The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-01
THE GEORGIA DELEGATION.
1T IS REGARDED As ABOUT THE
STRONGEST N THE HOUSE.

some Remarks About the River and
HarbOr BiII-Nevy Members and
Their Public building, BiIIs-Gen.
CatchinEs Views Respecting the
Income Tax-BeIief That Cleveland
VIII BE RenOminated.
Washington, Nov. 29-Georgia is one
Of the five states to send a solid deraq-
cratic delegation to the Fifty-fourth coh-
gress. The other states in the solid class
| are Arkansas. Florida, Louisiana.
! Mississippi and South Carolina.
All Of the other southern states
have yielded one or more districts
to republicans or populists As has been
the rule for many years past. Georgia
sends to the new congress the strongest
and most influential delegation in the
House. The Great Exposition State"
has learned by experience that it IS for
the best interests of the state TO send
her most experienced men back to con-
gress as long as they perform their du-
ties acceptably. Judge Turner, who
stands at the head of the delegation by
reason Of his recognized ability, is close
" followed by ex-Speaker Crisp, Col. Les
ter. Judge Black. Nessrs. Maddox, Law
son. Moses. Bartlett. Tate. Ben Russell
and Lon Livingston. 1t is difficult to
find weak spot in the Georgia group
for all of them are effective workers in
committee and on the floor, and when
any question comes up that interests tho
state they jump in and work for it with
an energy that might be profitable in
other delegations. If Judge Turner was
a little more self-assertive, he might have
years ago. When he addresses the House
there is no member on either side of the
chamber who can command greater re-
spect aEl attention. and his Georgia
colleagues are also strong in the de-
bates in the House. Speaker Reed is
familiar with their qualifications, and
they will receive good assignments in
the reorganization of the committees.
A flood of bills providing for new public
buildings is expected to sweep over the
new congress, for almost every new mem
Der of the House has a public building
bill concealed in his hip pocket, and he
Will draw il upon the slightest DrOVOca-
ton. For several years past there has
been disposition on the part Of the
treasury Ott1clalS to discourage the cree
ton of new public buildings, until some
of the work now on hand is completed
There are several hundred structures in
TIE course Oh tOlUplGIlO1, ana as money IN
the treasury is scarce, the outlook for
the new members with public building
bills, is not particularly bright at this
period.
The river and harbor bill promises to be
the big combination scheme of the coming
session. once every two years congress
passes an appropriation for rivers AZ d
harbors, the power behind it is sufficient
to override the Presidents veto, when
ever he interposes an objection to the
amount involved. This year the chief of
n % no - o.
gregate amount of his Recommendations
for river and harbOr improvements down
to a comparatively low figure. In doing
SO he has omitted to make recommends
tons for several very important works.
Before the session is over 1t viii be found
that the friends of the various projects
will get together and frame a bill that
will provide ample means for all the i'm
pOrtant work now contemplated. The
chief of engineers may scale down his es-
Inmates and the President may threaten
a veto, but the friends of river and harbor
improvements will what they want, never
thelesS.
Representative Catchings of Mississip-
pt who, as the leader of the democratic
forces on the floor in the last congress-
and warm personal friend of President
Cleveland, surprised me yesterday by his
bold advocacy of an income tax measure
as means of relief for the suffering
finances of the government. Gen. Catch
ings says the democratic party should
not be censured TOO severely for the cX-
listing deficit in the treasury, for he claims
carried out il would have realized over
$50 100000. more than enough to cover the
present deficit. He still insists that an
income tax is not only constitutional
but he claims that it is the safest and best
way to improve the revenues of the gov
eminent. He does not anticipate any
movement looking to the enactment Of
such law during the present congress,
for he realizes that it would be futile in
the face of the decision of the supreme
court.
In support of Gen. Catching's views on
this subject Representative Myer of
Louisiana, who voted against the income
tax, volunteered the statement that in his
judgment il would have been better for
the country had>the provision relative to
incomes been allowed to remain upon the
statute books. This change of heart on
the part of Gen. Myer is probably due to
the difficulties he is encountering at tie
treasury department in securing his share
of the sugar bounty. He probably feels
that if there was a surplus instead of
( deficit, he would stand a better chance
of getting his money.
During the past week / have talked poll
ties with more than a dozen prominent
democratic congressman, including sew
eral senators, who are supposed to wield
considerable influence in the party cOun-
ellis. None of them appear to have any
fixed idea what the President intends to
say in his annual message and none OF
them are advised as to the intended pol
icy of the administration during the com
ing twelve months. The most trouble,
some question to put to the average dem
will be the party nominee for president
at the next national convention?''
The names of Whitney Hill German
Russell of Massachusetts, Boise of Iowa
Morrison and Stevenson are mentioned
with appropriate comments, but the know
ing statesmen shake their heads dOubf-
fully and remark that none of the men
named measure up to the full standard
of ability and popularity, sufficient to in
sure party success. The next question
naturally is whether President Cleveland
should be given a third term. Some of
them balk at the name of Cleveland bur
they eventually admit that he is about the
only man in sight who stands the slight
est chance of being elected. Many of the
democratic congressman, in making this
confession, do so with great reluctance
and some of them express the hope that
he win take the nomination and be de-
feated. After poking around in the pile
of political wisdom here assembled I am
convinced that President Cleveland is i'm
more danger of being the next democrats
nominee than any other man yet named.