships enough to go
round. The members of the House are
the men who shape the delegations to
the national convention, and he can
tnot afford to offend them" This sort
of talk must be very amusing to Mr..
Reed, who knows just what it means
to be Speaker of the House, and who
would doubtless be glad to hear of any
mar who ever declined that position,
although there isn't at this time the
slightest probability of his doing SO.
A Western Congressman, who says
he got it from a member of the cabinet,
is telling a little story which illustrates
the manne in which Mr.. Cleveland
treats his cabinet. The story in SUBJ
stance is, that at the close of q cabinet
meeting Mr.. Cleveland told Postmaster
General Bissell that he was ready to
take up the question of the appoint
ment of a postmaster for Washington,
and requested Mr.. Bissell to bring the
applications on file to the White House.
The next morning Mr.. Bissell carried
the applications to Mr.. Cleveland, but
instead of opening the bulky package
Mr.. Cleveland handed Mr.. Bissell a
card, remarking, "Have the papers
made out appointing him." Mr.. Bis
sell tried to protest, saying that Mr..
Willett had no application on file and
was not extensively endorsed, but he
was cut short by the curt oun
ment, II have decided to appoint
him." There's a lesson in this for
those who spend time and money pre-.
pairing applications for office and get
ting endorsements.
Senator Lodges Hawaiian resolution
which will come up soon after the re-
assembling of Congress, has caused the
few friends of the administration to
work over time in trying to explain
why the recommendation of Admiral
Walker, to keep a United States wal
vessel at Honolulu, was turned down.
They say that the administration was
actuated by a desire to let the royalists
of Hawaii understand that this Gov
eminent did not intend to restore the
queen, and that the removal of the
United States vessel then at Honolulu
was considered the best way to do it.
To'make this argument appear plausi,
BILE it is stated that an understanding
had been reached with the British
Government by the administration, of
which Admiral Walker was ignorant,
which made it perfectly safe to with
draw our vessels. II will take the Off
cial documents to convince Congress
that these statements represent the
truth.