Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-02-25
From the National Capitol.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Goth, 1874.

|
EI Republican
The prevailing ideas Of retrenchment and
| re orm have at last commenced to take
some practical shape and several bills have
been introduced, which, if they become law j,
| will effect very mat rial saving for the
Department in several branches. One bill
introduced by General Butler, abolishes the
office Of pension agent and requires all pen
sions hereafter to be paid by the postmaster
who are to receive a fee of ten cents on
each pension paid. 1t is calculated hat
this will effect saving of several hundred
thousand dollars year. Another bill
abolshes all custom houses, at which the
receipts do not equal the expenses, and also
the revenue marine service A third bill
abolishes the Office of appraiser ofmerchan-
die, and office the Of which appear to con-
sist in drawing salary of $4,000 a year.
fourth bill abolishes all navy yards, ex-
cept those at Philadelphia and at Mare
Island, California, and considering that
these institutions are chiefly political ma
chimes, the idea of aboishing them Is GER
tainly good one. Notwithstanding the re-
sjstance of all the heads Of the Executive
Departments, the appropriations for all
of them are very materially reduced in the
yearly appropriation bill which was intro
duced on Mondry last, and this will oblige
the Department. to reduce their clerical
force considerably 1t is impossible that
this can last for any length of time, and
the only consequence will be that the next
session Congress will be obliged to increase
the appropriations still more, SO that the
Department can get more clerks and be able
to catch up with the work that necessarily
will be running behind for the next year.
AS a general thing there is plenty of work
to be done by the force employed, and
its considered pennywse to begin the saw
ing here.
With little work every day Congress is
gradually approaching completion Of the
most important work of the sesslou-tbe
financial measures The discussion has
been carried on in the Senate for sometime,
but with the many amendments offered it
is. quite impossible yet to say whether the
resumptionists or the inhationists are in the
majority. The former are the most ably
od hv Cob
Michigan, and the latter by Loga. and
Morton. The ultimate result is looked for
by the country With mo little interest.
The last reception of the Presidents took
place on Tuesday evening lslt, end, being
the last day before Lent, was largely at
tended, 50 largely in fact, that it became
quite unpleasant. The whole crowd con-
sstiHg of several thousand persons have to
be confined to three or four rooms, so re of
them quite small, and a. they gradually
I'LL up, the crowd becomes altogether sta
tionarys and locomotion is completely ar
rested. These receptions are quite demo-
cratic and are attended by almost every
body from the highest to the lowest one
can here see ladies decked in silk and Jewels
whose outfit probably cost thou ands of dol
lars and on tho other hand are seen ladies
plainly dressed in calico and gingham.
With them all the President has to shake
hands, as the crowd passed by for two or
three hours, and his position cannot but
excite the liveliest sympathy.
Lent is, as . general thing, quite relig-
iously observed in this community, where
the Episcopal and Roman Churches Catholic
are so largely represented As conseu uence
there is nov IN end to all fashionable balls. |
parties and entertainments of every kind. |
and more time is devoted to charity and
benev olence.