The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-12-06
CONGRESS C0NYENES.
Republicans Elect Speaker
Political Gossip of Interest
to Politicians.


for speaker, after one of the longest
caucuses ever held. got the vote of
every aenocrasic member of the
House today He was not, of
course. elected /; the republicans
having the most votes. elected
Representative Henderson Speaker,
and adopted the old Reed rules, but Mr
Richardson will be the democratic
aoor.leader of the house during The
life OF the Fifty sixth congress
There may be more snowy and
brilliant men on the democratic eide
of the House, but that he will make
shrewd and safe leader is conceded
by all His shrewdness would have
been shown by the manner in which
he conducted his campaign for the
nomination of Speaker. had it not
been we'll established long ago He
received no warmer congratulations
en- his success than those extended
by his three rivals for the hono:
Leaving Roberts and his poiygamy
entirely out of the question, the
position taken by the democrats in
the first scrap of the session, which
occurred when objection was raised
to the swearing in of Roberts. that
the house had no right TO go behind
the official returns and deny man a
seat, when he presents proper Gre
dentials, was right, but right cant
win when majority is determined TO
do the other thing. If Roberts can
not clear himself of the charge OF
having violated the law. there will
be few, if any, objections on the
democratic side to his being denied
a seat, but it is wrong to declare bim
guilty before bis case is fairly invest
igated.
Mr. McKiniey's long message
one cf the longest ever sent to con
gress-was not sent in today, owing
to the early adjournment Of both
senate and house as mark OF
respect to the late Vice President
hobart. 1t will go in tomorrow, and
then the real business of the session
of congress will begin The demo
Gratis were never in more aggress
i've mood. and "not times are ahead
for the republican majority in both
senate and house.
The attention of senators is being
called to the fact that Gov Stone bad
no constitutional right to appoint M
Quay to the senate. after the legisla-
ture adjourned. without electipg his
successor The State constitution Of
Pennsylvania expressly provides that
vacancies in the United States sen
ate shall only be filled by the legisla
ture. 4 number OF influential Penn
sylvaniaDs are in Washington work
ing against the seating of Quay on
personal grounds, against both
precedent and law One cf these is
ex-Represen:ative Sowden, who said
on the subject /: THE question
should not be made partisan cDe,
but each senator, regardless of hie
politics or his personal friendship for
Mr Quay, should vote as a conscien
tioue, impartial and upright judge,
and decide it according to it's merits
and the dictates Of his own con
science, under his official oath. if
this be done, there can be no ques
>tion of the result Gov Stones
unlawful appointment has not a
single merit to support it /"
That our pension laws are in need
of revision. everybody knows, but
when they will get it. or whether the
revieion will make them better or
worse. is horse /of another color
The secretary and assistant secretary
of the interior, and the commissioner
and assistant commissioner OF pen
sions, bave testified before sub
committee, of the senate committee
on pensions, that revision OF the
laws should be made. and recon
mended that it be done by non
partisan commission A national
commission that is really non partisan
would be rarity, indeed. although
there are many so called
Representative Smith Of Kentucky.
who was recently acting chairman of
the Kentucky democratic State com
ml.tee. thinks the legal contest in
that State, depends upon the view
the court of appeals takes of tissue
ballots He thinks those ballots
were illegal, and kuows that they
were used extensively in the repub
lican border counties, to MAKE sure
that the foaters'' voted as they
were paid to vote He says if the
tissue ballots are thrown out as
illegal, Goebel will have plurality
OF from 1000 to 10000 Mr. Smith
says be doesn't believe there will be