Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-12-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.
GFrom Our Special Correspondence
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 1s, '96.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 1S, '96.
Senators Gallinger and Hawley took
occasion, just before the Senate passed
the Pension Appropriation Bill without
amendments complimen. to the care
full work done by the House committee
In preparing the bill-to give Mr..
Cleveland a few hard raps for having
reiterated his previous sneers at the
pensioners, in his annual message to
Congress. They were we'll deserved too.
The fact that Congress adopted with
out opposition in either branch the
joint resolution providing for a recess
from December 22 to January 5 was
notice to the country that it wasn't
going off half cooked on the Cuban
question just because of a lot of hysteri-
cal meetings in various sections of the
country. The Senate also showed its
good sense when it adopted a resolu.
ton calling on the President for all of
the information in his possession con-
corning Cuba, instead of some of the
resolutions which have been offered.
Something will have to be done in the
near future, but no steps should be
taken in the dark.
Senator Stewart has not found the
publication of q oliver organ-dated at
Washington, but printed at Alexan-
dria, Va, because Of cheapness-
profitable. He stated under oath a
lew days ago in a court proceeding to
get rid of some Objectionable partners
that his paper, the Silver Knight, has
cost him $1,000 in cash and that it
had between $1,000 and SO, 900 indebt-
edness for which he was responsible.
1t has been suggested that he should
make the title of the paper read: 1.-THE
Silver knight Grant" or better still,
Don Quixote, up to date"
Every bill of the Republican Con-
gressional Campaign Committee has
been paid and the vouchers audited
and the committee has a small balance
on hand. Chairman Babcock, whose
health ia O little run down on account
OF the hard work of the campaign, will
spend the holiday recess at the Hot
Springs.
Senator Allen is struggling hard for
notoriety. Last week, he got a little
bit by moving that the Senate take up
a bill to which he himself is opposed,
and this week he made a bid for more
by offering a resolution for the appoint.
ment of a committee of Senators to in
vestigate the expenditure of money in
the recent Presidential campaign. He
claims to base his resolution on no bet.
ter foundation than that the vote of a
number of States carried by Mckinley
was largely in excess of what were
cast in 1892, when every we'll informed
man knows that Cleveland was elected
by the stay at home Republican votes,
and not because a majority Of the
voters of a number of States he carried
were for him. This year the stay at
home vote of '92 was cast solidly for
Mckinley, and for that reason this
very wise Populist wants to investi-
gate the expenditures. 1t is customary
for the author of a Senate resolution
creating a special committee to be
made chairman of the committee, and
in that custom lies Mr.. Aliens real
reason for offering this resolution. II
he could get himself at the head of
such a smelling committee he could
keep himself continually in the news
papers, even II he found out nothing.
Men who became public nuisances in
their efforts for notoriety are really to
be pitied.
Senator Vest intends to use the NOM
ination of Secretary Francis to help
him get back to the Senate. At the
meeting of the Finance committee this
week, when under ordinary circum.
stances the nomination would have
been reported to the Senate, Vest asked
that it be allowed to 60 over, knowing
that the committee would not hold
another meeting until nearly the mid
die of January. Meanwhile he will
try to make members OF the Missouri
Legislature believe that he can con-
firm or defeat the nomination of Fran.
els Just as he plsases. Vest made a
tariff and silver speech, which was also
intended for Missouri legislators.
Chairman Dingley, Of the House
Ways and Means Committe has no idea
why the story was started that 1t was
intended to try to pass the tariff bill
upon which the committee is now
working at the present session Of Con-
gress, and says that neither himself nor
any other Republican has contemplated
passing the bill at this session, for the
very good reason that 1t would simply
be wasting time for the House to pass
the bill knowing that 1t hadn't a posi-.
Bile chance to get through the Senate.
The bill is being prepared to be passed
at the extra Session Of Congress, which
will meet shortly after President Mo-
kinley's Inauguration, and the Repub.
lican members Of the committee will
work right along through the Christ.
mas recess in order to get the bill In
shape as soon as possible. The hearings
which are to last two weeks will begin
during Christmas week.
The National Wool Growers Associ-
alton held a meeting In Washington
this week at which arrangements were
made for properly presenting the In