The Charlotte Democrat., 1897-02-18
BLOCKED THE GAME.
DEMOCRATS CHECKMATED THE
SOUTH CAROLINA SCHEME.

SOUTH CAROLINA SCHEME.
200 Democratic Postmasters on the
Waiting List-Senator Jones's Sill
yer Commission - Passed Over
CIeveIand's Veto.
Correspondence of the NEWS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-The
country is indebted to the Demo
Gratis IN Congress for their prompt
ness in frightening the Republicans
from carrying out a scheme which
might have upset the country and
made no end of trouble had it once
been started. This scheme was the
contemplated objection to the count
ing of the vote of S. c., when Con-
gress assembled in joint convention
to count the electoral votes, by the
negro member of the house from
that State. Just as soon as the in
tention to make this objection was
known, the Democrats in Congress
T Informed the Republicans that if the
objection was made and sustained by
either branch of congress they might
as well abandon all ideas of inaugu-
rating Mckinley, and that the count
of the electoral votes would not be
allowed to proceei. AS soon as the
Republican leaders ascertained that
the Democrats were in dead earnest
they repudiated the scheme, and put
all the responsibility upon "that
fool-nigger," who was made to an
nounce that he had changed his
mind about objecting to the count
ing of the vote of S. G. Congress
counted the votes all right aud there
was no trouble, but had not the
Democrats been prompt in showing
their resentment the vote of S. G.
would have been protested and
thrown out-not to help Mckinley,
but as the first step towards turning
the State over to the negroes and
others who thrived under the noto-
rious Chamberlain. Moses regime.
Senator Hill and Turpie were the
only Senators present who did not
take part in the joint session to
count the electoral vote. When the
senate, headed by Vice President
Stevenson, marched over to the
house chamber those two gentlemen
remained at their desks writing let
ters. They escaped a very dull
three quarters of an hour thereby.
The latest estimate is that the
| number of gold Democratic postmas-
ters, whose nomination will be left
unacted upon by the Senate will
exceed 200. Some of these were
recess appointments and are now fill
ing the offices to which they were
nominated, but they will have to
step out as soon as Mckinley nomi
mates their successors and the Senate
confirms them, and the silver Sena-
tors will do their part towards pre-
venting delay IN such cases.
The Governor of Arkansas evidently
loses no opportunity tc let the world
know where that State stands Oh the
financial question. The credentials
of Senator Jones for his new term
beginning March 4th, this week pre-
sented to the senate, have the name
Of the State conspicuously printed
across the top in silver letters and
the great seal of the State is also
silveI, And Senator Jones is proud
of his connection with State which
is SO thoroughly devoted to silver,
| just as the State has shown its pride
in keeping such champion in the
Senate.
An unexpected opposition to the
monetary conference bill has sprung
up in the house, under the leadership
of Representatives Hill, of Conr.,
and Brewster, of N. Y, both of
whom are uncompromising Republ;-
cans, and supporters of the single
gold standard idea, and both of
whom have publicly stated their
belief that the bill is the esult of a
scheme concocted by Senator Chand-
Ter and other anti-McKinley Repub-
licans to get Mckinley IN trouble
Whether the opposition prove S
serious will depend altogether upon
whether Speaker Reed wishes the bill
to pass, and the indications are that
he does.
Senator derbert's idea of fixing
the limit of the price to be paid by
the government for armor plate at
$4OO a ton has been adopted by the
Senate Naval Committee. and a
clause to that effect will be added to
the Naval Appropriation bill by the
Senate. It is probable also-the
committee has recommended it-that
the Secretary of the Navy will be
authorized to call any bluff that
Carnegie and the Bethlehem Steel
Co. may attempt to put up by refus-
ing to make a contract to furnish
the armor plate at the price nam
ed, by establishing government
plant for the making of armor
plate.
President Cleveland ought to be
getting used to having his vetoes
overruled by Congress by this time.
The bill making changes in the Fas-
tern Judicial district of Texas,
which had the support of the entire
Texas delegation in Congress, is now
law Notwithstanding a veto, and
the house this week passed two pri-
vate pension bills over vetoes. 1t is
not surprising that Mr.. Cleveland
should have remarked that he had
no influence with Congress.
A delegation of Michigan lumber
; men who think their interests will
best be protected" by not increas'
ing the duty on white pine lumber
are in Washington TO protest against
the increase which the Republicans
of the Ways and Means COMMITTEES
| l>o laa:lal "a la Thoro crnr,