Phoenix weekly herald., 1898-01-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Newsy Chatter From the National
Capital.

Capital.
Washington. Jan. 10, $685.
Ed. HERALD:-It is difficult to pre-
dict accurately when the debate OF
| the Hawaiian annexation treaty will
| end, nor will the discussion be report
| ed in full as it takes place in executive
| session, behind closed doors. What
| the final result will be is also uncer-
| tain at this writing. The latest and
most reliable poll shows that fifty-siX
| Senators favor the treaty. while thirty
three oppose it, which would indicate
probable failure of the treaty But
the administration expects to secure
the four additional votes required to
make the necessary two-thirds from
the ranks of the seven or eight Sena-
tors who are now mildly opposed, yet
open to conviction Senator Heitfield,
of Idaho, has been one of these, but
recently came out in favor of anneXa-
ton. Party lines are not drawn upon
it. though every Republican Senator
viii vote for the treaty. Twenty
nine Of the opponents are Democrats,
three Populists and one silver Repub-
Hcan. The debate will undoubtedly be
Interesting and the proposition to
throw open the doors and let the dis
cussiOn go on in open session may
Snally prevail. 1t is not now expected
that a vote will be reached before
Mare1.
The ass>rtion is made by Congress
man Loud Tat the exclusion of serial
Dook publications. and sample copies
OF periodicals. fram the privileges of
second-cIass posta1srates would effect
a saving TO the Government of $13,-
100000 a year. Friends of the meas
I i
claim that these two items comprise
the source of the deficit in the reve-
nueS of the postal service, but others |
point to the enormous amount of mail |
lonal and department franks. This
free matter amounts to hundreds of |
tons per annum, but there is no de- |
mand that it be cut off. 1t was never |
intended or expected that the postal |
service would be self-supporting The |
people get the benefit of it and they
expect TO pay for it. The Loud bill
has some good features, but tits not
perfect and will not pass in its pres
ent shape.
At some of the hotels in Washing
ton where Congressman and their fam
lies are Quartered the social func-
ions include regular weekly card part
es, progressive euchre, etc, at which
their friends from the other houses
Ire invited. These games. with their
prizes and other inducements, are
great contests in which the deepest
interest is taken by both the men and
women. Interferences are looked on
With annoyance. There is one genial
Senator among the contestants on
hese occasions who, while he does not
,lay a strong game at cards, thor
In
lists in telling his stories and making .
in the most interesting
,ortionS of the game. At a recent /.
Meeting he had a fair run of luck, and
vas about to reach the head table
)ne of his opponents was Congress
nan P, who is a veteran at cards
he Senator and his partner had four
oints won, while the Representative
nd his partner had but three. The J.,
ext hand would decide who should =
o to the head table The cards ha0 =
cen dealt. when the Senator. recall
lg some play that had been made, re- : :
larked: E
THAT play was almost as useless
$ the tail end of a sentence l once .
card a Judge pronounce in my State.
ONE fellow had been arrested for
arryirg concealed weapons. After =
e had been locked up it was discov-
red that he had committed murder n
e was tried on that charge, convict =
l. and the court in passing sentence -
lid: Under the verdict 1 sentence :.
Du to the penitentiary for life, and II II
hen you have served your sentence :, :,
1u may serve two months more for
lrrying the weapon During the - -
lighter that followed the bell e
unded and the Senator and his u
lrtner progressed to the head Ia
q. Representative P.'S face was
udy. The hand he had received at
e time the Senator began telling !.
e story, had he been allowed TO -
ay it. would have enabled him TO =
in the game. But the story prevent .,
it. and as the Senator and his part -
r left. the discounted NJ. c. leaned I = :
-er and half audibly remarked 20 his = =
rtner: Nobody but a blanked fool =, ~
-er tells a funny story a card =.
me- -.
Mr.. r. G. Wilder. of Colorado. who h.
Gently returned from Klond1ke, is cf
Nv in Washington and has express w
positive views relative to the relief cr
easures under consideration ol
n satisfied that the proposed w
heme of Government relief for the &
Iondike miners will prove failure, G;
l0 MI. w lUeT- OMlnS W NAAC | n
Gus gorges. the ice in the rivers n
id lakes is so rough, being in many ~
aces piled to a height of from thirty w
fifty feet, that it is Impossible fl
cut trail through before it would il
saDpear from natural causes -
we been in that country and know II
hat l am talking about This con io
ton exists for 500 miles. 1t would le
impossible, in my judgment to
Ike reindeer or any other sort of
FINALS in there at this season, and is
e only possible way to reach the a,
ction is to pack the supplies on the w
cks of men l do not think there \,
III be any actual starvation at Daw- 81
N. but the supply of provisions Sc
ere is too scant for comfort. When in
came away last summer saw ot
% offered for a sack of flour, but IN
@ proposition was declined. If
This is the first administration for II
-elve years to be without heads N,
an. Under Cleveland, under Harri-
N and under Cleveland again,
eadsman Stevenson, Headsman h.
arkson and Headsman Maxwell ~
ere more conspicuous in the Wash n.
gton dispatches than most Cabinet r.,
icers. In 1885. 1889 and 1898 the