The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-14
CAN'T PASS COLO BILL
What Congress Will Do at It's
Next Session.
THE COLONIAL POLICY
VIII Skirmish for Position in the Presi-
Dental Carnpaign-A Change in
Leadership-Rich Is
lbs. q Strong Man.
Washington Bureau Of the Standard,
No. 1145 G.. Street. n w |


Washington D. c., Nov. 1O.-In less
than a month the new congress will as
senble and the season of political Skin
mishing for position in the next cam
paign will begin. The senate and house
are both republican, the former heavily
so. The house is closer politically than
the popular branch of congress has been
in ten years. The democratic minority
is much more formidable in numbers
than it has been since the Fifty third
congress, and there will be many peliti-
cal questions arising on which it will
doubtless trouble the republicans to
poll their full party strength. Still, it
is safe to say that everything that the
| national administration seriously de-
sires to see enacted into law can COM
mand the votes to put it on the federal
statute books. Whether the national
administration will desire anything
done in the way of legislation on the
| financial question is very doubtful.
There has been a great deal of talk
about the establishment of the gold
standard as a fixture, and at one time
during the congressional recess 1t
looked as If there might be some seri
GUS purpose on the part Of the leaders
Of the party in the matter Of financ.a
legislation. But the Atlantic City con-
ferences do not appear to have done
more than to have had bracing effect
| on the health Of the conferees, and not
| withstanding the brave talk of Senator
| Aldrich and Speaker-to-be Henderson,
| it looks like pretty sure guess that no
| gold bill will pass, at any rate before
| the next election.
| The colonial policy of the admins
tration and the Philippine question viii
| tnH1 hn ia 10y az in
session. The annual message which the
| president is now laboriously evolving
will bring these matters directly to the
attention of congress. 1t is believed
that the president will devote the larg-
er portion of the message to this sub
ject. The democratic members of the
| senate and house will be quite prepar-
ed to have this subject made prominent
for they believe there IS plenty of cam
paign material for 1900 in the issue OF
imperialism and the unauthorized war
which the president has been carrying
on across the Pacific since last Feb
ruary.
1 There will be a. change of leadership
on both sides of the house. Speaker
Reed has retired from congress and
Joseph Bailey has surrendered the
democratic leadership to make the race
for senator from Texas. The speaker
is always the leader of the majority
party. as we'll as the presiding officer
of the house, and the republican leader
will, of course, be David B. Henderson
of Iowa. many months ago slated for
speaker. There are several candidates
for the position of leader of the minor
ity, but James D.. RichardsonHof Tenn,
essee is clearly In the lead and will
probably be nominated at the demo-
| cratic caucus which will be held the
Saturday before congress convenes.
Both Henderson and Richardson are
| congressional
have been prominent on the floor Of the
| house for many years. Dissimilar in
disposition and in talents, they will af-
| ford strong contrasts in the party
/, struggles on the floor. Henderson is a
| powerful speaker. but oratorical ability
is not of particular Importance in the
| position of speaker Richardson is one
of the best parliamentarians that has
| been in congress for a generation, and
would make an admirable presiding Of
| flcer He will also be a valuable floor
| leader, although best equipped in eX-
perience and talents for the chair. The
new speaker is an extreme partisan
but no representative in Washington
| has more warm democratic friends
Henderson is splendid fellow is
the comment of every man that knoWf
| him. It will be a great relief to see the
house presided over by big-hearted
liberal, kindly man, after all the year:
the clammy and despotic Reed has
| reigned there. Mr.. Richardson is no
popular among republicans in the same
sense as Henderson Is among the demo
Gratis, but he has always been strong ir
the house and has many sincere ad
mirers on the republican side. A:
speaker pro tenn. of the Fifty-third con
| gress and as chairman of the commit.
| tee of the whole during the long anc
| wearisome debate on the Wilson bill
he won much praise for his admirable
skill and impartiality in the chair.
Henderson was first elected to con-
gress at az and is now serving his
ninth consecutive term; Richardson
entered congress for the first time al
IL and is now serving his eighth con-
secutive term. In addition to being
veterans of congress both are veterans
of the civil war, in which they enlisted
as privates, Henderson at 20 ane
Richardson at is. Each served
throughout the entire war, Henderson
in the Union and Richardson in the
| confederate army. The young Hender
| son was afterWard colonel of the 46tl
Iowa volunteers and the younger Rich
ardson was afterward adjutant of the
| 45th Tennessee regiment, c.. S. A.