Morris tribune., 1896-02-12
CONGRESS NEWS
FIatefesting Items Cleaned at
the Capital by the Tribune
Reporter.
An the, Important Doings in
the House and Senate Re
corded Weekly.

Washington, Feb. 10, 1896. I'm
sale Sam ought to turn Snowman for a
few days to exhibit the most wonder
ssfni lot of political freaks ever gath
cred together. He might station
himself on the east portico OF the SEN
,ate wing of the capitol building and
snake this little speech walk right
IN, ladies and gentlemen, and see my
wonderful collection of senatorial
oddities; see Hill, German, and all
the cuckoos, who, since voting against
the free coinage substitute for the
house bond bill, which passed the
zEssnate last week to die in conference,
aaaaze been suddenly transformed into
rampant advocates of the free coinage
auaf silver; see the Populist senators
having the wool pulled over their
eyes by the free trade Democrats.
All this, and more Uucle Sam might
4rlthfully say, without exaggerating
the situation in the senate. Every
Democratic senator is now advocat-
ing the free coinage substitute for the
house tariff bill, which Senator Jones,
of Nevada, bel ped them to report
frem the finance committee. The
geld Democrats are not doing this
because they have experienced a
financial change of mind, but be-
cause they hope to be able to use the
free coinage club to cudgel the life
,.eut of the house tariff bill, a Repub-
.lieau measure, which if it became
.aaH would add $4OOOO,0OO a year to
-1he government revenues, and pre-
swent the issue of any more bonds by
the Cleveland administration.
IF disposed, those Republican SEN
=ators who argued against attempting
SO do anything other than pass the
appropriation bills at this session,
cause of the lack Of Republican
majority in the senate, might now
SAY I-told-you-so to their impetuous
colleagues. But, instead Of wasting
time in that useless manner, they are
trying to think out way to outwit
The Democratic schemers and get the
tariff bill through the senate, just as
it passed the house. They may or
May not succeed, but it is encourag
ing to know that whenever the Re
publican and Democratic parties have
had contest depending upon brain
and wit for weapons the Republicans
have always come out on top.
General Harrison's letter stating
that he was not and would not be a
candidate before the St. Louis con-
.Fention was no surprise to his friends
ia congress, among whom are two
7exmembers of his cabinet, Senators
Proctor, of Vermont, and Elkins, of
West Virginia. These gentlemen
had known of Gen. Harrison's de-
termination for long time and they
had informed most of the Republi-
cans in congress, SO the letter created
ne sensation. In fact, | have it on
COED authority, that it would never
have been written except for the per-
7sisfency of Republicans in various
sections in offering their services to
Gen. Harrison, for the purpose of
Rleeting delegates to the St. Louis
convention who would favor his
nomination. There is more or less
gossip in Washington as to which of
fhe other candidates will get the in
a4iaence of Gen. Harrison. My own
.s0pinion, based upon long acquaint-
aance with and study of the conduct
sDf the man, covering his term as SEN
sator and his four years in the White
House, is that none of them will get
It. Not because he has no prefer
1Rnce, but because his unerring fitness
sef things will prevent his making
za1imself liable to be charged with try
ing to control the party, after having
been twice accorded its highest hon
nr. Gen. Harrison will occupy a
ss,osltion of dignifed neutrality in
keeping with the proper ideas Of an
sexPresident, and a heightened gen
aleman.
President Willetts, Of the National
farmers Alliance, the Supreme
council of which was in session in
Washington last week, evidently en-
dorses some of the things said by
Senator Tillman about Mr.. Cleve-
land, as he said in his annual adj
dress: I'VE are living today under a
supreme dictator, called President,