Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-12-20
FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Washington Dec. 18th, 1871.

Washington Dec 18th, 1871
Editor Of the Republican:
Congress has been at work for over
week, and although the published proceed
ings show that the work has been mainly
the Introduction of bills, great amount Of
work has been going on in caucus and COM
mittees. There are many signs to show
that the session will be stormy one, but it
is doubtful if much of anything will be done
till after the Christmas vacation. The
great questions to be considered, and on
which considerable strife is expected, are
Summers Civil Rights bill, and bill for
abolishing the Internal Rev eaue bureau, the
General Amnesty matter different financial
projects, reduction of the tariff, and last
but not BY any means least, Civil Service
reform. The latter question has already
been brought forward in the Senate, on
Trumbull's resolution to revive the Retrench-
ment Committee, and has given rise to
much bitter debate in Republican caucus,
all the so called Admin stration Senators
attacking 1t fiercely while it has been sup
ported by men like Sumner, Schurz, Wilson,
Fenton and Trumbull No good reason is
apparent why the committee should not be
revived, indeed, the many defalcations that
lately have taken p lace in the Treasury De-
partmenf, seem to cal! for rigid investiga-
ton and if the Administration as the Dem
ocrats claim, is guilty ofmsny shortcomings
| and irregularities, the people certainly
ought to know it, and the matter be rene
died | have often blamed the Democrats
| for making charges against officials without
any apparent cause, but if the conduct of
officials campo, be Investigated IL see ms bet
ter that the country should be relieved of
their services. Bills for the reform of the
| Civil Service hove also been introduced, and
| some measure Ct that kind will undoubtedly
be adopted, but it is great question if it
| will reach far enough.
| Several short debates have taken place
on proposed measures, that seem to indicate
| Inelf iii!iufe. MS Is, lof instance, the case
with the proposal TO connect the telegraph
system with the Postal Service. The Dem
ocrats, to man, so against it, of course,
| only because it IS what is termed an Ad
ministrat:on measure, and the reason given
! is that it would increase the number of
office holders. Many Republicans, while
| they favor that the Government should con-
troll the telegraphs, Of ject to pun chasing
them from the companies, and the cry
against the measure, by its orposerS, is that
it is "job" in which high officials are in
terested, and on which several millions of
dollars TO be expended in order TO have
it pass. This cry, undoubtedly without any
| foundation whatever in fact, is instituted as
Il sharp method CT defeating it. 1t seems
| curious that the American people, so fond
of initiating foreign nations, only adopts
! the poorer measures, while it refuses to
| adopt measures of real benefit and worth.
England has for years had in operation
many systems, that might with great ad-
vantage bess Incorporated into our iustitu
| tons, but whenever their adoption is pro-
| posed it is met with silly objections, end
even utterly refuse to examine into the mat
| ter, and fail to perceive the benefits to be
derived therefrom
Some seem to think tina t very little real
| work will be done during the present ses-
sion, and that the time will be mainly spent
in President making. This may possibly
prove to be true, but it seems very certain
that the best way Congress set about
president making" is by adopting laws
that will confer benefits upon the people,
and | am inclined to think that the peope
will hold those men, or that party, to strict
accountability, that ssrefuse, tossire their con-
sent to liberal, beneficial and necessary laws
Everything now is merely conjecture, but
it will not be long before matters will so
shape themselves, that the people can see
what is, and what is not going to lie done
W.