Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-02-27
DOINGS At WASHINGTON.
Washington, Feb. %. 1896.

I
That a majority ofthe House was opposed
to the free coinage Of silver was So well
known in advance thatthere was compare
lively LITTLE Interest shown in the vote by
which the i1ouse refused to concur in the
tree coinage substitute which the Senate
passed in place of the House bond bill. The
speeches made in the debate were spoken to
empty chairs. and many of them were not
spoken at all, being merely inserted in the
Congressional Record under the leave TO
print" rule. This was not because of any
| lack Of interest in the subject itself. but be
cause the result was known by everybody
long before the bill was placed before the
House Had it not been for the dc sire on
| the part Of many members to make speeches
| Tor their constituents the bin could have
4 been voted upon an hour after it was re-
ported to the House.
Although there IS little outward Indication
Of what the ultimate fate Of the House tar
| If bill, which was reported to the senate
I fr IN the Finance committee will be the
republican Senators express the utmost
confidence that the tariff bill viii be sent to
Mr.. Cleveland just as it was passed by the
House. and at least two Of the populists SEN
ators have expressed the opinion that an
amendments to the bill will be voted down
and that the original tariff bill viii pass the
Senate. There is no doubt that 90 per cent
or more. Of the republican party Mishes the
/ tariff bill TO pass. but under the present cir
cumstances your correspondent. while hon
ing that the confidence Of the republican
Senators has hrmer foundation Than their
wishes can see nothing but doubt ahead Of
the bill. The difnculties Of passing a bin as
strongly opposed by the strong minority of
the Senate as this one is would be great ev-
en- 1.-THE republicans had the majority which
they are one vote short OF.
Senator Wolcott in speech made tais
week advocated depriving the President
ana his cabinet officers of all power over
patronage on account of the abuse of that
power by the present administration. ana
again. when the shortcomings of Secretary
Morton. which were brought out during the
debate which preceded and followed the
adoption Of senator Hansbrouh's resolution.
directing the Secretary of Agriculture to
distribute seeds as had been usually done
until he by an assumption Of authority stop
ped it. were being discussed. Senator VOL
eott said he hoped Secretary Morton mi ght
make some explanation on charges made
against him by senator Vest and other dem
ocrdts. in order to redeem an office that
was regarded as worthless
Representative watson of Indiana who
enjoys the distinction of having defeated
Objector Holman isn't one Of those who
considers Indiana a doubtful state Speak
ing on the subject, he said: Indiana is as
certain to cast her electoral vote for the
nominee of the st. Louis convention as cleo
ton day is 10 come. The people are stlI in
restless and uneasy state There is still
lack of confidence. and this lack of conf
dence breeds discomfort. For all this the
people are holding the democratic party re-
sponsible, and next November they propose
to dispose of the old man of the sea who
has been riding them down hill for the last
three years at such an unmerciful pace.
Indiana is safely republican
There has been some talk both for and
against the Monroe doctrine in the Senate
this week. but nothing to indicate when the
resolution will be voted upon. AS it's adop-
ton is certain Senator Davis its author. has
no desire to hurry up the vote. He wishes
every senator to have full opportunity to
have his say about it.
The House committee on Territories has
practically settled the fate of Arizona New
Mexico and Oklahoma BY voting against re-
porting bin for the admission of Arizona
to Statehood
Mr.. Cleveland this week notified Congress
that he had accepted the French view of ex-
Consul Walters guilt and agreed that this
government would prefer no claim for dam
agesif France would release him from.pris-
on not as a right. but a courtesy. Con
gress was not surprised Ithas become ac-
customed to seeing this administration ac-
cept the foreign view of matters affecting
American citizens and their interests.
Senator Quay very promptly denied the
rumor that he had entered the field as 2
Presidential candidate He SAYS he doesn
wish to be President: that it would soon
kill him. but he adds that if his friends III
Pennsylvania were disposed to compliment
him by presenting his name to the national
convention and voting for him he would say
nothing to prevent