The Press., 1895-12-12

D6 1O1A0WGU Dy @4L 6Lk6 C8UUtU&G0S or all the parties. It would make the meeting of the national committees decidedly dis- agreeable for thOse unfortunate enough to belong to them. Delegations from six cities are fighting for the convention, but sporting man offered to wager two to one in any amount that Chicago would win, and there were no takers. The same man offered even money that the conven- tion would be held between the 18th day of June and the 10th of July without flnd- Ing taker.
 As usual in new congress the com mittees on mileage was the first one named. The honor of being its chairman fell to Representative Wright, of Massa- chusetts. So far Ss the public Is con- cerned this committee is not an import ant one, but members of the house re- gard 1t differently. They cannot collect the mileage which kind old Uncle Sam allows them-shutting his eyes to the travelling many of them do on passes- upon the trip from their homes to Wash ington and return, at the beginning and ending of each regular session of con- gI ess until this committee has o. K.'d the claim. Some day O sure enough thirty six inch reformer Is going to get at the head of this committee, and members of the house are going to have to prove that they paid money for @ railway ticket before they will be allowed mileage. Mileage was originally allowed congress- men for the purpose of reimbursing them for money actually spent in getting to Washington to attend . session of con- gress, but the amount now allowed Is in excess of the charges made by any big railroad for fare, 30 that even those con- gressmen who buy their railway tickets make money on the transaction. It Is surprising that some of the congressman, thirsting for fame as reformers, do not attack this mileage business, instead of breaking lances against gigantic wind. mills.
 If young blood Is what the senate need ed 1t has got It In pl ofusion, the new sen- ators being the youngest set of men who ever took their seats in that body. Sena- tor Butler of N. O., Is the youngest, be. ing only 32; Thurston, of Neb., Tillmau, of s. O., Pritchard, of N. O., and Martin of Va, are just 4s; Clark, of Wyo., and Mantell, of Mont, are A: Chiffon, of Texas, is 42; Mcbride, of Oregon, and Carter, of Mont, are Al; Wetmore, of R. l., Is 49, and Baker, of Kansas, the oldest of the bunch, is only 51.
 Some of the silver men in congress do not take as much stock In the friendship professed for silver by Senator Chandler, of N. H. , as they did before he introduced his bill for the free coinage of silver at 8 ratio of 154 to 1. The reason Is found in the little proviso attached to the bill-"to take effect whenever England, Germany and France shall enact a similar law" A silver man, in speaking of the matter, said: "It strikes me that Senator Chand- Ter and President Cleveland are pretty nearly the same sort of silver men,"
 Congress will do little of importance until the senate and house committees are settled. Speaker Reed seems to be having unexpected difficulties in arranging the house committees. In the senate q republican caucus committee is engaged in making up slate for the approval oi the caucus, but 1t Is far from certain that the work will be completed before the holiday recess. The alacrity of the dem. ocratic senators in allowing the. republi cans to organize the senate is puzzling tht latter no little. They seem to fear traE of some sort. The populist senators say they will wait and see what the other fel. lows do, meanwhile voting as a unit, il any voting Is done.