Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1889 — TALK AT THE CAPITAL. [ARTICLE]

TALK AT THE CAPITAL.

THE I’FRgOXJfBL OF THE CABINET DISCUSSED IN WASHINGTON. Idaho. Wyoming and Arizona Favorably Reported for Statehood—Gov. Hill’s Visit to the Whitneys—Blaine Feted Gen* Harrison Rents a Cottage. /SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.] Washington. Feb. 12. 1880. It now transpires that Mr. Allison’s declination to assist Gen. Harrison out of a dilemma, by accepting the Treasury portfolio, smacks decidedly of ingratitude. Six years ago, when the lowa gentleman entered the campaign for re-election, ho was called from the canvass by the sickness and death of his wife. The Prohibition pot pourri Wits then boiling in that State, anti outside statesmen wore unwilling to enter the field in Allison’s behalf for fear of involving their own political prospects. In this perplexing condition of affairs, disaster threatened the lowa Senator, when Gen. Harrison, and Eugene Hale, of Maine, loyally came to his rescue, and saved the Senatorial chair for him. Tlio second choice for Secretary of the Treasury is as hard to locato as a needle in a hay mow. Prominent men, from lake to Gulf, from coast to coast, have boen mentioned as probable recipients of the somewhat dulled honor, and there is no reason to premise that one has been chosen above another. It is said that Gen. Harrison lias inclosed Senator Allison's rejection in a neat gold frame; but whether as a curiosity or a continued remindor that the Senator from the Hawkeye State will be in the iield of Presidential candidates against him in 1802, has not been determined. Humor has it that McKinley is now in the position from which Allison has just escaped, but any political reasons why the Ohio statesman should not accept the Treasury portfolio are not assigned, unless possibly he objects to being second choice. Clarkson, Windham, Thomas, and John C. New next head the list of possibilities for the position. A Kansas delegation, headed by ex-Gov. Anthony, have solicited the place for Plumb, who is just entering upon a six-year term in the Senate. The Javhawkers think, inasmuch as their State gave thebannor majority vote to Harrison, it should be represented in his advisory, particularly as the man they suggest for the honor is in every way fitted to sustain it. Wanamaker’s appointment is not so certain as it was a week ago and the understanding is now that his contemplated trip to Paris was a flue stroko of ppiiey. engineered by the diplomatic Quay to bring Harr;son to time. A strong opposition in the merchant prince’s own State has formed against promoting a man to political honor oven at the price of •s4oo.(xio. The other members of the cabinet. with tho exception of Blaine, are as problematic as they were last November. Meantime, Gen, Harrison and his cabinet have been invited to the Washington centennial in New York, and it seems as though the lucky gentlemen ought to bo notified in time to decide whether they will accept the •invitation. The House has settled down to hard work, and is holding frequent night sessions, with only now and then an occasional bit of filibustering when attempts arc made to call up the Union Pacific funding bill, which Mr. Payson persistently”keeps in tho background as much as possible. Springer’s hill, providing for the admission and enabling acts ror Idaho, Wyoming, and Arizona, has been favorably reported by tho Committee on Territories. Roger Q. Mills, •of the Ways and Means Committee, is still hard at work among a great mass of tabulations. showing the difference between the Semite tariff bill and the Mills bill. He lias been under continued pressure now for eighteen months, without recreation, and the great strain is beginning to tell upon him. He refutes the statement that President Cleveland has intimated any desire to him to have the two houses agree upon some measure to reduce tho revenue by accepting part of the Senate bill; and it is presumable that his committee will bring in a measure not differing materially from the original Mills bill. Hence, it might us well be conceded that there will bo no tariff legislation during the Fiftieth Congress. The Oklahoma bill is now in tho hands of tho Senate Territorial Committee, although Chaco irom Rhode Island doclared it was belittling the whole question of Territories to so consider a strip of uncultivated land. He was reminded that Oklahoma proper •contained several times the area of little lthody, and subsided. Tho friends of tho measure feel sure of its passage in the Senate.

Everything is quiet at Samoa, and the ■conrereneo between the United States and ■Germany, begun at Washington in 1887, in regard to the islands, will soon be resumod •at Berlinn, Meantime 3,000 tons of coal 'which, delivered at Pango-Tango coaling 'Station, will cost about sl7 per ton. are to be transported thithor from New York or Philadelphia. Pretty expensive, to bo sure, but Uncle Sam always was willing to pay ■"millions for, defense; not a cent for tribute.” The Nicaragua bill now lacks only tlio President's signature to become a laiv. It protects all our international rights without binding the United States to any pecuniary promises or holding out guarantees to capitalists. The Sackville- West incident is again biing revived in gossipy circles with the report that a gentleman named Sir Julian Pauneofote will be the next British minister here. Ho is only a baronet; has never been educated in the wiles of diplomacy. Still ho will bo welcome when he arrives, which will not be until after the inaugural, and the wiser he is the fewer letters he will write. President Cleveland contemplates laying before Congress the correspondence in regard to West; and political agitators are endeavoring to make it appear that ho will thus leave an international complication which will require great skill amTflrmmess in his successor to smooth away. Society just now is in a dizzy whirl, the entertainments of the past week having surpassed those of any previous one this season. both in number and brilliancy. Since the decollete question is settled nothing frets the mind of the belles, lest perchance their cheeks become noticeably hollow and their eves duil with overoxertion. Bight hero it may be well to state that Queen Victoria has decided that ladies may with propriety wear high or low neck dresses at her receptions hereafter. For the sake of harmony in appearance Mrs. Harrison should by all moans persuade her husband to wear a swallow-tail coat. The beaux hope Bhe ■will. The most elegant of Secretary and Mrs. Whitney’s justly notable receptions Avastho one given to President and Mrs. Cleveland, and was the event of the week. A large round table was arranged to accommodate twenty-six guests. Magna Cliarta roses were the principal flowers in the decoration of the apartments, which was something in beauty beyond description. Among the noted gu«|ts were Governor Hill, of New Yorx, also W. 8. llusseil, the Democratic candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in the late election, and more than social interest attached to the ■event. New-Yorkers say the whole business was arranged by Whitney, the main purpose beingto show that no ill-feeling exists between Cleveland and Hill, and that Empire State Democrats are united on Hill for President in 1892. The german given by John McLean, dd-.. itorof the Cincinnati Enquirer, who resides, here, was also another significant affair, in

that it marked Mr. Blaine’s first entrance I this season into fashionable society. McLean , has been very unpopular with the present administration, and. if the truth must be told, he has been snubbed bysocial leaders. His recent reception, however, was conspicuous by the presence of Bayard, who left a reception at his own house to spend an hour with Blaine's friend, Whitney, Endicoit. and others. The state dinner of tho week was given by the President and bis wife in honor of the Supreme Justices. The usual profusion of floral decoration prevailed and bouquets for the ladies were of La France roses tied with souvenir ribbons of the White House. Mrs. Daniel Lamont gave the first of her very pleasant afternoon teas this week. It Is definitely stated that tho President's private secretary will be engaged by a railway corporation after March 4 and make his headquarters in New York City. President Cleveland also will make the great metropolis his tuturo home, itnd will occupy rooms in the magnificent Gerlach, where Mrs. Frank Leslie also has apartments. Mr. Cleveland means to demonstrate the fact that a man fit to’ be President of a great nation is fully equal to earning his own livlihood and does not require a pension. It is useless for tae preachers to grumble any more about the inaugural ball. The ! Indianapolis Ministerial Association has j called upon tho President-elect in a body j and presented hint with an address which is an indorsement of his past life and sets no stumbling block to his future. Harrison has rented the Spencer cottage at Deer Park, within a stone’s throw of where President and Mrs. Cleveland passed , their honeymoon, and he will occupy it i during the heated season. Vice President-elect. Morton has bought ' from Secretary Whitney his pew in St. j John’s Episcopal Church. This is the ultra fashionable church of the Capital. Its capacity is limited, and usually there are 200 or 300 applicants waiting a chance to buy the privilege of worshiping. Room, however, is usually found for people who are j high enough up in official life. Among, the Republican representatives the conviction is daily growing that there must be another session of Congress in the 1 early spring, but somebody who has been looking up the facts reports that President , William Henry Harrison called an extra session of Congress and died within a month from the effects of the importunities of office-seekers. Therefore, it is predicted btf this prophet that the grandson is not likely to subject himself to the same dagger.

MORSE.