Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-01-28
WASHING TON LETTER
tFrom Our Regular CorrsspssAsall


mittee on Foreign Relations made II
very plain to Secretary Olney, at the
meeting OF the committee that he
attended upon the Invitation of Sen
ator Sherman, now chairman Of that
committee, 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 c0nsld-
Grafton of the arbitration treaty; that
Senators were only after the fullest
Information about those sections of
the treaty, upon which more than
one construction could be placed, and
that when that information had
been obtained the treaty would be
dealt with according to its merits.
The result OF none of the SEN
atorial contests gave more satisfac-
tion to Republicans In Congress than
the reelection of Senator Pritchard,
OF North Carolina. There was a
double satisfaction. They were glad
to see Senator Pritchard reelected
because they thought he deserved to
be, and because 1t was a singing de-
feat for Senator Butler, the man who
traded the Populist vote to Sewall,
and who has been posing as the big
gest headed rooster in the Populist
barn yard, and otherwise making a
show of himself.
This week has been almost en-
tirely devoted to routine business in
both branches of Congress, excepting
the time given up to the Nicaragua
Canal Bill In the Senate. The re-
publican members of the House Ways
and Means COMMITTEE are sticking
steadily to the hard task of preparing
the tariff bill. How hard this work
really Is there are few who under
stand, outside of those who have
taken part In similar jobs.
Ex-President Harrison, Ex-Attor-
ney General Miller and Ex- Vice. Pres
ident Morton were In Washington
this week. but their visit has no DO.
litical significance, as neither of them
Is now actively in politics. The first
two came In connection with a case
they had in the Supreme Court. and
the latter on business connected with
his large holdings OF Washington
real estate.
A petition signed by more than
two hundred members Of the House,
asking that time be given for the
consideration of twenty-five bills on
the calendar, providing for the cree.
tion Of public buildings In various
States, was presented to Speaker
Reed this week, by committee had.
cd by Representative Hicks, of Pa.
Mr.. Reed now has the matter under
consideration. Although he candidly
told the committee that he was per
sonally opposed to appropriations OF
this nature, while the annual deficit
Is s58, 900, 900, and that he did not
approve of passing bills providing for
public buildings, and leaving the
appropriations to pay for them to be
made by other Congresses, there Is a
possibility that he may grant the re-
quest Of the signers of the petition,
and set aside one or more days for the
consideration of these bills.
They silver democrats are already
weakening on their programme OF
preventing the confirmation of the
domination of Gold Democrats fol-
Office. Secretary Francis was con.
hrmed without division, and the
nominations of Ex-Congressman For
man. who was the COLLIDE Docratit
candidate for Governor of Illinois, t.
be commissioner of internal revenue
and of VIM. Crow McCrery, to be col
lector Of the frst district of Mis-
souri,. have been favorably reported
and will probably he confirmed. Some
of the small fry nominations will
probably be permanently hung up
because they have nobody In the
Senate to make fight for them.
The House Committee on Public
lands spoiled some democratic stories
by promptly reporting back to tht
House the Free-HOmestead Bill, jus,
as it was passed by the Senate. Chair
man Lacey presented minority re
port favoring the exception of lands
the government is selling as trustee
for the Indians.
| Senator Hill will not discuss the
Delaware Senatorial muddle for pub
LEGATION, but it is a good guess to say,
that Mr.. Kenney, the democrat. who
claims to have been elected to the
Senate from that State few days
ago, will not be escorted to a seat IL
that body on the day he presents hit
credentials. Col. DUPONT thinks hi
has a prior claim on that seat, and
the Committee on Elections is now
considering. as to whether 1t shall
report in favor of the re-opening o.