Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-12-20


The republican caucus committee
has finished selecting the chalrmen
membership of those committees,
and a caucus is now in session to
consider them, and,unless advance
indications were all wrong, us
quite lively caucus. Ole of the
causes is that Senator Stewart,
populist, Of Nevada, has Oeen
named as Chairman of the Pacific
Railroads Committee, which, 10
view of legislation for the settle
mrnt of the debts those roads owe
the government, will he very I'm
portant committee. 1t is believed
that the slate Will go through as
arranged by the caucus committee
but if the fighting caucus isa bitter
one it will probably result in de-
ferring the reorganization of the
Senate until after Christmss.
The silvsr Senators will have a
majority of three in the Finance
Committee which will enable them
to report a free coinage bill when
ever so disposed, but the more con-
servatiye silver men DO not think
they will do so at the present SEES
sion. because it W ould only be a
waste of time. Eyer if the Senate
should pass it, there would he no
show to even get it before the
House, to say nothing Of getting It
thraugh; aud should both House
and Senate pass it a vito would
await it at the White House.
Still the silver men are glad to
control that committee. They can
prev ert anti silver legislation, II
they can't get what they want
The frowDs of the administration
have not deferred the silver demo-
Gratis from renting a home just
across from the Capitol building
aud going into business rs a Nat
iOnal organization, by formally
opening headquarters tor the
dissemination OF literature
devoted to silver. Senator Harris,
of Tenn, Is at the head ofthis anti
administration democratic move
ment. The announced object is to
fight for silver inside the democra.
tic party, but the interesting thing
about 1t IS, what will Senator llAI-
ris and his followers do ii the anti
silver or administration wing OF
their party controls the DemOcrdIlc
National Convention, as most
politicians believe it will. Some OF
the populists believe the silver
democrats will then 60 to them,
bat the silver democrats say they
are so certain to control the demo
cratic convention that they have
not considered what they will do
if they TAIL. That sort of talk is
bluffing. Great generals do not
plan campaign without providing
for possible defeat, and Senator
Harris and those who are in the
movement with him have had too
much to do With politics not to
have made plans to govern their
acts IN case of defeat; they don't
want them known, that's all.
That there has heeu tor several
years tendency on the part OF
the Senate to become more excIu-
sive Is undeniable. 1t began when
the public were shut out OF one Ct
the elevators 10 the S,nate wing
of the Capitol and was added to
when the public was denied access
to the Senate chamber alter tie
Senate adjourned. For the first
time the people who were not
provided with tickets were shut
out of the gall cries OF both House
and Senate, on the opening day of
this session. These things all show
a growing desire for exclusiYeness,
but plan now under considera
ton furnishes proof positive, so far
as the Senate is concerned. 1t Is
proposed to remove the old wood
benches in the Senate galleries
and to replace them with folding
opera chairs. 80 far that ia a good
idea. But it is further proposed
that these chairs be numbered so
that they may be reserved by the
Senator'S upon all interesting oc.
casions and the tickets therefor
disturbed among thIer friends.
That is a very bad idea. lfsdOpt
ed, as it almost certainly will be.
no person who could not get a
ticket from Senator could be ad.
mitted to the Senate galleries
" hen there was any prob bllity OF
any thing interesting occurring on
the floor, which would be very IN.
Just and very un.American.
President Cleveland has returned