Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-01-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. II, 'O5.

caatic National Committee, which met
here this week, to imagine that they
decided the time and place of hold.
ing the Democratic National Con-
vention, but as a matter of fact the
members of that astute political firm
had settled the matter sometime before.
A gentleman who is usually good au
thority upon matters relating to the
business of the firm says there is only
one man who could have changed the
result. That mar is ex Secretary
Whitney. He was, so this gentleman
says, informed by German, Harrity &
Co. that if he would agree to accept the
Democratic nomination he could name
the time and place for holding the con-
vention and write HE own platform.
Mr.. Whitney, who knows a thing or
two about the value of political nomi.
nations, is said to have replied in sub
stance that although he was a wealthy
man he didn't care to indulge in the
pastme of throwing good money down
rat holes.
There were a number of more or less
interesting ghost stories floating
around Washington this week about
Mr.. Cleveland having authorized the
statement to certain members of the
Democratic committee that he would
not allow his name to 90 before the
convention, and many prominent
newspapers paid telegraph tolls on
these stories, but most diligent inquiry
failed to locate a single member of the
committee who would acknowledge
having received any such information,
and some of them did not believe Mr..
Cleveland had authorized anyone to
make such a statement. The best in.
formed men in Washington still believe
that Mr.. Cleveland wants the nomina-
ton agar, and that nothing short of
absolute proof that he can not get the
necessary number of votes in the con
vention will cause him to say one word
against the presentation of his name
TO the convention, and every move.
ment Of the Administration indicates
the correctness of this belief.
Amos Cummings, of New York, has
again shown himself to be about the
most independent Democratic member
Of the House. Amos was a gallant
soldier and it riled him when one of
his Tammany colleagues charged that
the amendment proposed by the Re.
publicans to the pension laws, intended
solely to secure justice to the old sol.
diers and their widows, was nothing
but an attempt to loot the Treasury.
Mr.. Cummings started off emphatically
r%epudiating the sentiments expressed
by his Tammany colleague (Mr. Bart
lett, ION behalf of the people; of the
Union soldiers; on behalf of widows
and orphans, and finally and emphati-
cally on behalf of Tammany Hail."
He then paid his attention in cutting
language to the present administration
of the Pension Office. He said it was
time to call a halt on the Pension
Office. That old soldiers and poor
widows were standing in hourly ex.
~pectation that something cowardly
from the Pension Office would strike
them; they were being stabbed in the
back from a quarter from which they
should expect nothing but praise and
justice. 'Rah for Amos.
Senator Mills, of Texas, who has
been webbing around ever since he
made that declaration against the free
coinage of silver, made a speech this
week in which he tried to square him
self with the silver men in Texas. He
didn't exactly go back to his original
position in favor of free coinage, but
he befogged the question and tried to
beat the devil around the stump BY
advocating the coinage of the silver
bullion in the Treasury, the payment
of Government obligations in both
silver and gold, and denouncing ma
tional banks and the issue of interest
bearing bonds. 1t is evident that Mr..
Mills is still between the devil and
the deep sea-" where it will be remem-
bered he declared himself to be in a
speech made while the bill for the re-
peal of the purchasing clause of the
so called Sherman silver law was be.
fore the Senate. The trouble with Mr..
Mills is that the gray matter on the
inside of his head is altogether out of
proportion to the horse power of his
lungs. In other words, he talks too
much aud thinks too little.
Gen. Walker, commander in chief
of the G.. A. R., was in Washington
this week for the purpose of comforting
with the members of the House and
Senate Pension committees on the pro
pos ed pension Legislation of the session.
The Senate Finance Committee has
not yet acted upon the House tariff bill,
but expects to do so at it's mex meeting.
The Republican managers of the bill
still hope to get it reported to the SEN
ate without amendment, but are not
as confident of it as they were.
Some interesting gossip relating to
the position of the Administration to-
wards Cuba has followed the statement
of a personal friend of Mr.. Cleveland's
that if Spain sold Cuba to England,