Devils Lake Inter Ocean

INTER-OCEAN.

COMING CONGRESS.
Minority Leadership—The Republican Policy.

Special Correspondence of the Inter-Ocean.

Washington, Nov. 20.—The members of the Forty-ninth congress are arriving in the city daily. They are talking about the speakership contest, about revising the rules of the lower house, about the senate's opposition to presidential appointments, and about the questions to be presented this winter to the new congress.

While it is understood that the Democratic majority will re-elect Mr. Carlisle speaker, the Republicans will give the complimentary nomination to one of their brethren. As the member thus selected becomes the virtual leader of the minority, a certain interest centers in the coming action of the house Republican caucus. Several names are mentioned for this honor. They are Messrs. Reed of Maine, Hiscock of New York, Long of Massachusetts, and McKinley of Ohio. The two former are really the only candidates, and it is thought that Mr. Reed will get the nomination. Being more courageous and more aggressive in the expression of his opinions than Mr. Hiscock, he is the natural leader of the Republican minority. Mr. Reed is a ready, irrepressible talker, and spends a large part of his time in congress on his feet, either in speaking or in button-holing his confreres. He knows well how to utilize his own information, and he has a sarcastic style that is heightened by an exasperating coolness. Both he and Mr. Hiscock are men of experience, each having served several terms in the house. Mr. Hiscock is slow in his movements and methods. He does not speak often, and has no gift for shining in the running fire of an acrimonious debate. He is a rich man, and during the winters gives fine dinners. The Republican leaders are all high-tariff advocates. All of the leaders on the Democratic side, with the exception of Mr. Randall, are pronounced revenue reformers. Therefore the battle in the house between protection and reform of the tariff promises to be fought on strict party lines.

There is so much complaint against the rules of the house of representatives that an effort will be made early in the session to improve them. Congressman Springer says he has spent months in devising a set of rules that will facilitate legislation. Through the present rules the most positive will of the majority can be defeated by the minority, and the interests of the many subordinated to the schemes of a few. The average day in the house is devoted to the question, "What shall we do today?" The gentleman from Illinois says his plan of revision opens the way for prompt transaction of business which meets the approval of a majority. He is willing to trust a majority of the representatives of the people.

The extent to which the Republican senators will oppose the administration in the matter of appointments will be determined by the caucus to be held in about a week. A Republican senator remarked: "I do not believe in opposing the president because he is a Democrat. There are two things to be considered in an appointee whose name comes before the senate for confirmation: Is he an able man, and will he honestly and efficiently administer the affairs of his office?" He did not think the question of politics should be considered. Still, continued the senator, "President Cleveland has introduced a new element in stating that he would remove no one except for offensive partisanship. To remove an offensive Republican and appoint an offensive Democrat in his place, is, to my mind, inconsistent, and I shall take that question into consideration when appointments come up for confirmation. I will agree with the administration when I can, and differ from it when I must."

The president is working hard day and night on his message to congress, and annual reports are coming in from the various branches of the government. Gen. Sheridan's report will be read with special interest, especially his treatment of the Indian question. He puts himself in accord with those who have contended for a humane policy. He advocates giving the Indians land in severalty as soon as possible, and takes the ground that the army is not the proper body to intrust permanently with the management of the red men.