Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-12-03
From our regular eonsspondsni,l
WASHINGTON LETTER.
W.saIsaIos, .. O., Nov. 20. 1919.

That there has not been, IN advance VI
the session, the usual amount Of IN,
lervlewing and discussion Of political
topics around lhe hotel lubbies, This,
aud the absence Of the customary but
ton holIpg campalsn tor officers VI
the House, has rendered It exceeding,
ly dull here up 10 tho very opening Of
Congress, Among tho lew here dur.
Ing the past week there has been .
good deal oi talk about the proposl
lion, started by somebody, 10 make
General Grant captain general Of The
army for life, with modest salary OF
$4,000 pei year Some Of biz friends
think that this, or to place alm on the
retired list al the sans figaro, would
DO line thing 10 do, aud they have
even talked Of suspendlng the rules
10 pass a bill 10 that effect the first
week OF the session. But | notice
that Enforcement PriHler Clapp
aud few Of the old office ho,lers un-
der Graul's administration don't cot
ton TO this proposition worth cent,
They are the ones who organized the
third tcrG, boom, aud tNy want the
"Old man" as they used To- call h'a',
fui President IN order that they may
get another chance to leather their
own nests,
In this connection | may refer 10
the talk about u Grant boom IN the
South Interviews with all the lead.
Ing Southern Congressmen who have
50 far arrived, including Alexander
Stephens, Gen. Hunton, Randall Glib
son. aud many Others, develop the
fact that there is nothing in IL. |
have talked with twenty influential
Southern Democrats, all OF whom say
that not q man of any influence in the
party IS committed 10 or IN favor OF
such q moy, menl. ut amounts 10
nothing said Gen. Gibson, "and any
good candidate the democrats may
nominate will carry all the states that
voted tor Tildeu IN 1876" But the
agitation concerning Grant senli-
mcnt in the South has had one visible
Effect. II has sickenrd the stalwart
Radicals, who advocate Grant as a
"slroug man." regular "rebel ha,er"
ms it were, They started the talk Of
Southern strength for Grant merely TO
aid them ia working the bonn, but il
went 50 far, apparently, and Grant tx.
pressed himself so practically that they
really began TO doubt whether he was
the man they wanted after all. 1t is
the offices and the power these men
want, now and for all time. They
want to array a solid North against q
solid South. and make the campaign
one of hate and bitterness. Anything
that in,erferes with 1his programme
knocks all their calculations into pie.
If Grant makes few more utlerances
like his words to the Army of the
Tennessee, he will soon cease 10 BE-
their man and his chances for third
term won. be worth q rush.
1t is difficult to indicate the bust
ness that will chiefly occupy Congress
aside from the appropriations and
routine legislation. There appears to
be very general sentiment in favor
of working session and an early adj
iournment. Six MOI tbs has been
fixed by some members as the limit
OF time, but predict that it will be
seven at least. The calendars of both |
houses, containing the busin. IS
brought over from the extra session,
have been prepared, but they contains
few important bills. l do not think
there will be any prolonged contest
between Congress and the resident
over the measures brought out at the
extra session. The democrats then
accomplished all they tan secure
against an adverse Executive, and it
is generally admitted that further dis
cussion or agitation would be waste
Of time. The question OF t"rif' re-
vision has been extensively discussed,
and the indications are that Congress
may undertake it. There is nothing
sectional in the question and some re
forms are highly important. Yet
there is every reason to expect hard
fight whenever the subject Is taken
up. There are some interests that
will oppose any change to the bitter
end, aud with all the usual appliances
tor influencing legislation. Another
important measure likely to be agitat-
I'd is proposed bill to regulate the
electoral count, though 1t is doubtful
if it results in anything more than