Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-01-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON, d. c.. Jan. "a, '96.
Senator Wolcott's unexpected attack
upon the Monroe doctrine, while not
likely to destroy. that doctrine, which
existed before the brilliant junior SEN
ator from Colorado entered public life
and will probably continue to exist
long after he %retires, Is deeply regretted
by his Republican friends. The Repub.
lican party has from its birth believed
in and advocated the maintenance of
the Monroe doctrine, and it will con.
tinue to do 80. ever without the ap-
proval of Mr.. Wolcott. Senator VOL
colt has many admirers in Congress,
and he deserves them all, but like other
orators, he has a weakness for ome
times taking the unpopular side of a
public question in order to make q
speech that will create q sensation.
Ordinarily such speeches do no great
amount of harm, but this speech will
be quoted all over Europe as tending
to show that the people of the United
States are not united in support of the
Monroe doctrine, and to that extent it
is calculated to weaken tho prestige of
the United Stated. Mr.. Wolcott's con-
GLIDING words were highly commenda.
tory, and directly IN line with the Sen
ate resolution, calling upon the Euro
pean governments, which have a treaty
right to interfere, to protect the Chris.
tians of Armenia from Turkish perse-
cution. He said: "Whatever of ad.
vancement and of progress for the hu.
man race the centuries shall bring us
must largely come, in my opinion,
through the spread of the religion of
Christ"
The widely advertised silver confer
ference was held here this week. I,s
proceedings were largely secret, but
there is nothing to indicate that it will
play any more important part in ma.
tional politics than did the conference
attended by about the same men
which suggested ex Congressman Sib-
ley, Of Pennsylvania, as the silver
candidate for President. Not a half
dozen members of Congress partici-
pated in the conference. Although il
was confessedly a sort of an assistant
Populist movement tue Populists as a
rule held aloof.
When a woman will, she will.
whether il pleases the Sultan of Tur.
key, the Secretary of State or anybody
else. Miss Clara Barton, President Of
the United States branch Of the Red
Cross Society, left Washington this
week bound Tor A~rmenia,w here tits her
purpose to endeavor to distribute the
money subscribed in this country for
the relief OF the destitute Armeniaus.
Notwithstanding the notice given by
the Sultan thatsuch distribution would
not be allowed. State department of.
ficisls are quite confident that Miss
Barton and those who accompany her
are taking a useless trip and that none
of them will be allowed to enter Ar.
menia. Miss Barton thinks differently.
She banks on the power of the Red
Cross Society, of which Turkey is a
member, to give her a personal inter.
view with the Sultan, and her own
persuasive powers to do the rest.
The House is making such rapid
progress in d~isposing of the business of
the session that there seems to be solid
basis for the prediction made by Re-
publican members, that if there is no
unexpected hitch Congress will adjourn
sometime In May. Three of the an.
preparation bills-pension, military
academy, and urgent deficiency have
already been passed by the House, and
the Postofice appropriation bill is about
to be taken up. But after all, it ism t
the House that will determine the
length of the session. 1t is the Senate
and what the Senate will or will not
do under existing conditions is more
than can be accurately predicted BY
any man. Under its rules it is posi-.
BILE for several determined men to keep
Congress in session as long they desire
and at the same time prevent anything
being done. However, it is the u
pose of the Republican leaders in the
House to place the responsibility for
unnecessarily prolonging the session
upon the Senate, by having the House
finish up its business at the earliest
possible moment, aud then adjourn
from day to day, which will show the
country where the fault is.
VuostNO EiCiu bhlb WCOh uculeu Lue
periodical rumor that he was contem.
plating an early retirement from the
bench of the Supreme Court. He has
had to do this about twice a year ever
since he became eligible for retirement.
He says he will not retire so long as
his health continues good enough for
him to perform his duties as easily as
he does now. Republicans hope that
he will not retire until after March, 4,
1887, so that his successor may be a
Republican.
No action has yet been taken by the
Senate Committee on Finance on the
House Tariff bill, and it is now under
derstood that nothing will be done
until the Senate acts upon the free
coinage substitute for the House bond
bill which is now the unfinished bust.
ness of that body. 1t is supposed that
this bill will be voted upon as soon as
the V1tah Sauoforo taLa fha;r aaat,