The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-12-13
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHINGToN. ID. c., December 9

WAsHINGToN, ID. c., December 9.
Mr.. EDIToR:-The boldest political com
bine ever formed in this country is that
dominated by Senator Quay, Boss Platt
and Speaker Reed. 1t is out for every
thing in sight Its first victory was the
election of the House officers, but it wasn't
satisfied to merely name the men who fill
ed the named offices of the House: it also
insisted upon naming every subordinate
employed by them. Every day men who
were never before seen by the new Clerk,
Doorkeeper and Sergeant at Arms of the
House present themselves as their subor
dinates and are sworn in, after exhibiting
the o. X. of the combine. That combine
will also control the makeup of the House
Committees, and is working hard to get its
grip on the Senate committees, but that is
more difficult as many influential repubii-
can senators are bitterly opposed to the
combine. 1t also has another difficult job
on hand in its effort to control the repub-
lican National Committee, which meets
here tomorrow to name the time and place
for holding the Republican National Con-
ventiOn. Although Mckinley and Reed
are in a deal to prevent Harrison's nomi
nation, that does not prevent Mckinley's
friends coming here in force to fight the
combines attempt to control the National
Committee. OF course the ultimate object
of the Piatt-Quay- Reed combine is the
nomination of Reed for President.
Much nonsense. some of it utterly idiot
ic, has been written because President
Cleveland was absent from Washington
when Lord Salisbury answer to Secretary
Olney's note of last July, asking whether
England intended to arbitrate its bound
arv dispute with Venezuela and notifying
England that this country would not toll
crate the forcible seizure of territory claim
ed by Venezuela, arrived. Stripped of all
verbiagc. here are the facts: President
Cleveland knew the nature of the answer;
he also knew that it was useless to send
special message to Congress with that an
swer until the House had its committees,
therefore he concluded to spend the time
duck hunting instead of waiting in Wash
in gton. If anybody is blamed it ought to
be Speaker Reed for not announcing the
House Committees.
Although every effort is being made to
keep it quiet it is well known in Washing
ton that there is a bitter fight raging be-
twecl the two factions which go to make
up the forty-two republican members of
the Senate Nominally these factions are
known as the old and the new senators
and the apparent object of the fight is to
obtain proper recognition for the new SEN
ators, but in reality it is IA fight between
the East and West, the gold and silver re-
publicans. Up to date the silver men seem
to be little ahead but that assumption is
based upon the sincerity of Senator Chand-
ler of New Hampshire who holds the bal
ance of power in the caucus committee
which is making up a list to fill the vacan-
cies on Senate Committees, and who has
been loud in professions of friendship for
silver. Threats are being made of a revolt
on the part of the silver senator's it they
do not get what they think they are entitled
to at the hands of that committee. Should
this revolt actually take place, Senator
Teller would be the Western candidate for
president pro TEN. of the Senate. The
democratic senators have agreed to allow
the republicans to organize the Senate if
they can agree among themselves to Il suf-
ticient extent to do SO.
Judge COrc0ran, of Boston, who is
Chairman of the Democratic State Com
nlittee of Massachusetts, has been spending
several days in Washington. He doesn't
regard the Presidential fight as already
won, by any means. He said: The cleo
tlon of 96 Is long way off, and nothing
can be determined until the candidates are
named and the issues of the campaign de-
velope. 1t will not be difficult for the
democratic party to find strong candi-
date. We New Englanders do not take
the third term talk seriously. but we do be-
lieve that the East can and will present
some very strong names 1T the National
Convention. To my mind Whitney is a
strong man and Olney is another. think
that they are the leading men in the East,
but it is difficult at this time to say which
is the best to make the race
A movement is on foot to hold a Joint
caucus of democratic senators and repre-
sentatives for the purpose oftrying to har-
monte existing differences in democratic
ranks and to agree upon some line of pol
icy to be followed in both House and Sen
ate during the present session of Congress.
Representative Stallings of Alabama, who
is one of the leaders of this movement,
says: There is really only one question
regarding which the democrats are badly
divided. That is the money question: and
if we can reach some satisfactory agree
ment by which it may be eliminated from
our discussions for the present there is no
reason why we should not get together
and present Il solid front to the repubi-
cans. ! am in favor of free coinage, but
do not believe the discussion of that one
question can advance the cause of silver
now, while its disorganizing effect is ex-
tremely hurtful to the party and to the
South. | would be in fayor-if Il confer
ence of the whole party in Congress can
be arranyed-of having a committee APP
pointed to confer with the President and
Secretary Carlisle regarding the steps nee
esSary to secure Il degree of harmony and
establish Il policy upon which we can all
unite.