Washington Letter

Washington, D. C, Jan. 7. 1895. Democratie skies are brighter just now than they have been for a year. The niuch talked about and much hoped for getting together of democrats seems at last to be in a fair way towards becoming an accomplished fact. The example of Senator Hill in going to the White House and resuming pleasant relations with President Cleveland is being followed by lesser leaders of the party in congress. The first result of this getting together of democrats will be the passage by the house of the Carüsle currency reform bill, which will not be delayed much, if any, beyond the present week. It was noticeable that a better and more conciliatory spirit was shown by all the speakers at the democratie caucus held today than has been exhibited at any similar gathering for a long time, and consequently democrats are looking forward to future party success with more confidence than the most sanguine of them have feit since the opening of the present session of congress. One of the most important factors in uniting the democrats of the house in support of the Carlisle currency reform bill, was the unprincipled fight which a clique of Wall street bankers have been making upon Secretary Carlisle, using this bill as an excuse, because he would not allow them to use him. Secretary Carlisle is deservedly popular with democrats in congress - and out of congress, too, for that matter - and many of them determined to stand by him and his bill, although there are things in the bill that some of them do not approve. Now that the passage of the currency bill by the house is regarded as good as accomplished, its fate in the senate is being discussed. Few democrats are confident that it will even be allowed to reach a vote in the senate, owing to the short time remaining of the session, but Senator Hill, who seldom expresses an opinionwithout h'aving good reasons therefor, thinks that the senate will pass the bill if it is arnended to provide for the coinage of the silver séigniorage, as that would obtain votes from the republican and populist silver senators to get the bill throügh. It has been stated, although l cannot vouch for it, that President Cleveland and Secietary Carlisle would not object to such an amendment to the bill, and it is certain that many democrats in both house and seaate would be greatly pleased to see the bill become a law so amended. Some of the republican leaders are indulging in a line of talk that they will regret inside of six months. They are saying that the only trouble with the treasury is that cáused by a revenue insufficient to meet the expenditures of the government, and that the deficit is caused by the new tariff law. That is just the talk to suit the democrats, who know that as soon as the treasury begins to realize from the duty on sugar, which is just beginning to come in largely, and on the income tax, which will soon be colIectable, the receipts of the government will be in access of the expenditures. It will be amusing to see these republicans when confronted by their present talk a few months henee. There is much talk of the atterapt that is expected to be made in the senate to render the income tax inoperative by dropping the appropriation for its collection, which is in the urgency appropriation bill, which has been passed by the house; but Senator Cockrell, chairman of the senate appropriation committee, says it is nothing but talk and that he is confident the appropriation will be made. Secretary Carlisle is so confident that the appropriation will be made that he is now sending income tax blanks to the internal revenue collectors. Some of the numerous men who are always going off half-cocked were probably responsible for the rumor which was current a day or two ago and was widely telegraphed "rom Washington, to the effect that the administration had withdrawn the demand it had made upon Spain to cease discriminating against American flour shipped to Cuba, under jenalty of having the sugar of Cuba and Porto Rica shut out of the United States. The originator of that rumor got his facts exactly reversed. Instead of having withdrawn its demand upon the Spanish afovernment, the administration has reiterated it in stronger language, ind accompanied it with a notice hat a prompt reply must be given Dr the president would without furher warning issue a proclamation igainst the sugar of Cuba and Porto lico. It has been informally decided by he senate finance committee that no ariff amendments of any sort should 3e taken up at this session, and the idrainistration is thrown upon its jwn resources in dealing with the etaliation and threatened tion of European nations because of the differential duty on sugar, which everybody admits ought to be repealed.