The Worthington advance., 1897-01-21
Washington Letter .

fresident Mchlnley,s cabinet. The
portfolio Of War is that assigned by
gossip to Senator Hawley. The other
Senators to- W nom portfolios have
been tentatively offered have declined,
although there is still a strong belief
around the Capitol that Senator Sher-
man will be Secretary of State. but it
is said, not by himself, however, that
Senator Hawley would be willing to
become Secretary of War.
At this weeks meeting of the Sen
ate committee ON Foreign Relations
nothing was said about Senator
,Cameron's Cuban resolution, and
that gentleman is still out of town.
Senator Mills made a speech on his
Cuban resolution and Senator Bacon
also advocated it's adoption either in
or out of Congress, which is good evi-
dence that the Cuban excitement has
all died out, not from lack of inter-
est, but because of the belief that no.
thing will be done at this session.
Senator Allison says he doesn't
know whether the report that ex-Rep-
resentative Wilson, of Iowa, would be
next Secretary of Agriculture is true
or not, but that he hopes it is, as be
thinks Mr.: Wilson especially we'll
qualified for the position and had SO
informed Maj. Mckinley when he
saw him the other day.
The most dramatic episode of the
session was the reply to an attack
made by Representative Mcguire, of
California, in "leave-to-print"
speech in the Congressional Record,
on Representative johnson, of the
same state. It was all in connection
with the Pacific Railroad funding bill,
which to the surprise of many was SO
badly defeated by the House. In
speech favoring that bill Mr.. johnson
made very bitter personal attack
upon W. r. Hearst, accusing him of
unprintable things in unprintable
language. Representative Cooper, OF
Wis.,, at the time accused Mr.. John
son of cowardice for attacking man
who was not present, and Mr. Mcguire
seconded the accusation in his print
ed speech and added slurs about Mr..
Johnson's having a criminal record
at his old Syracuse IN. W home.
When Mr. johnson arose in the House
to reply to Mcguire it was easy to
see that he was excited terribly
He began by saying: ut is just as
we'll for me to face ,nis matter now
as later, and meet the cowardly in
situations made against me at the
dictation of William R. Hearst. It is
true that thirty years ago I was in
trouble in New York; that 1 was in
dicted; that I went to California to
rear new home and live down the
past, but it is untrue that I went
under an assumed name." Nothing
could have been more pathetic than
the story of his struggles to regain
good name, told in voice shaking
with emotion, but there was ring of
triumph in his voice when he told of
the victory won and how "by the
blessings of God and the help of my
own good wife was at last able to
pay back every dollar I owed" and
the House gave him a spontaneous
round of applause. OF his charges
against Hearst he said: "Every
charge I made is capable proof. do
not shelter myself behind my Con-
stitutional privilege. Everything I
say as member of Congress am re-
sponsible for as citizen, personally
and financially" Of the charge of
cowardice against him he said: ''tf
either the gentleman from Wiscon-
sin Cooper or the gentleman from
California (Maguire) thinks I am
cowardly, let either repeat to me out
side this chamber what he has said
inside, and this curiosity will be ap-
peased." The House showed where
it's sympathy was by ordering
Maguire's speech stricken from the
Record and by refusing to strike out
Johnson's speech.
Whether Speaker Reed intended to
stir up the democrats of the House
by his selections to fill the vacancies
on the House committees I cannot
say. but that his action has stirred
them up is certain, especially his
puttlUS Ddlley, VI leAeto, Oa Cue OOu-
mittee on Rules and Boatner, of La,
on the committee on Ways and
Means.
A very interesting question is
raised by the petition of Col. Henry
A. Du Pont and eleven members of
the Delaware legislature who voted
for Col. Du Pont for Senator, which
was presented by Senator Chandler
and referred to the Senate Committee
on Privileges and Elections. The
petition asks that the Senate recon-
slider it's decision, made at the last
session. that Col. Du Pont was not
entitled to a seat in the Senate, and
sets forth reasons why the petition is
made.
If the Senate fails to ratify the
treaty providing for arbitrating all
disputes between this country and
England at this session, it will be
more because the Senate desires to
Erebuke Olney than because Of actual
opposition to the treaty: The treaty
! E.: o~l IL :.