The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-29
Gossip of
the Capital
Special to the Scranton Tribune.

Special to the Scranton Tribune.
Washington, March 2S.-The Democrats
of the house in caucus on Saturday,
March Is, selected Representative Bailey
as their candidate for speaker. OF course,
it was an empty honor as far as elecunS
him to that office was concerned. StilI,
at the same time, the caucus nomination
was not entirely without honor. 1t made
him the ntural leader of that side of the
house, and ordinarily he would be accord
ed that position. But Representative Nc
Mllin of Tennessee, who was Mr.. Bal
ley's principal opponent in the speaker
ship contest, does not propose to allow
the young and dashing Texan to be the
undisputed leader of the Democratic min
ority. Still chatting under his defeat for
the speakership nomination Mr.. McMi!-
Ian is doing all he can TO wrest the
leadership from Mr.. Bailey. They are
both members of the ways and means
committee, and as such they are NlelnS
with each other to see who can talk the
most on the new tariff bill. 1t is now
more than u week since debate was begun
ON that measure. In that time Mr.. McMl-
Ian has spoken at least a dozen times
OF course, they We're not all set or long
speeches, but they We're speeches just the
same. In fact Mr.. MGMilln has con-
tracted the very bad habit of attempting
to defend the Democratic free trade pol
lev every time ii Is assailed by the other
no other Democrat is equal to the task.
That is Just where he has made most
serious mistake. BY his constant talking
Mr.. McMilin is making himself very un-
popular among members of his own par
w. to say nothing OF that tired feel
ing" he gives the Republicans, and if he
were a candidate for the leadership of
the house tomorrow he would not get
nearly as many votes as he received TWO
weeks ago.
In this respect Mr. Bailey is just the
opposite to Mr.. McMillin. Having been
chosen the leader of his party ana there
| fore entitled to talk as much as he pleas
| es Mr.. Bailey only speaks when II Is alb
| solutely necessary. He is one of the best
| as well as the most pleasing takers in
| the house He is not frothy like McMil-
| lin. He can state a proposition in a very
few words and make it so clear that ev-
| erybody, even the dullest member can
| fully understand. He has only one weak
| ness His hobby is the constitution, ani
| when that instrument is under discussion
| Mr.. Bailey always has his say. lie is
| considered one of the abest COnsttu-
| tional lawyers in the house So far Mr..
| Bailey has made only one speech on the
| tariff That was when the bill was first
reported to the house, and then he only
outlined the policy of his party on the
| subject. He will make the closing speech
|
| day.
Nobody but a man who has an inde-
pendent income ana a pretty good one
| at that can afford to accept big foreign
| mission, an ambassadorship IN particu-
| lar. The salaries attached TO these offices
are not large enough to keep the Occu-
pants in the style in which they are com
PEELED to live The most paid any Ameri-
can ambassador or minister Is Sl7, 800. Out
OF this he must pay his own expenses
even 10 the renting of house and Of
fees. The foreign governments allow
| their ambassadors much larger salaries
and otherwise grant them means to main
tain their exalted dignity For instance
Sir Julian Pauncefote England's ambas
sador to Washington, get a salary oi
$4,000 a year, and has all his expenses
paid, besides being furnished with al
embassy in which to live and transact
his business The Mexican minister tC
this country is reputed to get a salary II
excess of that paid the president of tn,
United States, which Is $50 900, His Twins
expenses are also paid by his govern
ment
The gold" Democrats want recognition