The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-02-20
WASHINGTON
From our Regular Correspondent.

The Quay PlattReed combine put
a new comedy on the political boards
this week by announcing the candi-
dacy of Senator Quay for the repub-
lcan Presidential nomination. 1t was
expected to make a political sensation,
but it didn't. Quay's candidacy, al
though followed by qualified denial
from him, may be accepted by the
gullible republicans Of Pennsylvania
as a thing Of life, just as many New
York republicans have accepted the
candidacy of Gov. Morton, launched
by the same combine, but, bless your
soul, that doesn't make it so. There
isn't the slightest doubt among poll
ticians that this combine wants Reed
nominated, nor that this alleged Quay
boom is like the Morton boom only
intended by the combine as another
step toward Reeds nomination. In
addition to that, this Quay boom is
being used to let Senator Cameron,
who has already been forced by Quay
to announce that he would not be a
candidate for re election to the Senate,
understand that the money he has put
into his literary bureau, established
to boom him as republican silver
candidate for the Presidentisl nomi-
nation, has all been wasted, and that
his political aspirations may now be
pigeon-holed for good and all. Quay
wants to control the Pennsylvania
delegation, just as Platt does that of
New York. They will at the proper
time throw them to Reed, unless it
becomes apparent before that time
that Reed can't be nominated. In
that case they will throw them to the
man they can make the most advan-
tageous deal with. They are out to
win. They would prefer doing it with
Reed, but will not hesitate to throw
him overheard if it becomes necessary
to win with some other man.
The republican Senators are still
very much in doubt about their future
program. They are trying to make
some sort of deal with the populists
to get the House tariff bill through
the Senate without amendment. They
have not yet attempted to elect the
Senate officers nominated by their
caucas with the exception of the AS
sistant Doorkeepeer, who was elected
to fill the vacancy caused by the death
of Captain Basset.
The papers covering the Waller
case were this week sent to Congress
by President Cleveland, in answer to
a recent resolution asking for them.
And if they do not make certain
republicans, who have been using this
case to make political capital, feel
like fools, they must be queerly con-
stituled Instead of having neglected
Waller because he was negro, as
these republicans have so loudly as
serted, the administration has, because
he is an American citizen, succeeded
in getting the French Government to
release him from prison, although tho
papers sent to Congress prove beyond
doubt that he was guilty of the
offense for which he was sentenced
reasonable correspondence concern
ing the movements of the French in
Madagascar The papers sent to
Congress also show that Walters
alleged valuable concessions from the
government of Madagascar are not
believed in by anybody but himself,
and have nothing official upon which
to stand. The French Government
agrees to release Waller as a courtesy
to this government, merely stipulating
that he shall make no claim for dam
ages except through the French courts.
Thus endeth disagreeable chapter.
The Senate this week adopted a
resolution directing the Secretary Of
Agriculture to resume the free distri-
button of seeds.
If Speaker Reed has counted upon
the support of any silver republicans
in his fight for the Presidential nomi
nation, he would better scratch them
from his calculations. They know
him now for their enemy. Not be.
cause of the vote by which the House
refused to agree to the free coinage
substitute for the House bond BILL
which was passed by the Senate, be
cause they knew all the time that q
large majority Of the House was
opposed to silver, and that Mr.. ReeC
himself would vote against free coin
age, as he had done before. 1t i.
for the unexpected knockdown blow
which has been administered to silver
by the action of the House committee
on Territories, which this week voted
against reporting bill for the admis
sion of Arizona to statehood, anC
which will do the same for New Mex
leo and Oklahoma, that the silve
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