The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-12-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
IN SESSION AND HOT
TINES ARE EXPECTED IN BOTH
HOUSES.
News and Notes From tho Coun-
try S Capital.

w dHulHElONs ltEts fs-IlOn. y.
ID. 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 today. He
was not, of course, elected the
republicans lhaving the most
votes, elected Representative
Henderson speaker, and adopted
the Reed rules, but Mr.. Richard
son will be the democratic floor
leader of the house during the
life Of the Fifty Sixth congress.
There may be more showy and
brilliant men on the democratic
side of he house, but that he
viii make a 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 on his success
than those extended by his three
rivals for The honor.
Leaving Roberts and his poly
gamy entirely out Of the ques-
ton, the position taken by the
democrats in the first scrap Of the
session, which occurred when OBJ
lection was raised to the swear
ing in OF Roberts, that the house
had no right to go behind the Of
ficiai returns and deny a man a
seat, when he presents proper
credentials, was right, but right,
can t win when a majority is de-
termined to do the other thing.
If Roberts cannot clear himself
of the charge of having violated
the law, there will be few IL any,
objections on the democratic side,
to his being denied seat, but il
is wrong to declare him guilty be-
fore his case is fairly investigated.
Mr.. McKinley's long message
one of the longest ever sent to
congress--was not sent in today,
owing to the early adjournment Of
both senate and house as mark
OF respect to the late Vice Presi-
dent Hobart. 1t will go in to-
morrow, and then the real busi-
ness Of the session of congress
will begin. The democrats were
never in more aggressive mood,
and shot times are ahead for
the republican majority in both
senate and house.
The attention of senators is be-
ing called to the fact that Gov.
Stone had no constitutional right
TO appoint Mr.. Quay to the sem
ate, after the legislature adjourn
without electing his successor,
The state constitution Of Penn
sylvania, expressly provides thai
vacancies in the United States
senate shall only be filled by the
legislature. A number OF influ-
ential Pennsylvanians are in
Washington, working against the
seating Of Quay on personal
grounds, against both precedent
and law. One Of these is ex-
Representative Sowden, who saic
on the subject: 'The question
should not be made a partisan
one, but each senator, regard.
less of his politics or his persona
friendship for Mr.. Quay, should
vote as a conscientious, impair
tial and upright Judge, and de.
eide it according to official oatn
If this be done, there can be ne
question of the result. Gov.
stones unlawful appointment
has not a single merit to suppor
/ it,
That our pension laws ere il
need OF revision, everybod,
knows, but when will they get it
or whether the revision will maxi
them better or worse, is a horsl
Of another color. The secretarl
and assistant secretary of the In
terror, and the commissioner anc
assistant commissioner OF pen,
sions, have testified before |
! SUBJ committee, of the senatl
committee on pensions, that /
revision Of the laws should b
. made, and recommended that !
be done by partisan, com
mission. A national commits
sion that is really non-partisan
would be a rarity, indeed, al
:. -. .r,.o<N {barn "a m a ~. ts<. n a "A
8 Representative Smith, Of Ken