The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-19
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
b. Tribune Bureau.
SlS Fourteenth street. n. w.
lNnS n IN o,nn LIB 4

5lo f'Ourteenth street, n. W.,
Washington. Feb. IS.
Speaker Reeds determination 10 keep
down appropriations is liable to lose him
more votes for the presidential nominal
tion than it will make him. 1t IL said that
he favors a big cut all along the line in
river and harbor appropriations. This is
where Speaker Reed will antagonize nj lie
out of every ten members of congress.
A member who represents a district which
hasn't a river, harbor or mud pond and
which doesn't want an appropriation Is
genuine curiosity. The river and harbor
bill Is the barrel from which every men,
ber expects to pull a slice of pork. When
they fail to get any other kind of an ap-
preparation for their districts they intro
duce bill for the Improvement of some
river, creek or tad-pole pond. In ma
jority of cases 1t Is cold steal. Some OF
the streams for which appropriations are
asked are no more apt to be made naviga-
BILE than the Lackawanna river. But that
makes no difference to the fellow in whose
district said stream is located. He wants
the appropriation just as badly as the
cOlOred minister wanted the groundho.,
when he was out of meat and was ex-
pecting visitors for dinner.
The only way in which Speaker Reed
can cut appropriations In the river and
harbOr bill Is to smother or kill the meas
ure In commit tee, and such thing Is next
to impossible. If the bill ever gets into
the house il will go through with rush.
The Fifty-flrst congress, of which Mr..
Reed was speaker OF the house, appro-
priated nearly $4,000 600 for river and har-
Dor improvements, and President Harri-
son promptly approved it. The Fifty
third congress cut those figures in twain.
but President Cleveland, who was al
ways been opposed to appropriating
money for such purposes, declined to sign
the bill and allowed it to become a law
without his signature. Probably Speaker
Reed Is afraid the president will veto the
bill II 1t is too big.
There is every reason to believe that
there will be no appropria tions for new
public buildings this session. although
many bills have been introduced. Speaker
Reed was very careful in making UP the
committee on public buildings and
grounds Before putting a man on that
committee he first found out whether or
not he wanted a public building for his
district. II he did he went on some
other committee.
The Transatlantic Steamship compa-
nies have powerful lobby at work here
to defeat the Stone or any other immigra-
tion bill that may be presented to con-
gress The Junior Order of American Me-
chanics and other patriotic associations
also have guards on duty to help pass a
restrictive law of some sort. 1t Is Doubt
ful. however. If u Irohibitive measure will
get through tfis session.
I notice that the Scranton Times doubts
the accuracy and truthfulness of my
interview with Senator Quay in which
the senator was quoted as saying that he
understood the Republican ticket of that
city would be elected by at least 1000 ma
jority. If the young man who wrote the
Times arti cle will come down to WASH
ingtOn l will take great pleasure in liz
Producing him TO Senator Quay and sew
eral other bigger and greater men than
he ever met before. The interview in
question was correct in every particular.
and one which. | dare say, the aforesaid
young man on the Times would be unabls
to get from Senator Quay or any other
public man 70" the reason that men Of
Senator Quay'5 standing are not in the
habit of being interviewed ON important
topics by novices in the business
In speaking of Senator Quay recalls
story heard the other day. The seu-
ator's committee room at the capitol
faces the white house and the Washing
ton monument. He was looking out of
one of the windows the other morniag
when Major Mcdowell, clerk of the
mouse, Walktu IN anu Saiuteu the senator
thusly:
"Ah, sc a.o-. locking at the white house.
presum -
mo. major" replied the senator with
Il smile, IL was looking at thethe mon
ument."
...-..Il II II
"Who killed the free silver bill?"
a." said Speaker Reed, with my little
gavel."
whats in name?' Is an old saying,
but there seems to be a good deal In some
names when ii comes to presidential can
didates. And Bil. is that name There
is Bill Allison. Bill Mckinley Bill Morri-
son and Bill Whitney-al presidential
possibilities. But, after all, Bill may nos
be the winner. IT may be Matt.
Il II II
II the Republicans of Luzerne county
are wise they will renominate Congress-
man Leisenring by acclamation. He is by
all odds the strongest man in the parry
in that neck O. woods.
|, \
Congressman KuIp will have no serious
opposition for denomination in the Sew
enteenth district He is good cam-
paigner and was the first Republican TO
break into congress in that Democratic
sti ongh0ld. W. II. Il.