The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-03-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular Correspondent

! Since the organization of the 10th Congress
there has been political lull, old men with
good memories said: 'wcll here i, another
Democratic national legislatures" while the
habiIucs Of the senate gallery looked with
Icuriou, interest upon the new senators, and
heard, for the first time in their lives Thur
man and @ayard taking the initiative IN leg
Iisa,ivc business. Now that congress has
completed lis organization, the senate dlslrb
utcd its plttancc Of official patronage, and
Speaker Randall is immersed in the commit
tee making problem, thankIcss task in
which he will please and offend everybody
the question is, what next? The wires may
tell before this letter reaches you, but there is
no answer to the question, at thi, end Of the
line, ut the present writing The Joint caucus
of the now politically cOncordant Legislative
bodies will agree upon business programme
for the session. At present the senate is dis
posed to adjourn rs soon as the bills, for which
the extra session was called, are passed The
house, on the contrary, seems disposed 10
plunge into general legislation and revise and
eXpunge generally. \ summer in Washing
ton has no tcrrorS for members from Mem
plis, New Orleans and Whereabouts, so they
are in favor Of revising the tariff amending
the internal revenue laws, and initiating the
currency. Many believe that congress will re
man in session all summer. There is great
clan.or for IN early adjournment, but it is
doubtful whether the American voter is at the
hot, Of ,lprs of Ooh trrl. -
by the year, and there would seem 10 be no
reason why they should not make bills mo-
tons amendments, rise to points Of order and
personal explanation, all through the sum
mcr. If members Of congress were paid only
for the time they are at the capital and attend
ing to legitimate congressional business he
public treasury would save money, and some
members would get less than half their Sala-
ny. If congress really wishes TO pass useful
law let it enact Il bill appointing q time cisrk
who shall keep record Of the time of each
member and pay him only for rhe time
that he is attending to the public business.
The millionaire senator, from Nevada, who
was present in the senate, if | am not mistak
en-, only siNty-tivc days during the four years
since he was elected. had the citrontery and
dishonesty to draw his pay for the fnll time,
amounting to more than 100000, and includ-
Ing 1925 for stationery. THERE'S a law on the
statute book to this effect THE Secretary OF
the Senate and the ScI-cantat-Arms Of the
House, respectively shall deduct from the
monthly payments Of each senator, member
4 Il
day that he has been absent from the senate or
house respectively, unless such member or
delegate assigns as the reason of such absence
the sickness of himself or some member Of
his family" Now, Will some one sue the
ScrgeantatArms Of the senate for money il
legally paid?
Yesterday will be remembered in the senate
for Its lively intcrchaDgos of rhetoric, parlia-
mentMy Of course, but verging on the Ian
Tuagc of Bilingsgatc. Senator Balm sad to
Senator Hill: don't be childish,' and Sena-
tor Eaton told Senator Blaine that his talk
was babyish Ali this was on the subject Of
elccting secretary, sargeant-atarms and
other officers Of Democratic precedcnts and
proCllvtics to the offices that have been held
by Republicans. These offices are about one
hundred in number and they will all be filled
by Democrats.
On Monday, in the rooms Of Representative
Kelley the Greenback congressman held q
caucus in which they agreed to vote with
the Democrats for the repeal O. the test oath,
and the law allowing soldiers to be sent to
IL,
visors law The Greenbackers hope tina
their financial schemes will be supported by
sufficient number OF Democratic votes to give
them the balance Of power" and their trater-
nizaton with Democrats on political qucs-
tons will be diplomatic and with this eXpec-
tation. \ subcommittee of the caucus was
appointed to prepare Il bill authorizing the
issue of millions of greenbacks the rcdemp-
ton Of United States bonds in legal tenders,
and in other respects, to carry out the plans OF
the National party. Whatever may be the
policy of the two great parties, with regard 10
the length of the session, it is plainly the in
tention of the Greenbackers % contend tor
more paper money, IF it takes all summer
and, if the majority shall decide to adjourn
after passing the appropriation measures they
will cndeavor to tasten their financial bill to.
one of the appropriation bills and pass it
through The Greenbackers Will doubtless
he able to form coalition with some men III
both parties who have similar views, but the
strength OF the coalition cannot be determin-
ed until it is tested by actual vote. c. y. ;.
The Nationals in Congress joined with the