Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-03-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Especial CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MONITOR.
Washington, March IS, 1896.


more anxious to furnish sensational
matter than to tell the truth that the
republicans in Congress who support
the several gentlemen who are will
ing to lead the republican party to
victory this year are going around
scowling at each other, ready to quar-
rel and fight every time one of them
says a word in favor of his candidate.
This is all tommyrot. There never
has been a contest carried on with
friendlier words than the present, up
to this time. Every one of the candi-
dates for the nomination has friends
in Congress who lose no opportunity
to talk over the fitness of their man,
and it is common to find in a group of
half dozen republicans the champ
ions of three or four candidates, but
the discussions are all thoroughly
good natured. There is no black
guarding. Every one is willing to
concede that all the other candidates
are good men, but of course, his is the
best. 1t is doubtful if a single case
could be given of republican mem
Der of either branch of Congress say
ing a word derogatory to candidate
for the republican nomination, al
though every one of them is pulling
all the wires at his command to elect
delegates for his choice. The Senate
divided the past week between talk
ing about Cuba and Col. Dupont's
claim for a seat in that body, and in
cidentally heard four hour anti adj
ministration silver speech from Sen
ator Cockrell of Mo. Z
With the exception of unseating
Robbins of the fourth Alabama dis
trict and listening to a rather start
ling exposure of democratic methods
in that state, the House has been de-
voting itself to the appropriation bills.
Senate committees have been au-
thorized to make favorable reports
on Senator Mitchell's resolution to
amend the constitution SO as to pro-
vide for the election of Senators by
direct vote, and on Senator Gears
bill for the admission to statehood of
New Mexico.
There is little doubt of the animosi-
ty of the administration towards Gen.
Miles. Mr.. Cleveland only gave him
the promotion to which he was clear
ly entitled because he could not de-
prive him of it without such manifest
injustice that even Mr.. Cleveland
would not be guilty of. Now this an
imosity has been shown in a new way.
Secretary Lamont has written letter
to Senator Hawley, Chairman of the
committee on Military Affairs, against
the bill which has been introduced in
both branches of Congress, to revive
the grade of Lieutenant General of
the Army for Gen. Miles. There
would have been nothing improper in
the administration opposing this bill,
although no further back than in the
last Congress it favored identically
the same bill for the benefit of Gen.
Scofield; but there is no question
about it's having been improper for
Secretary Lamont to imply that he
opposed the bill for no other reason
than that he did not consider Gen.
Miles worthy of the distinction. How
ever, Gen. Miles ought to be able to
stand that sort of thing if the admin
istration can.
Neither Chairman Babcock, of Wis,
nor vice chairman Apsley, of Mass,
had any opposition for their old posi-
tons on the Republican COMPRESSION
al Campaign Committee. Nor did
they deserve to have any. Their work
in the last Congressional campaign
has never been excelled for thor
oughness. How thorough it was may
be Judged from the fact that just a
week before the election of '94, Chair
man Babcock wagered fine supper
for nine newspaper men that the re-
publican membership in the House of
the fifty fourth Congress would ex-
coed 232. At the time it was thought
that he made the wager solely for po-
litical effect. But he didn't. He made
it on the close canvass of every con-
gressional district which had been
made under his supervision for the
committee. When the figures were
made up, he had twelve members to
spare, as the republicans elected pa.
He proposes that the Committees
work shall be just as thoroughly done
this year.
Col. S. L. Howlette, who has been
more than once mentioned as the re-
publican candidate for Governor of
the State of Washington, is visiting
the National Capital. He says of po-
Etics at his home: ssWashington is
easily republican state, and there will