The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-01-28
Washington Letter
From Our Regular Csrrsspondent.)

" ASAA ouA AsC80IOt OO44OSpVuuOuSy
~ WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. %, 1897.
The members of the Senate COM
mittee on Foreign Relations made it
very plain to Secretary Olney at the
meeting Of the committee that he at
tended upon the invitation of Senator
Sherman, now chairman Of that COM
mittee and soon to succeed him at the
head Of the State Department., that
neither prejudice nor desire to get
even with the administration was
playing any part in the consideration
OF the arbitration treaty; that Sena-
tors were onl y after the fullest in
formation about those sections of the
treaty u pom which more than one
construction could be placed, and
that when that information had been
obtained the treaty would be dealt
with according to it's merits.
The result of none of the Senator
ial contests gave more satisfaction to
republicans in Congress than the re-
election of Senator Pritchard, of
North Carolina. There was double
satisfaction. They were glad to see
Senator Pritchard re- elected, because
they thought he deserved to be, and
because it was singing defeat for
Senator Butler, the man who traded
the populist votes to Sewall, and who
has been posing as the biggest head
ed rooster in the populist barnyard
and otherwise making a show of HIM
self.
This week has been almost entirely
devoted to routine business in both
branches of Congress, excepting the
time given up to the Nicaragua Canal
bill in the Senate. The republican
members of the House Ways and
Means committee are sticking steadi-
| y to the hard task of preparing the
tariff bill-how hard this work really
is there are few who understand, out
side Of those who have taken part in
similar jobs.
**~
x-President Harrison, ex-Attorney
General Miller and ex-Vice Preside Mt
Morton were in Washington this week,
but their visit has no political signifi
canoe, as neither of them is now &C.
lively in politics. The first two came
in connection with a case they had be-
fore the Supreme Court and the lat
ter on business connected with his
large holdings Of Washington rca!
estate.
*
A petition signed by more than two
hundred members Of the House, ask
ing that time be given for the con-
sideration of p bills on the calendar
providing for the erection of public
buildings in various states, was pre-
scented to Speaker Reed this week by
a. committee headed by Representa-
tive Hicks, of Pa, Mr.. Reed now has
the matter under consideration. AL
though he candidly told the commit
tee that he was personally opposed
to appropriations of this nature while
the annual deficit is $58, 100000, and
that he did not approve of passing
bills providing for public buildings
and leaving the appropriationsto pay
for them to be made by other Con,
crosses, there is a possibility that he
may grant the request of the signers
of the petition and set aside one OF
more days for the consideration Of
these hills.
The silver democrats are already
weakening on their programme Of
preventing the confirmation of the
nomination of gold democrats for Of
fee. Secretary Francis was confirm
ed without a division, and the nomi
nations of ex Congressman Foreman
who was the gold democratic candi
date for governor of Illinois. to bt
Commissioner of Internal Revenue
and of William Grow McCreery to b.
collector of the First District of Mo
have been favorahly reported an(
will probably be confirmed. Som
of the small fry nominations will
probably be permanently hung up
because they have nobody in tn
Senate to make fight for them.
~
The House committee on Publ
Lands spoiled some democratic sto1
les by promptly reporting: back t
the House the Free Homestead bill
just as it was passed by the Senate
Chairman Lacey presented minorit
report favoring the exception of land
the government is selling as trustee
for Indians.
*x*
Senators will not discuss the Della
ware Senatorial middle for publica
ton, but it is a good guess to say tina
Mr.. Kenney, the democrat who claim
to have been elected to the Senat
from that state few days ago, will
not be escorted to the seat in tina