The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-03-19
Washington Letter.

From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, March l5.-Representatve
Bailey, of Texas, had the honor of receiving
the Democratic nomination for Speaker of the
House. and every Democrat who was present
at the meeting of the House today, voted fer
him. Mr.. Reed was. of course, elected, but the
present House has Republican majority OF
about 100 less than the last House. There was
more or less talk about an attempt being made
at the Republican caucus, to curtail the power
of the Speaker, but when the time came fer
action, the nerve was lacking, and MIR. Rec
will dictate the business of this House just a5
he did that of the last. The Democratic nomi-
nation for Speaker was equivalent to IN cleo
ton OF the Democratic leader in the House,
and Mr.. Bailey will be so recognized during
the tifty-tifth Congress. He is comparatively
young man for so responsible II position, but
during his service i'll the House his natural
ability has forced him to the front and no
doubts are entertained of his making good
leader and udding to the reputation he already
has.
There is much disappointment among the
Republicans over the appointments Mckinley
has made and no end of growing because he
hasn't made more, but he has shifted most of
the responsibility upon the State delegations i'll
applicant for office from their States before he
will even promise to consider them. This may
be merely a bluff to save time. If SO, it is
| good one. as many of the Republican Senators
and Representatives are known to have indors-
| ed as many as five or six men for the same
position, and it will require time for them to
| settle upon one man and to fix up things as
| to save themselves at home. Many of the dele
gltions are also split up among themselves,
and it will require time for them to unite upon
| men for the offices allotted to their State.
Meanwhile Mr.. Mckinley gains time to devote
| to some of his other troubles, including the ex-
| ira session of Congress which convened today.
| Representative McMln, of Tennessee, has
| been made Chairman of the Executive Com
| mitIee of the National Association of Demo-
| cratic Clubs, and will direct the arrangements
| for the general celebration by all the clubs in
| the association, of Jeffersons Birthday, April
| 18th. The event is to be celebrated in WASH
| ington by dinner at the same hotel in which
the first celebration of Jeffersons Birthday
was held, in 1880, which was attended by Presi-
| dent Andrew jackson, Nice-Presdent John {.
| Calhoun, the entire Cabinet and Il large num-
Der of Senators and Representatives. Hon.
| William Jennings Bryan has accepted an Invi-
| tation to be present and to respond to the toast
| Thomas Jefferson"
The credentials of all three of the gentlemen
| appointed to the Senate by the Governors of
| Kentucy, Oregon and Florida, are now in
Washington, but that is about as near II seat in
the Senate any of these presenting them will
get. The reasons for not seating the Republic
cans from Kentucky and Oregon, so
weighty that no serious attempt will be made
| to upset them. The Democratic appointee of
the Governor of Florida is thought to have
valid claim to a seat, but before it could be es-
tablished the Florida Legislature will probably
| have elected Senator; consequently it is not
probable that the attempt will be made.
| All the nice things said about McKinley's ac-
feasibility to callers during his first few days in
| the White House. were rather too premature.
| He has since adopted rules which, excepting
| that they do not shut everybody out one day in
| every week, are practically the same as those
| made by Mr.. Cleveland and it is just as
hard for private individual to get an inter-
| view with Mr.. Mckinley as it was with Mr..
Cleveland.
| II the new tariff bill is what its trainers call
| conservative" measure it would be decided
| y interesting to know what they would call
! radical. Although the country denounced and
| drove from power the Republican party be-
cause OF the high duties imposed by the NcKin-
ley tariff law, the average rates of duties to be
imposed by the new tariff bill have beeu made
higher than the Mckinley bill. And about the
heaviest taxation carried by the new bill is
that imposed upon such necessities as sugar
and clothing. There may not be such plain
sailing ahead of this measure as Mr.. Mckinley
| and his personal worshippers expect. 1t will,
of course, be railroaded through the House all
| ~ hut that il will he IN daI