Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-12-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 81, 1897

Up to this time the most marked feature
of the Congressional recess in Washington,
has been the unconcealed anxiety of the
administration as to the probable action of
certain Senators when Congress gets
together again and the attempts made IT,
caiole them with patronage and promises
into doing as Mr.. Mckinley desires, OF into
doing nothing and keeping quiet. The
Two principal causes-the minor ones are
100 numerous to mention-of Mr.. McKIn-
ley's anxiety are Finance and the treaty
for the annexation of Hawaii. He wants
the treaty speedily ratified, and he wants
the silver Republicans to keep quiet and
cot attempt to carry out the intention an
iounced by some of them of forcing Mr.
McKinIey's hand by compelling him to
come out in the open and declare himself
10 be in sympathy with the outspokeD
forts of Secretary Gage to secure legisla
ton to strengthen the gold standard, or
else to declare in favor of the restoration OF
oimetallism, which he has all along led
them to believe he favored. The Senators
who have been put in the doubtful column
IN the annexation question and the silver
Repn blican Senators can have anything at
Mr.. MeKiDley's disnosal 10 the way OF
patronage, if they will pledge themselves to
do as he wants them. The effect of this
csiolery of Senators cannot be told to a
certainty until the questions affected get up
IN the Senate. Soon after the debate on the
annexation treaty opens, it will become
apparent whether any Of the " doubtful
Senators have become advocates of an
nexation, and the explanation that Senator
Wolcott, who is regarded as the leader OF
be silver Republicans, has promised to
make of his trip to Europe in behalf OF
international blmetallism, about the mid
die of January, will probably indicate the
attitude of the silver Republicans, at least
one of WHOM has told Mr.. Mckinley in
oaia words that unless he muzzles Secre-
tary Gage the silver Republicans would
publicly repudiate the financial policy of
he administration.
The Navy department will re-establisb
the Marine Guard at Pensacola, Florida,
which was discontinued few years ago, a
detachment of United States Marines
having left Washington Sunday for the
Pensacola station.
1t is practically certain that nearly all
the Democrats in both branches of Congress
| will vote for the bill providing for the
publication of a complete list OF those
drawing pensions from the Government aud
the amount they draw, which Commissioner
Evans says he will have introduced when
Congress resumes work. In fact. it is
difficult to imagine any good reason why
he vote in Congress should not be unani
nous for such bill The publication
would serve several good purposes, and
could not possibly injure any honest and
deserving pensioner. Some OF the G. A. r
men are opposing the idea, and are trying
to work up sentiment against it.
Representative Rhea, of Kentucky }, whose
seat is being contested by DR.. Hunter, the
Republican who thought he had cinch on
he Senatorial toga that was captured by
Deboe, and who in that connection was
charged with bribery and some other little
ihings of that sort. isn't at all afraid OF
being unseated, notwithstanding the big
Republican majority in the House. The
evidence in favor Of Mr.. Rhea was over
whelming before DIR. Hunter virtually
acknowledged that his claim to the seal
was not valid one by accepting the posi-
ton of Minister to Guatemala and Hon.
duras. The contest has not been
abandoned, but the hope of getting az al
iowance for lawyers fees and other expenses
is probably the only reason that it has not
been.
The money pull with the present admin
istration has once more been demonstrated
Although there were several men with the
strongest sort of political endorsements
after the Office of United States Marshall of
the District of Columbia, Mr.. Mckinley
decided to give it to Mr.. Aulick Palmer,
who knows all about club snd social life in
Washington and Newport, but who has
never even learned the els of politics
1t is an open secret that the appointment
was given to Palmer, because the place was
requested for him by Cornelius Vanderbilt,
who was one of the largest individual con
tributors to Boss Hanna sixteen million
dollar campaign fund.
Representative Bailey of Texas, ia spend
ing bis Christmas with Representative
SIbley, of Pennsylvania, and as both men
are close trends of MIR. Bryan there is
believed TO be more in the visit than holi.
day recreation. Both gentlemen are
prominent in Democratic councils, and
although Mr.. Sibley is at present out of
public life. it by no means follows that be
will remain out He has ability Of high
order, and his devotion to Democratic
principles as interpreted by the Chicago
platform is uDQuestioned.