Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-02-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondence
WASHINGTON. Feb. 7, 1898.

Bossing is catching. Mr.. Mckinley is
now trying his hand at bossing Compressor
to be more exact, the Republicans in Con-
grets. Each Republican has been notified
| that the administration does not intend to
recognize the bel6gerence OF the Cuhans,
nor to inter, enc either forceably or by
force, so long as present conditions continue
to exist 10 Cuba, and that every Republic
can who seeks in any manner to agitate the
question in Congress will be considered an
anti. administration man, and be SO treated
| by the President How is that for bit OF
high handed muzzling? Senator Mason, OF
Illinois, is one of the Republicans who
dosen't intend to be muzzled on the Cuban
question. He says he will this week offer
resolution instructing the President to
demand peace in Cuba, which he believes
he can bring about at once, and he added !:
Something must be done, and l will at
least give the Senate chance to do lot
of talking 1t is shame that our govern
ment permits such state OF affairs to ex-
list in Cuba"
There is probability that MI. Mckinley
and the Gear of the House may lock horns
over the latter's program for the House,
Mr.. Mckinley wishes the House to pass
financial bill carrying out some of the
recommendations of his message, and Mr.
Reed has said that the House should not
pass a financial bill. If Mr.. Mckinley
doesn't hack down, there is likely to be a
hot time in the old House.
Gear Reed will soon have another fight
on his hands. He has said that no river
aud harbor bill should be passed by the
House at this session, but the committee is
- srs hi md hu
iudicious distribution of appropriations,
it is believed that enough votes can be
secured to pass the bill regardless of the Car
and its members say the attempt to do So
will certainly be made.
Representative erry,o Arkansas, tersely
stated great truth, during the little de-
bate in the House which accompanied the
attempt by Democrats to get action upon
bill to compel the administration to bid up
to the full Indebtedness, principal and
interest, of the Kansas Pacific railway
when it is sold, when in reply to taunt
from Representative Dalzell, of Pennsylva-
MIA, that he only wanted to have govern
ment ownershipof railroads, he said: We
had better have government ownership OF
railroads, than railroad ownership of
government" During the same debate,
Representative Bailey, of Texas, said: "On
this side we believe the government can
collect the debt, and as prudent creditor
that it should collect every dollar of it."
The Republicans oppose this legislation on
the ground that the President already has
sufficient power. 1t is TO prevent the
abuse of that power by settlement that
will not include full payment of principal
and interest that the Democrats desire the
legislation.
Representative Norton, of Ohio, who
sharpley criticised the present pension law
and its administration was taken to task
by Representative Ray, Of New York, who
charged him with attacking the Pension
Bureau and the administration. After de-
nying that he had attacked either the
President or the Commissioner of Pensions,
Mr.. Norton turned to Mr.. Ray and said i:
6 With due amenities and courtesies of de-
bate, II the gentleman says that l did, he
lies in his throat" Mr.. Ray did not reply,
and nobody looks for pistols and coffee for
the sequel Times have changed.
Although considerable number of Sena-
tors had made personal requests of Mr.
Mckinley to allow Mrs. Kenna, widow of
the late Senator Kenna, to remain post
master at Charleston, West Virginia, Mr..
Mckinley has ignored those requests, and
in response to the demand of Senator
Elkins has nominated Mr.. 0. A. Petty to
succeed Mrs Kenna But Mr.. Petty will
have to be confirmed by the Senate before
he gets that office, and present indications
are that he will not find that altogether
easy.
At conference of silver Republicans and
Populists, attended by every Senator and
Representative of both parties. the plan for
a general cooperation in the Congressional
campaign with the Democrats was unani-
mously ratified 1t was also the unanimous
sentiment that Mr. Bryan was the logical
candidate of the allied silver forces in 1900
1t was also decided that ex-Representative
| Towne, chairman of the silver Republican
National Committee, should be sent to
Oregon, where the Congressional election
| will be held in June, to aid in carrying out
the cooperation plans in that State.
Representative Williams, OF Miss, has
| fattened the contents of the pigeon holes
| of the House committee on Foreign Affairs
by Offering a resolution calling on the Sec
| rotary of State for all the information IN
his possession as to the progress made by
Spain in its attempts to get the Cubans to
accept autonomy and the condition of the
rtconcentrados, mon combatants) of Cuba.
The resolution is timely, and ought to be
acted upon, but there is little hope that ii
will be. Nothing can get before the House
without the Cars O K