Arizona republican., 1897-12-16
WEST AGAINST EAST
An Attempt by the Democratic
 Minority in Congress
TO CREATE TWO SECTIONS
Fighting for Cuba and Ever, ?
 thing But Prosperity
A Determined Oppositf on to Finan- cial Improvement and All Atten- ticn by tha United States to Its Own Business.

A Determined OppOSiti on 70 lndti-
 cial improvement and All Atten-
 tion by tha United States to Its
 Own Business.
 Washington, Dec. 15.-it appears that the purpose of the demccratic caucus to be held at an early date is to make, an issue with the admin.stIa tion and the speaker of the house on Cuba. While democrats are not a unit on the question of Cuba, they are so nearly so that the little op- position in the party can be smothered for political purposes or will be so slight as not to interfere with the car rying out of a pro-Cuban programme. It is eXpectd that the caucus will de eide that the minority shall insist upon the consideration of the Cuban resolution. The president and the speaker opposing this, they will en- deavor to make it an issue before the country. They are encouraged in this by the belief that the country is strongly in sympathy with the Cuban insurgents, and that a large numbe-, if not a majority of the republicans in the house have similar sympathy.
 The democrats have strong hopes that the question will cause split on the republican side of the house, and that possibly they may draw enough support from that side of the house to defeat the speaker and the republican managers. Whatever the result may be thsy want to assume the attitude of friemdliness to the in surgents in opposition to the negative course of the administration.
 The resolution having already pass ed the senate, if the attempt to get it full the president would be confronted with the necessity of either putting it into force or else vetoing it. The democrats calculate that a veto would render the administration extremely unpopular, and therefore, they think they see a party advantage in the programme laid down. What they expect, however, is, that the power of lne committee will be exerted to prs vent the question from coming before the house for consideration and thas antagoni h to the recognition of the Cuban Insurgents will appear as a party policy supported by the repub- licans generally, with just a few pro- testing voices of republicans, to give point to the democratic position.
 Senator Harris of Kansas says that any financial proposition that in- cludes the retirement of the green backs will be defeated by the votes of western men, whether they be IT, publicans or democrats
 ''Dt is one of the things" the sena- tor said, western representatives are bound to antagonize, because in what ever form the retirement is accom- plished it must mean either-.a con- traction of the currency or the trans formation of a non-interest bearing debt into an interest bearing one. Either of these results is objection able
 T do not believe there is the slight est chance of currency legislation, y the senator continued ''In the firss place, the republicans are not pre- pared fer it. There is almost as great divergence of opinion regarding the manner in which the currency reform should be brought about between the eastern and western republicans as there is between the eastern republi- cans and the silver men of the coun- try.
 'The silver men. as a general thing, are opposed to any legislation that will substitute bank note currency for greenbacks CT in any way strengthen the national banks. Nor do I see how any comprehensible plan of legislation can be hit upon that will arouse antagonisms, both in the east and the west, aside from the controversy over gold and silver as money of redemption
 General Henderson of Iowa has come back to Washington fer the ses- sion of congress rejuvenated almost like a new man built on the lines of his youth Having had his leg am putated again, he seems quite refresh ed. Some sort of very substantial material is used in the construction of such men. His leg has been under the knife seven times since the origi- nal amputation during &he war. The first amputation was a little above the foot. The last was above the knee.
 General Henderson is now chairman Of the house judiciary committee Formerly he was one of the most ac- tive members of the appropriat on committee. Everybody in congress calls him Dave Henderson. Every body likes him because he is so amia- hla nd in1l1x AIocH ,hcarc.