The Press., 1897-05-27
Washington Letter.

Washington. May 18th, 1897.
 Speaker Reed is the man who controls the fate of the senate resolutions declaring for the recognition of Cuban belligerency, and there is no reason for anybody enter taining any doubt as to his attitude towards that resolution. If President Mckinley should conclude that recognition of bel ligerency would be preferable to the policy he has mapped out for himself, and should desire to have that resolution adopted by the house, he has only, to say so, and Speaker Reed will promptly put the reso- lution through, but so long as the presi- dent remains of the opinion that recogni- tion of belligerency will not satisfactorily meet the exigencies of the case, that reso- lution will remain just where it is-on the speakers table. There Is much talk about a revolt on the part of the house, and the speaker, but 1t is only talk. Enough re- publicans in the house will stand by the speaker and president to control that body. and that, too, in the face of the fact that seven-tenths of them are in favor of the belligerency resolution. No such thing as a ''vote of confidence" is known in American legislative proceedings, but President Mckinley, in saying that the adoption of that resolution at this time would embarass him in carrying out his Cuban policy, has practically asked his party in the house for a vote of confidence, and, although there is no politics in this question, his party is likely to do as he wishes, at least long enough for him to have the chance to make his policy known. If the republican and democratic sena- tors live up to their caucus agreements, the country will be spared long-winded speeches in the tariff debate, which was opened to-day by Senator Aldrich. The republicans did not attempt to have their caucus indorse the amendments to the tariff bill because it would have been use less, owing to outspoken opposition to some of the schedules on the part of re- publican senators. The democrats decided to start in by making an attempt to strike out all the internal revenue taxes imposed by the bill, leaving their future actions to be determined by the dissentions they ex- pect to see developed among the republi- cans. The populist senators are not talk ing much about their intentions, but it is safe to say that they will, in all the pre- liminary voting, stand for or against those items in the bill which they think are for or against the interests of their states, re- serving the right to vote for or against the passage. It is now thought that the bill will be passed by the senate inside of four weeks, unless it shall be delayed by some complications now unexpected.
 Senator German, and Representative Richardson; of Tenn. have always enjoyed the reputation of being hustlers in getting places for their constituents, but it fairly made the eyes of some of their colleagues bulge when 1t was stated before the senate civil service committee that when MT. German was chairman of the senate print ing committee, and MT. Richardson of the house printing committee, they had to their credit two hundred and seventy-five employees respectively fin the government printing office. A great many of those employees are still there, enjoying what ever protection there may be in MT. Cleve- lands extension of the civil service rules, against which such fight is being made by republicans.
 The politicians are much interested in the successor Of theFlabe Senator Earle, of s. O., who died last week. The legisla- ture of the state will not meet until next January, so the naming of the senator who will serve until that time belongs to Gov ernor Ellerbe; who is himself credited with senatorial aspirations. It is thought that Senator Tfllman would very much like to have his friend, Ex-Governor Evans, appointed't to the vacancy, but, ac- cording to South Carolinians in Washing ton, Governor Ellerbe is not on sufficiently good terms with MT. !Tillman to care about obliging him.,
 Assistant Secretary Roosevelt has appar- entity given up the habit of carrying official dynamite around in his pocket. He has investigated the complaints made against the management of two navy yards, and has reported that he found very little basis for them as a rule
 The interstate commerce commission doesen't like the railroad pooling bill, pending in the senate, and has submitted it's objections in writing. The commission tells congress plainly that if it intends to take away the authority of the commission it should do it in straightforward man. ner, in order that plain people may know