The Penn's Grove record., 1896-04-17
Washington Letter.
WashIngton. Ami 15Lb. ls06.

cipated in by President CIeVelaHoi Ia
Secretary Whitney and Secretary Car
Isle. The conference was held at night
and was strictly secret, but rumor says
that Mr.. Whitney has laid aside the
hard fee lipgs against Mr.. Cleveland
which caused him to refuse to meet
that gentlemen for several years, ana
has agreed under certain conditions to
attempt to have Mir. Cleveland again
nominated by his party. This rumor
has been anything else but pleasing to
the silver Democrats. They know what
Mr.. Whitney's management means
Mr.. Cleveland never would have been
nominated the last time had it not been
for Mr.. Whitney's clever work among
the delegates after they got to the con-
yention.
1t is also said that the Cuban ques'
ton is involved in the Whitney.C leYe-
land deal, and is to be used to help Mr..
Cleveland. In this connection it is I'M
derstood that the offer to mediate be-
tween Spain and the Cuban revolutions
lists was made more to gain time than
with any expectation Of its being ac'
cepted by Spain, and that it will be
sometime before the real policy of the
administration is made public. The
friends of Speaker Reed in the House
and of Senator Allison in the Senate,
vino are doing everything to bring
about an early adjournment of Con-
gress, may discover after they accom-
plish their purpose, as they noW seem
likely to do, that they have played into
Mr.. C~leveland's hand. There are good
reasons for the belief that he would
much rather have Congress out of the
way than in session when he gets ready
to display his real Cuban policy.
The pressure on the House committee
on Territories finally got a favorable re-
port on the bill for the admission Of
New Mexico to statehood, but inasmuch
as three members of the committee
stated that they only voted to report
the bill in order to give the House a
chance to vote on the question and that
they reserved the right to vote against
the bill on the floor Of the House, the
report has not added materially to the
prospect for legislation at this session.
The Arizona bill las been withdrawn
temporarily to save it from being per-
manently shelved hy the Committee.
There is truth in the assertion that
this Congress has spent more time look.
ing for trouble abroad than it has in at
tending to useful home legislation. The
latest reach after trouble isa resolution
now before the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee, requesting that the President
intervene with the British authorities
to secure the release of Mrs. Maybrick,
now serving a life sentence in a British
prison as a result of having been found
guilty of poisoning her husband. Mrs.
Maybrick is an American aud there has
always been much sympathy for her in
the United States and a general belief
that she was Innocent of the charge up.
on which she was found guilty, but that
does not give the President any right
to intervene with the British authOri-
ties in her behalf; hence the resolution
offered by Senator Call, Of Florida, is
merely another reach after trouble. 1t
ought to die in Committee, but nobody
can tell what Senators will do these
days,
A Chicago firm Of seedsmen have fl
ed some ugly charges against Secretary
Morton and several of his assistants in
connection with the recent awarding of
the contract for furnishing the seeds to
be distributed free this year by Con.
gressmen. This firm claims that its
bid was thrown out, although it was
$4,000 lower than the bid of the sue
cessful firm, by reason of false state
ments made by Secretary Morton to
Senator Proctor and Representative
Wadsworth, who acted with him as a
committee to award the contract. Sec
rotary Morton denies all the charges,
The matter may get into Congress
where Secretary Morton has fewer
friends than any other member of the
Cabinet.
The Civil Service Commission and
Public Printer Benedict have locked
horns over a question Of authority to
decide the status of certain printers
who were dismissed from the Govern
ment Printing Office after that estab.
lishment was put under the Civil Ser.
vice Rules, and the Senate Committee
on Civil Service is making an investi.
CATION, under authority of Il Senate
resolution to try to find out which is
right.
The newest candidate for the PresiD
dental nomination is Representative
Linton, of Michigan, who is being sup.
ported by the A. p. A,
For the last three years the Demo.
Gratis seem to have been off their base
in this State, but a few years of reform
rule is bringing them out again and al
the municipal elections in the first and
second class citiea on Tuesday they re.
covered much of their former prestige.
For the first time since 1892 they swept
Jersey City by 2,500 and elected all The
city officials and Ii of the l. council
men, Newark which elected J.. A,
Lebnecher, Rep, mayor two years age
by 4,795 over James NJ. Seymour, elect,
ed Seymour Mayor over Lebnecher by