The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-02-09
Official Bossism.

catching. Mr.. Mckinley is now try
ing his hand at bossing Congress, 0,
to be more exact, the republicans in
Congress Each republican has been
notified that the administration does
no: intend to recognize the belIiger-
ence Of the Cubans, nor to intervene,
either peaceabIy Or by force, SO long
as present conditions continue TO ex-
ist in Cuba, and that every repubIi
can who seeks in any manner 70 agi-
tate the question in Congress will be
considered an anti.administration
man. and be so treated by the Presi.
dent How is that for bit of high,
handed muzzling Senator Manson,
of Illinois, is one of the republicans
who doesn't intend to be n-uzzled on
the Cuban question. He says he will
this week offer a resolution instruct
ing the President to demand peace in
Cuba. which he believes he can bring
about at once, and be added "Some.
thing must be done, and l will at
least give the Senate a chance to do
lot of talking 1t is a shame that
our government permits such q state
of affairs to exist in Cuba -
There is a probability that Mr.
Mckinley and the Gar of the House
may lock horns over the latter's pro.
gramme for the House. Mr.. Nc
Kinley wishes the House to pass q
Gnancia! bill carrying out some of
the recommendations of his message,
and Mr. Reed has said that the House
should not pass financial bill. If
Mr.. Mckinley doesn't back down,
there is likely to be a hot time in the
old House
Gear Reed will soon have another
fight on bis hands He has said that
no river and harbor bill should be
passed by the House at this session,
but the committee is going right
ahead and preparing bill and by q
judicious distribution of apprepria-
tions, it is believed that enough votes
can be secured to pass the bill re
gsrdless Of the Gear, and it's mem
bers say the attempt to do so will
certainly be made
Representative Terry. of Arkansas,
tersely stated a great truth, during
the little debate in the House which
accompanied the attempt by demo.
Gratis to get action upon bill to com.
pei the administration to bid up to
the full Indebtedness, principal and
interest, of the Kansas Pacific rail
way, when it is sold, when in reply
to taunt from Representative Dal-
zell, of Pennsylvania, that he only
wanted to have government owner
ship of railroads, he said 'We had
better have government ownership of
railroads, than railroad ownership of
government " During the same de-
bate. Representative Bailey, of Tex
as, said 4: "On this side we believe
the government can collect the debt,
and es a prudent creditor that it
should collect every dollar of it."
The republicans oppose this legisla-
ton 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 legisla-
ton.
Representative Norton. of Ohio.
who sharply criticised the present
pension law and It's administration
~ss taken to task by Representative
Ray of N. Y, who charged him
with attacking the Pension Bureau
and the administration. After deny
ing that be had attacked either the
President or the Commissioner of
Pensions. Mr. Norton turned to Mr..
Ray and said "With due amenities
and courtesies of debate, if the gen.
tleman says that I did, he lies in his
throat" Mr. Ray did not reply, and
nobody looks for pistols and coffee
for two as sequal. Times have
changed
Although a considerable number
of Senators had made personal re-
quets of Mr. Mckinley to allow Mrs.
Kenna, widow of the late Senator
Kenna. to remain postmaster at
Charleston ". Va. Mr.. Mckinley
has ignored those requests in response
to the demand ex-senator Elkins and 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 cfice, and pres
ent indications are that he will not
find that altogether easy.
At conference of silver republi
cans and populists, attended by every
Senator and Representative of both
parties. the plan for general CO