The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1906-06-22
Our Washington
Letter.

BY EARL w. MAYO.

WASHINGTON, June 21.-The an
nouncement that the mantel of the late
Senator German is to be thrown over
the shoulders of Senator Blackburn
came as somewhat of a surprise, for it
had been believed that the leadership
OF the minority on the Senate floor
would go to the Senator from Texas
Mr.. Bailey. But, taking everything
into consideration, there is a general
feeling that the choice has been a wise
one. The Kentuckian is a natural
leader and is not given to making those
mistakes that are chargeable to the
hre and lnexperience of youth. He has
the confidence and respect of all his
colleagues. without regard to party.
and his administration of the mineritv's
affairs is expected to be attended with
all the success possible.
Now that COL Henry Watterson has
come out for Bryan as the logical can
dldate for president on the next
national Democratic ticket it is gener-
ally believed here that the Nebraskian
Will be the choice of his party, provid-
ed ne will accept. Already there is
much speculation concerning the other
occupant of place at the head of the
tlcket Indiana already has insisted
that the vice presidential nomination
must go to Hoosier Democrat. while
Missouri believes that the slogan
Bryan and Folk" would prove effec-
tive. There is disposition. however.
among the Southern members of Con-
gress to JOIN hands in effort to COM
pei the party to recognize the South
this time. They declare it is high time
that a Southern Democrat should be
awarded good place on the national
ticket, and they propose to band their
efforts to land one there.
After stormy session, in which the
Chair used its despotic right to enforce
the gag" rule, the House this week
returned the rate bill to conference as
requested by the Senate. Although
scores of members, Republicans and
Democrats alike, demanded that the
House be permitted to instruct it's con-
ferees, these demands were overruled
and the conferees went back to hobnob
with the Senate cOnferees, free to do
as they pleased. Mr.. Townsend, of
Michigan, one of the trainers of the
Esch-TownSend rate bill of the late
Congress, in vain urged upon Speaker
Cannon the necessity of giving the
House conferees explicit instructions to
withdraw the anti-pass provision that
prohibits railway employees and their
families from using free transporta-
ton. The extraordinary feature of the
affair is found in the fact that the
Speaker himself is bitterly opposed to
the clause, and has announced that
If the provision is allowed to remain in
the bill he might as we'll write 'fnis"
to his Congressional career, for in the
district represented by "Uncle joe
are more than 5000 railway employees.
Altogether, the attitude of the House
is puzzling to observers of the political
grind at the capitol. The rate bill
came out OF the Senate whipped into
such shape that it called for the entire
approval of President Roosevelt and the
administration officials; it was sent
over to Republican House only to be
objected to in the face of the admins
ira i,n's endorsement, and after a to-
tally illogical provision had been forced
into the measure by the House con-
ferees, it is referred back without in
structions. Just what is the animus
behind these peculiar maneuvers on the
! part of the lower branch is a question
! for which some of the old timers find
extreme difficulty in discovering an
answer.
Hung with medals until he resembled
kitchen cabinet graced with pans, In
nocent Pustinsky, Russian Bishop of
Alaska, has shaken the dust of Wash