People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1894 — Correspondence. [ARTICLE]

Correspondence.

FROM WASHINGTON. An Interesting Batch of Mcwt From the Capitol. From our Regular Correspondent. Washington, Nov. 9, 1894. The results of the elections were surprising, not to say astounding, alike to the people of Washington and to the politicians. The victorious republicans were quite as much astonished as the defeated democrats. Each had been bold in their claims, but neither had dreamed of any such tidal wave business, notwithstanding the present assertions of republicans, that tney expected it all the time. These sudden political changes which have of late years become so frequent in our national elections, have a deep significance to the student of our political future. Whether they are beneficial or otherwise is a question not easy of final settlement by any other test than that of time. But that they indicate that many thousand voters are influenced by their unrest and desire for a change with the hope of bettering themselves, rather than by their party fealty of belief in any particular principles seems well-nigh certain. If that be correct no political party can hope to control all branches of the government through two consecutive admin istrations until these discontented voters are made prosperous and contented.

• © ® The populists failed to make the gains they expected in ti e House, but even if they han they would not have held the balance of power upon which they had figured, as neither they nor anybody else had calculated upon the republican landslide which came. While it is not yet entirely certain, the chances are that the populists will hold the balance of power in the Senate after the fourth of next March, present indications being that there will be 43 republicans, 38 democrats and 7 populists in the Senate, counting Gov. Tillman, of S. D. whose election to the Senate seems assured, as a populist —it would not change the situation if he acted with the democrats. Should those figures prove to be correct it will readily be seen that neither the democrats nor republicans could organize the Senate without the votes of the populists. The republicans have not, however, given up hope of electing enough Senators to give them a majority. • • • Neither President Cleveland nor any member of his cabinet has seen fit to express an opinion, for publication, on the terrible drubbing administered to their party, but whatever may be the opinions of the members of the cabinet it is not believed that Mr. Cleveland is doing any grieving. He took especial pains to allow it to become public that Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, when most people were studying the news of the returns from the elections, he was engaged, at his suburban residence, in going over the papers in a lot of applications for executive clemency, thus indicating that he took no interest in the elections.

• • • There is no doubt about the genuineness of the rejoicing on the part of the rank and file of the republican party over their successes, but for many of their leaders there are prickly thorns on the roses of victory. The leaders do not fancy the debut of a new Presidential candidate. And they know that Mr. Morton will now be considered as such, and that his large majority in New York and the skillful management of ex-Senator Platt, who is known to the Harrison men as an opponent not to be

despised, will bring him forward very prominently, if he keeps his health. His -age will be a help, rather than a detriment, as it would probably result in his getting a much stronger man to take the second place on the ticket with him than a younger man could get. It is certain that the friends of the other candidates are already afraid of Morton. • • • The new democratic postmaster, of Washington had scarcely had time to recover the effects of the election returns when he received a rude shock in the shape of an official order, informing him that instead of having patronage to the annual cash value of $50,000 at his disposal when he takes charge of the postoffice, which he expects to do next week, his patronage will be limited to the appointment of an assistant postmaster, private secretary, cashier and assistant cashier, superintendents of three branch postoftices, six watchmen and six laborers. All the rest will be looked after by the civil service commission, when vacancies occur. This order is far from pleasing to the local democrats, who had been calculating to profit largely by the promotion of one of their number to be postmaster—the first bona fide citizen of Washington who has held the position for many years—but the employes of the postoffice are delighted with it. • • • The calling m of a lot of postage stamps which were so poorly gummed that there was difficulty in getting them to stick and replacing them with better has almost depleted the stock of stamps on hand at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and a night force has been put on in order to increase the supply, and the day force is working two hours extra every day.