The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-12-04
FROM THE CAPITOL.
Our Correspondent Talks in a Sage
Manner of Things in General
About Washington.
(Communicated.)
wv AcrrrHr~n0NJ Nh, On 1OOG

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 1896.
Mr.. Bryan has promised to attend
the conference of the silver men which
is TO be held in Washington a few
days after Congress meets and which
will try to determine the attitude of
the silver men in Congress not only
towards legislation that is strictly fl
nancial in its nature, but also towards
revenue legislation, which is indirectly
| financial. The result of that confer
ence will come very near deciding
whether there will be any revenue leg
( islation at this session, assuming that
the Republicans really desire that
there shall be any, which is by no
means certain. The silver Senators
are in majority, and if they act to-
gether can dictate the legislation as far
as the Senate is concerned, but there
] is doubt as to whether the Republi-
! can silver Senators will agree to act
with the Silver Democrats on revenue
! legislation and at least one Populist
| Senator is also in doubt. These doubts
are expected to be cleared up at this
conference.
The luxury loving Senators will
have 10 cause for complaint when
they meet in the newly-done up Sen
ale Chamber Every thing looks spick
and span new and most of what is in
sight is. There are new mahogany
desks for the solous and richly up
holstered leather-coVtred chairs, all
of one pattern, instead of each being
the selection of the Senator who occu-
pies it, The old wooden benches have
been removed from the galleries and
folding opera chairs put in their place,
| while everything is of color harmon
iZing with the mahogany on the main
floor, and, as a wag has suggested,
with the noses of SeVe raj OF the Sena-
tors. There is also new ventilating
machinery and "a fine electric lighting
outfit. The House shares in the last
named improvement, but in none of
| the others. The House, which is will
ing to follow the Senate in appropriate
ing money for luxurious fittings FIR
its chamber has not yet been elected
The average member of the House is
just little bit afraid of the effects of
such fiXings upon his constituents.
The reputable patent lawyers of
Washington, and judging from ad-
vices received, from everywhere, are
awakening to the existing necessity of
doing some thing to stop the degrade
ton of their profession by those who
are trying to make gamblers out of in
ventors by Turing them into paying
cash fee for entrance into "a lottery COM
petition of ideas before making their
application for United States patents,
admitting all who pay the price, even
when knowing that their idea is not
pate ntable ana that it's rejection by the
Patent Office would be certain. In the
matter of suspending patent solicitors
from practice before the Patent Office,
the power of the Commissioner of Pat
ents is limited, even in cases of wrong
doing OIL the part of the solicitor, after
an application has been filed in the
Patent Office, and he has no authority
at all in cases in which no application
is filed. 1t is believed that The orgau-
ization of a Patent Bar, with rules of
practice as stringent as those which are
enforced in any court of law, would
J stop such practices, and until there is
such the inventor will do we'll to be
certain that his parent business is put
into the hands of honorable and trust
worthy lawyers.
Everybody who know Hon. John
Sherman knows that an iceberg isn't
in the same class with him when he is
disposed to lower the temp, nature
around his immediate presence. There
fore it is believed in Washington that
If Mark Hanna carries out his reported
intention of Offering Mr.. Sherman
seat in McKinley's cabinet If he will
agree To join in the deal to make Han
ma his successor in the Senate, he will
meet the coolest wave of his life. 1t
has been understood for some time by
those who are near 20 Mr.. Sherman po-
Iitically, that the old man not only
wants to stay in the Senate to the end
of his present term, but also to be
reelected to another, and that he has
already b. gun to pull wires to bring
about lis desires. If Mr.. Hanna tries
TO bluff him by telling him that he
and Bushnell and Foraker will see to
it that lie shall be defeated if he refuses
to fall in with their plans and goes be-
fore the Legislature two years be nee,
he may find that Mr.. Sherman is some
what of buffer himself. He has al
ready made one by denying any
knowledge of Hanna's intention.
There will b. circus among the Re-
publicans when Mark Hanna comes 10
Washington to appoint the Chairman
of the Mckinley Inauguration Conn
mittee, especially If he carries out The
original plan of appointing Mr.. s. W.
Woodward. a gold Democrat, who was
heavy contributor to the campaign
fund, as he probably will. The rank
aud file of the local Republicans are
opposed to the craftsmanship being
given to Woodward or to anybody else
who is not Republican, and some of
those who are nOtapplicants for official
favors will do some plain talking to
Hanna if he sticks to Woodward.