Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-12-15
WASHINGTON, Dec. S, 1899.
From our Regular Correspon dent.

From our Regular Correspon dent.
WASHINGTON, Dec. S, 1899.
Democrats have every reason to be
pleased with the outcome of the first
week OF Congress. Mr.. Mckinley and
the majority in both House and SEN
ate have committed the Republican
party irreyocably 10 the perpetuation
OF the single gold standard, Mr.. Nc
Kinley in his message to Congress, the
Republican Senators by the gold
standard bill introduced by the chair
man of the Finance Committee, and
the Republican Representatives by
the action Of their caucus in endors-
ing the gold standard bill, prepared
last summer under Mr.. McKinley's
orders by committee OF which
Speaker Henderson was chairman,
and ordering it railroaded through the
House. In addition, the Republican
Representatives have gone back on all
their professions of reform and unani-
mously adopted the old Reed gag
rules. and the Republican Senators
have decided upon the grab policy of
increasing their own and reducing the
Democratic representation on all the
Senate Committees. These things
will all be understood by the people,
and they will all make Democratic
votes. That's why the Democrats in
Congress are pleased with them; they
enjoy seeing the Republicans helping
along their own defeat.
Representative Richardson, of Ten.
nessee, the new leader of the House
Democrats, and Representative Bailey,
of Texas, the old leader, were both
among the thirty-one members who
voted against the resolution denying
Roberts, of Utah, the right OF being
sworn in, in advance of the investiga-
ton of the charges against him.
These votes were not cast in favor OF
Roberts, but as protest against the
method in which the Republicans
purposed to get rid of him. Mr..
Richardson explicitly stated that if
Roberts were shown to be guilty he
would vote for his expulsion from the
House, adding: "If there is one
thing the American people are a unit
upon, it is that the American home
shall be preserved in all its loveliness,
sweetness and purity"
Mr.. Roberts stirred up the admins
tration menagerie, by saying that
Mormons, against whom the charges
of living in polygamy lad been
brought, had been named for Federal
positions in Utah by Mr.. Mckinley
and confirmed by the Senate. Gros-
venor, OF Ohio, and Dalzell, of Penn
sylvania, sought to defend the admin
istration by denying the statement OF
Mr.. Roberts, but their denial could
not change facts. Senator Rawlins
made the same statement more than q
week ago, and proofs of its truthful.
ness will doubtless be forced upon the
investigating committees attention
by Mr.. Roberts.
Knowing that he has absolute con-
troll of majority in both branches of
Congress. Mr.. Mckinley must have
chuckled to himself when he wrote in
his message of the Philippines: 1.-THE
future government of the islands rests
with Congress-" So far as the present
Congress is concerned, Mr.. Mckinley
knows that it will pass no legislation,
dealing with the Philippines, or any
thing else, that is not ordered by him.
One clause in Mr.. McKinley's mes
sage created CONSERVATION among the
Senators and Representatives from the
tobacco-growing New England States
that saying, "Our plain duty is to
abolish all customs tariffs between the
United States and Porto Rico and give
her products free access to our mar
kets." Several conferences have been
held, and Representatives Hill, OF
Connecticut, and Lawrence, of Massa.
chusetts, are threatening to lead re-
volt in the House against legislation
in line with that recommendation, uu-
less an exception is made in favor OF
their tobacco-raising constituents