Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-12-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
LFrom our Regular Correspondent.
" .s.trr,--.,,,.- n ~ :

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4th, 1899
Hon. J. D. Richardson, of Tennessee, who
received the Democratic nomination for
Speaker, after one of the longest caucuses
ever held. got the vote OF every Democratic
member of the House to-day He was not.
of course, elected ; the Republicans having
the most votes elected Representative
Henderson Speaker, aud adopted the old
Reed rules, but Mr. Richardson will be the
Democratic floor leader of the House dur.
ing the life of the Fifty-SIxth Congress
There may be more snowy and brilliant
men on the Democratic side 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
well established long ago. He received DO
warmer congratulations on his success than
those extended by his three rivals for the
honor.
Leaving Roberts and his polygamy en-
tirely 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 10 right to 90 behind
the official returns and deny man a seat,
when he presents proper credentials, was
right, but right can't win when maiolity
is determined to do the other thing. III
Roberts cannot 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 seat, but it is
wrong TO declare him guilty before his case
is fairly investigated
Mr.. McKinley's long message. one of the
~ 1.
in to-day, owing to the early adjournment
Of both Senate and house as mark of
respect to the late Vice President Hobart
Il will go in to morrow, and then the real
business Of the session of Congress will be-
gin. The Democrats were never in a more
aggressive mood, and hot tines are
ahead for the Republican majority in both
Senate and House
The attention of Senators is being called
to the fact that Gov. Stone had no consti-
tutioBal right to appoint Mr.. Quay to the
Senate, after the legislature adjourned,
without electiDg his successor. The State
Constitution of Penn, expressly provides
that vacancies 10 the q S Senate shall
only be filed by the Legislature. a num-
Der of influential Pennsylvanians are in
Washington, working against the seating
OF Quay ON personal grounds, against both
precedent and law. One of these Is ex
Representative SOwdeD, who said on the
subject; The question should not be
made partisan one, but each Senator
regardless of his politics or his personal
friendship for Mr. Qaay, should vote as a
conscientious, impartial and upright Judge,
and decide 1t according to its merits and
the dictates of his own conscience, under
his official oath. If this be done, there
can be DO question of the result Governor
Stones unlawful appointment has not
single merit to support it,
Representative Smith, of Kentucky, who
was recently acting Chairman of the Ken
tucky Democratic State Committee. thinks
the legal contest in that State, depends
upon the view the Court Of Appeals takes
of tissue ballots. He thinks those bal.
lots were illegal, and knows that they
were used extensively in the Republican
border counties, to make sure that the
hoaters" voted as they were paid to vote
de says if the tissue ballots are thrown
out as illegal, Goeble will have plurality
of from 1000 to 10000. Mr Smith says
be doesn't believe there will be any trouble
in the State, no matter what The final
decision may be