The Press., 1898-01-06
Washington Letter.
Washington, Nov. %,


Congress will reassemble on Wednes-
day with as much uncertainty as to what
will be accomplished this year as existed
on the first day of the session, nearly a
month ago. Instead of bringing the
senators and representatives closer to-
gether, the holiday recess has served to
accentuate their differences and to show
how very far apart they are upon almost
every subject upon which legislation will
be attempted. The extreme gold standard
republicans are insisting that the party
must put legislation through the house,
in which they have majority, that will
prove the sincerity of the party towards
the gold standard; the republican silver
senators are talking of the certainty of a
big party detection if this advice is follow
ed, and the conservative republicans are
~ssrying to get the consent of their radical
colleagues to a program that will either
finance alone entirely or only include
some measure that can be supported by
all members of the party. The democrats
and populists, having declared themselves
in caucus to be opposed to all the financi-
al recommendations of President Nc
Kinley and Secretary Gage, are now
merely watching their opponents and
waiting for them to try to do something.
The opponents of existing civil service
conditions have SO far only been able to
agree upon the thing-that they want
change. The committee appointed at the
caucus of republicans to prepare bill is
divided in sentiment, and likely to report
two bills, one to modify the law and one
to repeal it outright, and it is stated that
neither can command the solid vote of
those who attended the caucus. The
democrats have in caucus agreed to vote
for bill for the repeal of the law, but
against any bill modifying it, and. the
populists have decided to vote against
any bill proposing change. Just after
that republican caucus was held it was
stated that President Mckinley had de-
cided to foIestall legislation on the SUBJ
ject by materially modifying the extent of
the civil service rules, but he is said to
have changed his mind since he ascertain
ed the divided condition of the opponents
of the law.
Senator Teller will seldom express his
opinion on what congress will or will not
do, but of the outlook for financial legis-
lation, he said: "There will be no cur
rency legislation passed by the senate at
this session, and Ipredict that the forcing
of Mr.. Cages financial scheme will result
in split between the president and the
bimetallfc senators. There is no posi-
bility of any legislation touching national
banks that will be of a character to satisfy
the banks and permit them to issue
greater circulation than they have now,
although have no doubt that the attempt
will be made by the administration party
to do So" Mr.. Teller is going to put the
senate on record, he says, by offering
resolution, originally offered by Senator
Stanley Matthews, in 1878 and adopted by
the senate, declaring that all U. s. bonds
are payable in silver dollars at the option
of the government.
II hoNo OOCA ouSS0SlCu Ny GnOS0 WHO
favor making public the pension rolls but
are not certain as to whether they will
support the bill authorizing the govern
ment to print it, because of the money it
will cost-about 5000, 900, that it would
be cheaper and would place the name be-
fore many more people If the list of
pensioners of each county were published
in the newspapers of that country
Whether this plan would be cheaper is
matter of doubt, as congress as a body
would hardly have the nerve to ask the
press of the country to perform such
service without compensation, however
much individual congressman may i'm
pose upon the generosity of individual
publishers, but there can be no doubt
about its being the best way to get the
list before the public. Every intelligent
man reads the newspapers, while only
those who have some particular reason
therefor would take the trouble to even
glance at the contents of twelve or fifteen
ponderous volumes, even were they placed
where access to them would be easy.
Secretary Sherman has again denied the
truth of the report revived for about the
Tooth time that he intends resigning.
His friends say that his health is as good
as it has been at any time during the last
five years, and that unless it gets worse,
he will remain at the head of the depart
ment of state during this administration.