The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-03-22
DIR WASHINGTON LETTER.

OGA " A9ALAh LOA LII 4 44Ala
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
Flags are flying over all our public
buildings in honor Of Washington's
birthday, and the bright warm sunshine
looks down upon our whole temperance
element engaged in celebrating the an-
niversary with professions and bands
of music. At dawn heavy showers were
falling, and the outlook for display of
pageautry was gloomy indeed, but by
nine o'clock the rain had ceased, and
the sun began to shine brightly through
the broken clouds. The White House
was, OF course, the objective point Of to-
days professions, and all were received
by the President, as they passed under
the large porticO. Every motley crowd
here that can muster a brass band re-
CARDS itself as procession, and deems a
refusal on the part of the President to
review it as an insult, hence the inclu-
sion of the White House, always, as
one Of the points in the route of the
march, whether the participators be
horde Of ragmufIins or the best people
Of the city. One of our chronic agita-
tors, whose bread is obtained by swind-
ling our eolored people, under the false
pretences Of being their leader and pro-
tector, in 1876 got Up a huge labor dem
onstration of negroes and boys and
with flying banners and brass bands
marched upon the White House, but
General Grant very properly declined
| to exhibit himself to the bowling crowd,
and one can imagine the burst of indig-
nation which was poured out upon him
by the disappointed seeker after notoriety
who led the mob. Mr.. Hayes will find
himself compelled to take the same
stand should popular suffrage be again
fastened upon Us, for our Hodnetts and
similar leeches are anxiously waiting
the time when they can marshal their
hordes from Murder Bay, Hooker's Di-
vision, etc, into imposing columns.
The passage Of the esilver bill on Thurs
day exhausted the Woodworking soIons
of the House, and they adjourned over
till Monday. The Senate wrestled with
its incubus, the nominations Of the
President, for a few hours on Thursday,
and also adjourned over till Monday,
thus leaving the Capitol tc peace and
quietude. TIE Democrats hold the bal
auce Of power now on 9onfrmations,
and we have the singuiay au0maiy 0l
the rejection of one nominee aud con-
/ irmation Of another, though both have
/ precisely the same record against them,
to-wit, an adverse report Of the com
mittee TO which the nominations were
referred by the Senate for report. SEN
ator Eimunds made a vigorous advo-
cacy Of nOu-eonfirmation, but the polit-
| ical parties are too nearly balanced for
him to prevent the Democrats favoring
or opposing his views as best suits their
interests. Every body seems relieved
over the summary acceptance by the
I House of the Senate's amendment to
the silver bill, and there is a general ex-
preston of satisfaction that the ques-
ton is to be at rest until next winter.
The extreme silver men seem to be the
only dissatisfied parties we have met.
The Senate has passed the bill, giving
pensions to the surviving soldiers OF the
war Of 1912, and the widows of that war,
without regard to date Of marriage. All
those dropped from the rolls for disloy-
atty are restored, hence the bill is Of
sweeping nature in contrast with the
law which it amends. The vote upon
it in the Senate is simply surprising
Fifty ayes and eight nays is an aston.
ishing difference, and, taken in cOnuec-
tion with the debate, indicates that oul
solons are reaching a desire to wipe oul
all sectionalism, and to remove such
laws as discriminates against classes
, Under the present law widow of al
, 1872 soldier must have married hin
E prior to 1Sl5; a provision so clearly
: wrong in its nature that we were no
q surprised to find Mr.. Blaine and other
- taking ground against it. One Senate
said, the wife who took care of an oil,
I soldier was as much entitled to pension
o. as she who married him in his youth
- Mr.. Edmunds found himself, as he Oftel
} does, fighting against a bill without
D CorporaPs guard to back him, but
s doesn't seem to make any diilerenc
e with him, as he deals out his logic an
Z precedent as if he had the whole Senat
} backing him. The House, of course
e will pass the bill without delay, as tn
- sentiment there in favor Of its provis
B ions is very strong, and as few will b
{ found to oppose it as did the seven whie
L voted no with Mr. Edmunds. PerhaI
e we are Influenced improperly in regar
T. to this measure Our father served /
Il the 1912 war while a minor; anage whicl
= Of course, precluded marriage. A yes
4 or two after muster out he marie,
4 and died a few years ago, leaving
$ widow, who still survives him. W
r cannot perceive why she should |
J. barred recognition, since no widow f
Y any other war Of the country has had
;, statute requiring her to have mari,
e the soldier prior to the conclusion of Il
g war he served in. Pension, in an
d event, is merely a mark of recogniti,
i Of the soldiers services, aud the excl
ie sion Of an 1872 widow is an act Of su,
ID questionable nature that to US, at lea,
l. the action Of the Senate is indeed graf