The Press., 1896-04-23
Washington Letter.
Washington, April 2Oth, 'S96.


 The democratic silver men are not only figuring on controlling the Chicago con- vention, but upon the adoption of a reso- lution by that convention which will be 8 direct slap in the face of President Cleve- land. The resolution in question will de- clare against the abuse of the veto power by presidents, and in favor of the right of congress to pass bill over veto by a majority vote. SenatorJ ones, of Arkansas who will be a delegate to that convention, and who says he intends to see that the resolution is voted upon, adds "A good many people believe that of late years the veto power vested in the president has been abused, and that MT. Cleveland is the most conspiciOus of all the offenders. fully share in that opinion. There are men who go about sneering at congress. They are afraid of congress. Their faith always is in the executive. Such men ought to go abroad. This is not the kind of government for them. This is, or ought to be, popular government. The people are the source of all power, and when the wishes of @ majority are known they should be carried out. We must get back to that"
 Senator Allen, of Nebraska, was un- parlimentary, of course when ho accused Senator Gear, of Iowa, of having uttered a falsehoOd during the sharp discussion that was precipitated by the reporting of the Pacific Railroad bill by Mr. Gear, who is chairman of the committed which approved the bill hut he was strictly truthful when he said that he had seen c. P. Huntington and his lobby Oocuping all the seats in the committee rom and lOrdiDg it over the committee while the hearings were going on. Anybody who chose to take the trouble to visit the committee room saw the same thing. While the bill which had been reported does not give Huntington everything he asks for it gives him more than he expects to get, and he will pull every wire within his reach to get it through at this session. But the bill has got rocky road to travel. There are "a number of senators who will fight it to the last ditch. Senator Aliens accusation against Senator Gear had no direct connection with the railroad bill. It was made because of statement by MT. Gear refecting upon Ex-COngress- man Weaver, of Iowa.
 Is it surprising that senators and re- DrpSpntatiVeS are sometimes accused of caring more for the interests of themselves and thPlr personal lfl6uuS lndu LOT the economical and business-like expenditure of public funds, when such scheme as the proposal to take the printing of post age stamps from the bureau of engraving and printing and have it done by private contract is so strongly supported by them? Several years ago the printing of stamps was taken away from A private contractor because the bureau of engraving and printing offered to do them cheaper, an offer which has more than been mado good, as the cost of printing has been less every year since, and has saved thegOvern- ment many thousands of dollars. Men who in the face of this showing advocate a return to the old contract system can not blame people for being suspici Ous of their motives.
 The house judiciary committee has favorably reported the bill for the Organi- zation of Greer county, Oklahoma, with Mangum as the county seat, and authOri- zing the Governor of Oklahoma, to ap- point the usual county officers. This is the county that was supposed to belong to Texas until a recent decision to the contrary was made by the U. s. Supreme Court.
 Yes, brethren, say what you will, this is a hcartless old world, and often when ;j IIldIl SldIGS OuI W1(Il IIIGClll1OLl LO SOOu he gets into trouble. A case in point is a gentleman who claims Chicago as his home and Henry Anderson as his name. He came all the way to Washington to put President Cleveland into the way of be- coming the owner of two good things a ducking boat which can be made to 2" hundred miles an hour and which will keep a man dry and cOmfOr' able, and a gun which will shoot AS dncks each time it is fired, with an attachment, to auto matic ally gather up the dead ducks. Did he receive the welcome which such a mission of philanthropy deserved? Not much. One of the policeman at the White House arrested him and locked him up as dangerous crank, and his chances for becoming an inmate of the GOveln- ment insane asylum are better than those for helping the president enjoy himself
 Senator FOrman as chairman of the democratic ''steering' committee has ser ved notice on the senate that unanimous consent will not be given for taking up any bill not approved by that committee. The meaning of this is that the democrats as far as Senator Germans committee re- presents them have joined hands with the Reed and Allison men to bring about an early adjournment and do as little as possible except to pass the appropriation bills. Senator German thinks it will make demOcr ttic votes to make this the do nothing congress that the Reed men want it to be, and he is going to help.