The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1897-02-13
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHING TON, February s, 1S!

WASHING TON, February s, 1897
Senator Tilman has got ont his pitch
fork again, and he is going to use it If
the republicans try to throw ont the
electoral vote of South Carolina on the
protest that is going to be made by
Murry, the negro member of the House
from that state, when the House and
Senate meet this week in joint session to
count the electoral votes. Senator Till
man said on the subject: eff Mckinley
is going to be inaugurated on the 4th OF
March, the joint convention has got to
count the vote OF South Carolina. 1t
the republican party wants to make an
attack on the constitution ot the state, 1t
must make 1t on some other grOnnu or
in some other manner than 10y endtaVor-
ing to prevent the rountingpf her vote.
| wish to go further and EXPRESS my
preference for seeing Mr.. Mckinley
president rather than to seq tie presl-
dental function exercised by Secretary
Olney, as 1t will be after the 4th OF
March, it the effort is made To deny
South Carolina the right to vote 1he
following significant language was used
by Representative Mccall, of MaSSachu
s-tts, who is "a republican and chairman
of the election committee which has
charge of the contested election cases
from South Carolina in this congress:
ut is true, apparently, that the election
laws and constitution OF South Carolina
disbar a large proportion of the pOpula-
ton from voting, but it seems to be the
iIliterate ones who are distraDcillsed.
There is il question lnGihe minds ot
many intelligent men whether this is
not il wise plan if constltutlonally en-
forced and carried ont according to law.
A full generation has passed since the
cu0red men were tnfranchlsed, and DO
not know how long they can expect us
to coudc them and fight to secure their
electoral lights, while they neglect to
learn to read and write
Senator Daniel has made ii point
against the arbitration treaty which
may result III arraylng the silver sena-
tors sUlldly against Its ratification. Ihe
point is that if the United States should
adopt the free coinage Of silver while
that treaty was in force, England could
put in IL claim for the difference between
the value OF principal and interest OF
American debts held in England, under
the new system of double standard
and under the present system OF gold
standard and, il IA ma jOrlty OF the arbl-
traitors happened to be gold men, would
probably get a decision in favor OF the
claim.
\ marked feature of the contested
election cases decided last week 10y the
House waS!that the democrats who held
the seats wete upheld 10y the republican
ma jority. The democrats so hon0red
we've Representatives Swanson, of Nir-
Sinia; Kendall. of Kentucky; and Price
and Boatner, of Louisiana. Tom Wat
sons contest has been decided by IA com
mittee against him and in favor OF Rep
,rstntative Black, and will this week be
decided the same way by the House.
| Canada has sent two members OF its
ministry to Washington to offer liberal
trade concessions in exchange for duties
| i'm the new tariff bill that will not shut
out Canadian agricultural products, but
it looks as though they would just as
we'll have remained at homo so far as
accomplishing anything goes. The re-
pnblicans have already agreed to a
schedule of rates on agricultural pro-
ducts that raises the duties to such an
extent that it will bar out Canadian
products.
The Washington Post has been hav-
ing fun with Secretary Morton. Its
latest hit is too good to be overlooked.
Here it is: "The Post is under obliga
tons to Hon. j. Sterling Morton for his
most valuable report on Tape Worms
in Poultry By the keen employment
of that twin screw and double expan-
sion logic for which the head of the Ag-
ricultural Department is so noted, the
writer is able to show that this pest
which is annoying to farmers and add
ing to their mortgages, is due di-
rectly to the constant agitation OF the
financial question by irresponsible per-
sons who do not agree with the present
| Administrations"
The swearing in of Senator kenney,
of Delaware, which the most radical OF
object to after the committee on cleo
tions had refused to reopen the DUPONT
claim, makes a full Senate OF ninety
members There will probably be a
break in he ranks again after the 4th
of March, either on account OF no sue
cessOr being selected to Senator Black
| burn or because Of deadlock in one
or more states which have not as yet
elected senators.
Any editor does a good deal of think
| ing about matters be does not mention
in his paper. One of these thinks that
bother his thought box is why so many
persons living in his immediate neig igh
borhood refuse to help him 10y subscrib-
ing. He thinks, "Well, if any of that
mans family are born, married, die or
anything happens to any ..sss1hem if they
are hurt in any way, ~ expects me to
tel! all about il, an yet he won't even
bny an extra cohg, or send iE, bis sub
scription. That tis one of the things he
thinks, and ,re1e are more thoughts
that keep him bl lsy trying to find out
the reason why. lsInland Printer