The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1874-01-17
Letter from, W0shtnatoi,.


WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. f3. 1s
My absence from duty for few weeks gill
not prevent the noting as they pass of alibe
important actions of Congress now that I've
sumo my pen. The salary question has so,np
and SO fully absorbed the Senate si2ce thtre,
cess that virtually nothing in the way ofee-
islation has been completed until yesterSsvo
Yesterday in the Senate Mr. Bayard ofI5el..
had the manliness to oppose the attemptt re-
duce the salary of the President to take 4fect
on March 4th, 1871. He asserted that s. O00
now allowed him, under all the surrou 3ino
circumstances, is less than $4,000 was iit7S7
as it has less purchasing power; and re
can far better sGord to pay 200 wi Z
ulation of over Forty mi lions thar (
the formation oSuis.s16-narnment whSn IT, re
was less than four millions of people. Mr.
Frelinghuysen said the proposed reduction
would be moral and indirect repeal Of he faw
increasing the salary of the Presders which
the Supreme law prevents action upon direct
ly. This shows the character of amendments
with which the repeal of the increased salary
bill has been loaded from day to dy for the
manifest purpose Of defeating action But for
a caucus held by the Republican members and
their agreement upon a clear repeal the ques-
ton would still remain unsettled in he Senate.
In pursuance OF. this caucus agreemGt propos-
ed in the Senate by Mr.. Conkling hat body
late last evening adopted the House Ill SO mod
fled as to place the pay, mileage, &C., on the
same basis as before the increase biloi March
Sd, 1873.
So the matter goes back to the Hose where,
in accordance with the caucus undesta nding,
the whole matter will be promptly nd finally
settled by tho passage of the billnto law
! and return to the previous status If compen-
sation 80 far as the constitution vii permit
The best thing Congress can nov do 10 APP
pease the irate attitude of the press the coun-
try is to re-enact the right of a freecirculation
Of newspapers in their respective cuntes and
| a free exchange. When this has ben done in
the interest of the provincial press and ofgen-
| eral education, it will be somewha safer, per
haps, for Senators and members claim ex'
emption from scoring process towhich they
| have been subjected for nearly year past Sc
absurd discrimination in favor Of q few over
grown metropolitan sheets cannot be safely
made against provincial journalism vhic!' he'
Uv5fEv@@ft55If cc-ssSsk :ssl - - - O.
country. A word to the wise sc.
The civil rights bill will probably pass tht
House in modified form. The mixed school
aspect of it has some ugly features that viii
cause trouble if they are not eliminated from
the bill.
The Committee on Appropriations yesterday
cut down estimates for the salaries of employ
ees of the Ordnance Bureau $4,000, and fol
the Quartermaster Generals Department $50,
900. The military Committee, the Naval Com
mlttce and Indian Affairs are dissatisfied will
the liberties taken by the Committee on Appro
priatons. Gen. Coburn at the beginning Of tn
session proposed that the appropriate commit
tee having special charge of these estimate
should be consulted by the Committee on APP
preparations before applying the knife in cut
ting down the amount required. In the case o
the War Department the Military Commute
will oppose any reduction by Mr.. Dawes Com
mittee, and some sparring may be expected OF
the subject.
One Of the best means of securing the coun
try against panies in the future and Of main
tanning confidence in each other amongst bust
ness men is the proposition of P. NJ. Genera
Cresswell for the establishment of Postal Saw
ings Banks. There is now powerful lobb
here interested in the control of the money save
by the people by private corporations throug
which medium so many millions of the people
hard earned savings have latterly and Away
in this and other countries been absorbed an
sunk In England where this nriwate- baa-
system had discouraged savings, as it has her
in some degree, during the past eleven year
$100,000,000 have been deposited in her Posta
Banks drawing an interest of 81 per cent L
this country whore the people save so niue
more generally, their savings, in the languag
of Mr.. Cresswell "wouId soon grow into sue
gigantic proportions that the voluntary loan
of single generton would exceed the nations
debt" A cent day on 800 or 1855 per cen
would be eagerly received by the people in cor
sideration of the absolute safety which Govern
ment Savings Banks would afford them, an
thus the money Of the saving class secured b
bonds bearing low rate of interest would b
| always available. because always cSnvertibl
into currency at moments notice. LIFe.