The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-02-03

foliticians OF both Are Afraid of Silver.
Wheels of business Clogged In the Senate.
Congressman Dissatisfied with Their Life
In Washington.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 3.-lSpecial. THE
financial discussion during the last few
days in the senate has not been very thrill
Ing or important, but it has had its sig
nificance. No one expects to see any
financial legislation by this oongress-at
least not during the present session.
What Is going on now is merely play for
the presidential election Both Of the
great parties are divided on the silver
question, one about as seriously as tho
other. The politicians OF both arc afraid
OF silver and ia doubt as TO the part il is
going to play In the campaign. The Re.
publican lenders hope to adopt platform
that will hold their party together and
their expectation is that they will try 70
90 II with some such plank as that which
they adopted in 1892 There are all sorts
Of opinions as 10 how far the party ought
to go in trying TO appeaso the free silver
Republicans of the far west, but it Is gen
orally admitted It would not be prudent
TO try to get along altogether without
them
Troubled Over silver.
On tho Democratic side something Ike
definite plan has been undor considern-
ton for some time in the senate cloak
rooms. ON the theory that the Republic
ans will straddle the silver question at IT.
Louis and fail to satisfy their silver
friends, leading Democrats Of tho senate
are proposing TO improve upon the Repub-
lican declaration and adopt very frank
and explicit platform, telling the people
precisely what they are willing TO do for
silver and precisely what they expect TO
do for gold. Senator Faulkner puts the
case this way: "No general expressions
will satisfy the people. The people cannot
be fooled in that way again. They want
TO know just what a party is committed
TO, and rhetoric will not take the place OF
frankness. We have been talking of some
plans in the senate cloakrooms, some
means of giving the party platform that
Will be honest and at the same time ox-
plicit and satisfactory. u we can do that
we may enter The coming presidential
struggle in better position than our Re-
publican friends. We at least have the
advantage of meeting after thom and of
profiting by their experience"
The situation In the senate, where moth.
ing is likely to be done, SO far as the cur
public men. Senator Cullom of Illinois
said the other day no had never known
time in all the history OF the senate when
man seemed TO count for so little as at
the present time. There Is small use Of
trying TO accomplish anything The
wheels are clogged in many ways, and no
one seems TO know how to set them NOV
ing. Senator Villas of Wisconsin expressed
similar opinion. He said he was wholly
discouraged and would not be at all sorry
II he were compelled 10 retire TO private
life tomorrow. There is no satisfaction 10
u man Of energy ard sincerity in being
compelled 10 sit about day after day, week
after week, and month after month, lis
tening TO speeches that have no particular
voting now and then on
have no earthly chance to reach
the Statute books, and chatting all the time
under the enforced policy of inaction.
The Sleepy Senate.
Some Of the mon who left tho house OF
TO take seats i'm tho senate
arc sorry Trey made the change. Among
these Is ,IuAn l.. Wilson, the young senator
from Washington. Mr.. Wilson is of "a
nervous, active temperament, and the So
lemnity of the senate has weighed heavily
upon him. In that body he finds himself
unable 10 do anything, and not caring to
waste time making speeches he is like
fish ont of water. II wish wero back IN
the house, said Mr.. Wilson today
There we do have some life and activity
Over here one goes to sleep. There Is no
chance for young man. OF course the
senate has its advantages, chief of which
Is that one does not have TO worry about
his election all the time, but take that out
md I x0nu1l paf hpr no II, 4 bc hone,
Not every ono who comes "a Washington
to sit in ono or the other houses Of congress
Is infatuated with the life. was talking
today with "A congressman from one Of the
northwestern states, Mr.. Heatwole OF Min
nesota, who has been given a good place
on the foreign affairs committee, and who
has made decidedly favorable impression
upon ms follow men q 4 should not
want 20 stay IN ~ - ton more than
two terms" said Sac. Heatwolo. II
care much IL | did not get an
other. The life here docs not suit mo AT
all. One is only a cog in q big machine,
and he hasn even the pleasure Of know
Ing why and how the wheels turn half the
time. II | could be- one II the half dozen
men who really run the machine, that
might make difference, but not for
salary Of twenty thousand year would
stay here and DO "A mere onlookcr in Ven
Ice
Yearns For the Farm.
Another congressman said to me: 81
am impatient 10 get back 60 the farm.
am disgustod with congress. don c want
any more Of IL in mine L have declined
reelection, and they can't hire me TO take
another term. II / could be president OF
the United States, l would not want more
than -four years Of It, / like to be happy,
md tho farm Is the place for happiness
BY this timo ono would suppose the pom
ion business would be at low ebb. Tho
var closed 50 many years ago and it has
been so long since the dependent pension
)ill passed that the natural expectation
would be that the applications for pom
ions would by this late date have noarly
un out. Yet pension cases are among
he great worries az life for members OF
congress. One member, Mr.. Smith, who
ZONES from tho southern part Of Illinois
ellis me ho has on hand at this time no
ever than B. 600 pension casos The work
II writing letters To all those people who
ire anxious 10 bo kept informed about
heir cases Is SO great that he has 20 sit up
nights, and he and his secretary often
work Sundays all day and far into the
'yening trying to keep up with their task.
His experience is similar TO that of many
,thcr senators and representatives.
WALTER WELLuAN