The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-01-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, JAN. l, 1897.

WASHINGTON. Jan. /, 1897.
No President, not even Andy john
son, ever held a New Year reception
that was attended by fewer Senators
and Representatives than were at the
White House to-day. The President
gave no sign indicating that he no
ticed their absence, but it is never
theless certain that he did. Other
wise the reception WAC a great success
Mis-. Cleveland never looked better,
the cortege of lady assistants never
displayed more elegant costumes, the
diplomatic corps eve made a more
gorgeous showing and the army, navy
and marine officers were out IN force
in spiek and span new uniforms with
gold lace and brass buttons galore.
The Cuban question is awaiting the
the reassembling of Congress, mex
week, although there are daily, al
most hourly, reports of steps being
taken either IN Spain, or by Gen. eyler
o by Secretary Olney and the Spanish
Minister which will result in placing
it where there will be no occasion tor
Congress to act upon it. The most Of
these iumOrs are originated Ivy per-
sans who are either friendly towards
Spain or at least opposed to any ac-
t'nm by the present Congress is ganer-
ally believed in Washington, The
opinion ia growing that they will be
successful, at least to the extent of
postponlug action until after Mckinley
assumes Office. In fact, that purpose
was practically accomplished when
the the republican leaders of the
House decided that nothing should be
done.
The Democratic National Commit
tee makes no secret of using all the in
auenc@ it u command towards
bringing about the reelection of SEN
ator Dubois, of Idaho, who is being
opposed by Hanna and his crowd, be-
cause he followed his convictions and
supported the democratic platform
and ticket in the late campaign, and
because they think his defeat would
result in frightening other silver Sen
asors into continuing to act with the
republican party. Most democrats
who know the active part Dubois took
III lighting for Bryan endorse Senator
B.ackburn's langnage-"We W Du-
bois ii debt of gratitude, and nothing
SHOULD be allowed TO stand in the way
Of its settlement. 1t is Il debt of hon
or, and, like all debts of honor, should
he paid in advance of all other obiiga-
tiOns."
Gen. Wheeler, of Ala, one Of the
democratic members of the House
committee on Ways and Means who is
carefully attending the tariff hearings
now III progress, although he knows
that he and his democI attic colleagues
will hot be allowed to have any hand
III making the tariff bill. is always
emphatic in speech and often dramat-
ic. Nobody was surprised. therefore, |
when Mr.. w. r. Craig, Of Vicksburg,
Miss, as the representative or the cot
ton growers of the Mississippi Valley,
appeared before the Committee aud
asked that a duty OF three cents a
pound be put on Egyptian cotton, to
see the WHY old soldier stiffeD up ana
to hear him say 1.-THE South would be
selling its birthright for a mess of pot
tago to ask for this protection" Rep
T~esentative Payne thought To faze
Gen. Wheeler, when he asked him,
''What do you call it's birthright ~
Without turning a hair the Alabamian
replied sFree institutions, free trade,
tree everything
Senator Calls tel expires March 8.
aud the Florida legislature which will !
elect his successor does not meet un- !
til April, SO that il Mckinley calls the
extra session together in March, Flor
ina will for a time have only one Sen
ator. According to u member of the
+ orida legislature, who is now in
Washington, Senator Call will certain
~ be his W successor, notwitlistand-
ing the red hot fight which is being
made against him. This gentleman
says: 1.-THE only way that Senator
Call can be defeated Tor reelection is
to cede the State back to Spain or
abolish the office. | am n member of
the farmers Alliance and as IL great
majority of the members of the lecis-
lature are farmers Alliance men, aud
not lawyers, | know what | am talk
ing about
and Hobart Club of this city ex.Com-
missioner Douglass said that the club
organization would be Kept np for the
pnrpose of supporting Mckinley and
Hobart in 1900. When il friend told
Speaker Reed about that speech his
enly comment was .lnil.r Mr.. Reed
knows that it isn't the ticket Of 1900,
but the offices of '97, that the seq" and
the other members of the club are
worried about.
One thing has been made very clear
by the first week Of the tariff hearings.
That ia, that the men who have asked