The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-01-27
WASHINGTON
Pensions-The Centennial Bill-The Texas
Pacific Railway Project-Our Relations
with Spain !. War Improbable. f
from Our Own Correspondent1


WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1876.
AS compared with last week, the pres
ent has been one of quiet and peace and
serenity at this metropolis. Everything
has been lovely. There was, indeed, a
slight drawing of ''bad blood" in the
early part Of the week, when the Amnesty
blu was again up, but the skirnish did
not last long, and did very little good or
harm to either side. Meantime the
House has got down to serious work,
and the Senate is ever ready to move on
in it's slow and dignifed gait.
PENSIONS.
The only important bill of general
nature yet passed by the House is the
Pension Appropriation bill. This ap-
propriates about twenty-nine millions,
being only slightly changed from the
estimates made by the Government. and
reduces the amount required for last
year by no very considerable sum.
There was substantial unanimity in the
passage of the bill. The Senate will
make few changes.
There has lately been great deal of
discussion here upon the general sub
ject of our pension list. It is said that
many abuses exist that large numbers
of men who are as stout and hearty as
Hercules regularly draw pensions
for wounds or disabilities re-
ceived in the service that many
are borne on the lists who never smelt
gunpowder or saw squadron In the
& Of lilo lxy,
senting persons who have been dead and
buried these many years. Not few of
just such cases as these have been I'M
earthed. On the other hand, there are
large numbers of persons who are in
Justice entitled to pensions who do not
receive any, either through their own
neglect, or the delays, technicalities
and circumlocutionary antics of officials
of the kind caricatured by Dickens
| in the lite Barnacle family
Abuses of this kind are doubtless
incident to pension list SO great as
ours, but they are now receiving I'M
usual consideration on the part of emf
nent men of all parties, SO that we may
confidently expect that some of the evils
| complained of will be cured during this
very Centennial year.
| THE CENTENNIAL BILL.
The debate in the House on the bill
appropriating 81, 800, 600 to complete the
construction of the Centennial build
ings at Philadelphia has been more pro-
tracted and acrimonious than was ex-
pected. The report of the COM
mittee for the appropriation was
unanimous, ana 1t was then
supposed by almost every one that the
bill would go through swimmingly on
the tidal wave of good feeling. The de-
| bate on the bill, which at this writing is
still progressing, shows that the measure
| is by no means as popular as the pro-
posed exposition. Constitutional objec-
tions have been made to the bill, and it
has received unfavorable criticism as a
mere scheme to bear Centennial stock
also, so that it cannot go through with a
hurrah, even if it ehall succeed at all !,
which is now regarded as not little
doubtful.
It is noteworthy that party politics has
had nothing to do with this bill or the
debate upon it. Mr.. Reagan, of Texas,
ex Confederate Postmaster General, and
Gen. Waddell, of North Carolina, have
advocated the bill no less earnestly than
Judge Kelley himself, or Mr.. Frye, of
Maine. Perhaps the ablest speech
against the bill was one by Mr.. Tucker,
of Virginia, while enc of the best, if not
the very best in its behalf was by Mr..
Harrison, of Chicago. Both of these
gentlemen are Democrats. Whatever
may be the fate of the bill, the Centen-
NAL will go on. That great national
show will not be postponed on
any account. The original pro-
gramme will be carried out about
as announced. Whatever of good there
is in it will be got out of it, with the aid
of Congress if possible, without II so
Congress shall will No earthly power
can prevent the American people from
having what the boys used to call ga
high old time" at Philadelphia in this
year of jubilee.
THE TEXAS PACIFIC RAILROAD.
In the absence of any important legis-
lstive results III Congress further than
above noted, let me refer to a matter
which is now receiving much con-
sideration here-the proposed bill to aid
in the completion of the Texas Pacific
Railway by Government guaranty OF
it's bonds to the amount of $40, 900 a
mile. Col. Thomas A. Scott, President
of the Company, also of the Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad Company, and well-know
as one of our big railroad kings, is ID
the city doing all he can for this project.
He made an argument before the Com
mittee on Pacific Railroads last evening, |
and it is understood that majority OF
the Committee is In favor OF his
scheme. I learn from excellent author1-
ty, however, that in view of the pending
Presidential election it is not at all likely |
that Congress will act upon the measure |