The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-07-26
Washington Gossip.
Senate and House Committee Plans
- for Financial Bill.
Gold Standard Clauses-Lightning
Alarms the Watchmen in the
Washington Monument.
nos1c D ,oorI

COlUmUla DdllS 1sSSoio'
Washington, July 2o-Word comes
from the Republican members OF the
Senate finance committee that they
have practically finished their work
at Narragansett and have tentatively
agreed on platform for q financial
bill to submit to the full committee
II is understood here that the Sena'
ators will 60 to New York this week
for meeting or two before they
finally take arecess, and set a date for
a Joint session with the House eau
Gus committee. When General Hen
derson was in Washington last week
he said that the House Committee
had not prepared bill to submit to
Congress, and technically he was
right, for the committee have notput
their ideas into the shape Of a bill.
But they have agreed upon a SUBJ
stance of a measure. The Senate
can say the same thing, for while
they have not drawn up their bill in
writing, they have agreed upon its
provisions, and the meeting in New
York will be to conclude their work.
4 is thought by Republicans here
that when the two committees get to-
gether they will be able to agree
upon bill, and that the members OF
the House committee will do great
de,l toward inducing the Senate COM
mittee to make an open declaration
for the gold standard.
Although one or two Senators, DO
tably Thurston and Chandler, have
declared in interviews against the
Republicans committing themselves
unreservedly for the gold standard,
it is thought these opinions are only
given out that the Senators may seem
consistent with the past records. But,
privately, these Senators say that if
gold standard bill is reported they
will vote with their party in the Sen
ate.. The chief obstacle against such
declaration is the prospect of a
long flibuster in the Senate against
the final vote on any bill committing
the country to the absolute gold
standard.
While the next Senate will be Re
publican by good majority, there
are still members who will bitterly
fight any gold standard declaration.
Uader the rules of the Senate prac-
tically unanimous consent is neces-
sary to vote upon bill The Dem
ocrats and silverites will combine for
long contest, and will flibuster
just as long as they can. However,
it is we'll established precedent
that when a majority of the Senate
is in favor of bill it will pass, al
though it may take long time in
doing to.
If a majority Of the Senate, as rep
resented by the Republicans, favor a
declaration for the gold standard and
it is incorporated in financial bill,
it will pass, but in the meantime it
will create antagonism, bad feeling
and debate on the floor, and furnish
material for the coming campaign.
It is the opinion of we'll advised men
here in Washington, that notwith-
standing this, such declaration will
be included in the new financial bill.
During one of the big storms last
week lightning struck the Washing
ton monument and did considerable
damage among the telephones inside
the shaft. There is a complete tele
phone system inside the monument,
the wires connecting the engine room,
the watchman's quarters, with the
elevators and the platform at the
top. There is also lightning rod on
the top of the monument, but some
how or other the electric current got
tangled up in the telephone wires,
and for a time the position Of the
base of the monument was anythlI 6
but pleasant.
The lightning rod on the top Ct
the monument is a peculiarly shaped
affair, resembling large gridirep
placed directly over the capstone.
All along the ribs Of the gridiron are
various points to attract the light,
ming, and in the celtre is taller one'
directly over the aluminium apex OF
the monument. All these rods are
gathered under the griliron into one
wire, and it runs down into the top
of the monument. This one rod Is
connected with the wire in the lnte
rior of the monument, and runs down
the iron framework of the elevator,
connecting at the base with copper
wire running into the earth. Gener'
ally when lightning strikes the mon
o.;to cftop tho r.