The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-01-27
lnr Washington Letter.
W AsHINGToN, d. G.. ]
IanuarU 10 1914
j anuary 10.

Special correspondence.
Ittheskin-clad followers of Alfred
who formed the Witten a-G Gemote
from which our Congress is lineally
descended, could visit their proto-
type assembled here, it is doubtful
whether they would be proud or
grieved over the sight. Some days,
when the House is in its iangry
moods, the more sensitive Tif there
were any would mourn over the
degeneracy Of the times, and could
they be materialized might deal some
OF the sturdy blows whichmade them
famous and drove the Danes from En-
gland. At least such must be the
thought of the thoughtful who,
from the elevation of the gal
lery, look down on the law makers
in the east end of the Capitol build
ing, where are congregated the
Representatives. of the people. 1t
is a motley assemblage as, when
noon comes, the Speakers ge,yel
falls, and is supposed to command
order. Almost every type OF the
Caucasian and some.of the African
are present. Yonder you see the
grey-haired and thoughtful looking
statesman, here the opposite, and
between them every variety Of the
species man, except those Of the DR..
Mary Walker kind. Ii order is
"heaven's first law" it is neither
the first nor the last law of the
House. No one pays any attention
to any one else +; the clerk drawls
out the proceedings of the previous
day, while the members write, talk,
clap thei hands for the pages, or
saunter about the halls. When the
reading isover, at least twenty mem
bers from various parts OF the Hall
cry out, in all the variations Of voice
that are know to the gamut, "Mr.
Speaker and Mr.. Speaker recog-
nizes the ene he has agreed to, by
SAYING, si'he Gentleman from Kan
skatcha;' and the gentleman intro
duces bill or resolution, and it is
''reterred." Perhaps the reference
means buried. Ifthe measure suits
the majority, it means that the bill
or resolution is to be put in the
hands Of the clerk of the committee
whose duty it to re-write it In a
legible hand, and with due regard
to the arts Of spelling correctly and
the rules laid down by Lindley Muir
ray or Bullion. When this is done
the committee reports it back, and
after 4 regulated number of the
members have displayed their ora
torlcal powers IN advocating or
oppo osing it, a vote is taken, and
thus laws are made.
Occasionally the dreary monotony
is broken by some such displays as
that OF last week, when Randall,
Blaine, Cox, Hill, and Garfield, all
men Of ability, met IN debate on
the Amnesty bill. But these occa-
slons are but the oasis in a most
dreary Sahara. But day after day
the galleries are full of people, who
sit tor hours and view this ever-re-
curing scene. What the devil at
tracts them is more than your cor
respondent can imagine; tor, if the
choice were given him of two hours
daily IN that gallery or the same
time at the Insane Asylum, watch
ing the queer doings Of those whose
reasons sparks forever fed" he
would cross the east branch of The
Potomac every day, and freshen his
mind by a visit to the insane.
Not much progress has been
made In Legislation Yet-in fact
there never was much progress made
Bills, resolutions, acts enough have
been introduced and printed to sink
a seventy-four gun ship, and nine
tenths ''sleep the sleep that knows
no waking" in the various commit
tee rooms TO which they have been
consigned. Every conceivable sub
ject, from granting a hundred mil
lions to build railroad to preserv-
ing toni TITS from destruction, is now
before ''the most potent, grave, and
reverend seigniors" who constitute
that body styled Gin Congress as
sembled," and "the most potent
&C.. are considering them all IN a
horn.
But to leave the dreary subject.
Presldent-making is the order OF
the day. In cavernous recesses IN
rooms where the blinds are drawn
to exclude the gaze of the vulgar
herd, sit, round tables where spark
ling champagne, made IN New Jer-
sey, crowns the board, and the
smoke Of Havana cigars from Con-
necticut darkens the room, the poll
ticlans-Republicans, Democrats,
Liberals, Reformers, Third Termers,
One Terners-all the varieties of
that genus, and discuss the question
of "who shall be our candidate"
and show zoe shall elect him"
Thou oarur thA s,oo,1j1 as nofbin "