The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-11-26
WASHINGTON.
from our Regular Correspondent

Has President Cleveland made a
deal with President-elect Mckinley ?
Strange as this question may appear
current rumors make it pertinent.
One of those rumors has it that list
of Federal employees in a number of
southern states who took an active
part in supporting Bryan in the late
campaign is being prepared; that
they are all to be dismissed and gold
democrats appointed in their places,
and that an understanding exists by
which these gold democrats are to be
allowed to retain their places under
the Mckinley administration. Ex-
Congressman Forman, of ILL.,, who
took an active part in the campaign
as gold democrat, and who has just
been appointed Commissioner of In.
ternal Revenue to succeed Mr.. Miller
who resigned to enter private bust
ness, is said to have received assur-
ances that he would be allowed to
keep the office under the Mckinley
administration. In fact, it is said
that he would not otherwise have ac-
cepted the Office. These rumors can
not be authenticated, and it would be
difficult TO believe such things posi-
BILE had it not been for the political
happenings of the last year. Just
imagine what would have been
thought OF the man who would have
correctly forecast the political events
of the past twelve months one year
ago.
The larger the number of Republi-
can Senators and Representatives in
Washington grows the more probable
it becomes that no real effort is going
to be made by them to pass the
Dingley tariff bill in the Senate.
While there are few conservatives
among them who favor passing the
Dingley bill or some other bill slightly
amending the present tariff law at
this session of Congress and sparing
the country the worry of an extra
session, the great majority of them
are determined to have an extra ses-
sion and to pass high tariff bill in
the House and to try to pass it in the
Senate, and will probably have their
way.
Senator Mills, of Texas, is among
the early Congressional arrivals. He
says he doesn't care to guess what
will be done at the coming session Of
Congress, but his talk indicates that
he doesn't expect any tariff legislation
He had few words to say that are
commended to the gentlemen who
are inclined to follow the advice of
Senator PETER and favor the organiza-
ton of a new party to combine all the
elements opposed to McKlnleyism
and the gold standard. Said Mr..
Mills The democratic party will
live as long as the government lives.
No amount Of whipping can kill it. "
Some of the friends of the McKin-
ley administration are not talking as
wisely as they might about the poss-
ible relations of the silver republican
Senators to the proposed protection
tariff bill which is to be put through
the House and attempted to be put
through the Senate at the extra ses-
sion OF Congress expected to be call
ed as soon as Mckinley is inaugural
ed. For instance, Representative
Grout, of VT, after expressing the
belief that the constituents of these
Senators would compel them to sup
port a protection tariff bill, goes a
step further and makes the threat
that if they do not vote for it they will
be ignored in the distribution oi
Federal patronage in their States
during the entire term of Mckinley
While this threat would almost surely
be carried out, it is certainly impolitic
not to call it absolutely foolish, to
publicly make it before the Senator:
have indicated their intentions. High
spirited men are seldom controlled by
threats, and if the fool-friends of pro
lection are not careful they will drive
away votes they might have got had
no threats been made.
Senator Vest, of Mo, isn't one o
those who thinks there is the slightes
chance for the >Dingley tariff bill tc
be passed by the Senate at this ses
sion. He said have no doub
that the republican Senators whC
voted with the democrats at the las
session against the consideration o
the Dingley bill, with the possible
exception OF Carter, will stand with II
again, and if they do there is no pos
slbility of passing the bill"
Senator-elect Pettus, who will cl
the 4th of next March succeed Sena
tor Pugh, of Ala, was law partne
of Senator Morgan about thirty year
ago and might have been in the Sen
ate twenty years ago had he not de