The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-02-28
CAPITAL LETTER.
INTERESTING BATCH OF NEWS.
yassaIage OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Ar.
fairs-Wyoming's West Point
Cadets-The Indian Prob
lem-Promotions.
Special Correspondence of the LEADER.
Washington, Feb. "a, 1880.

" NO't ~ iCOOs
Thus far this session of congress has
been remarkably quiet and uneventful.
Both of the great political parties APP
pear to be avoiding the discussion of
questions which may involve heated
political debates, as though they were
fearful that mistakes might be made
which would have an injurious effect
on the coming presidential election.
The present plan of the democratic
leaders, who through their majority in
both houses have control of all legisla-
tive action, seems to be simply to pass
the necessary appropriation bills, re-
stricting all debates in the narrowest
bounds of congressional proceedings,
and thus be enabled to adjourn at an
early day. There is nothing, therefore,
of general nature which could be of
interest to your readers, ard shall be
compelled to confine myself in this let
ter to matters relating to home affairs.
DISCOURAGED DELEGATES.
Visiting the committee room of the
territorial Delegates, where they meet
to discuss and agree ON measures relat-
ing to their respective constituencies, ]
found them all more or less respondent
about obtaining any practical beneficial
legislation for the territories. The old
est and most experienced delegate said
very bitterly, he wished the territories
were blotted out of existence. .'We
have no votes either in congress or the
election Of the president, and in conse-
quence not the slightest attention is
paid to our requests and most urgent
needs. We are the only people that
are disfranchised in the United States.
We are not citizens in any true sense of
the word as long as we are debarred
from the rights and privileges of such.''
He was ST. ong,y in favor OF an ena-
bling act sweeping awaythe territorial
organizations and bringing them all in
as states. Either this should be done
or else steps should be taken to make
the delegates full members of congress,
and give the people vote in the cleo
toIal college. 1t would he good plan
for the nominating conventions in all
the territories when they select dele
gates to the republican and democratic
national conventions to instruct them
to place in the platforms of their re-
spective parties, pledge of presden-
tial and congressional suffrage to the
territories. 1t is bitter shame that
1t has not been done long ago. There
is no class of people in the United
States who are more deserving public
consideration than the active, intelli-
gennt population of the western terri
tories, and yet there are none who re-
ceiye so little. In the selection of ter
ritorial officials the wishes of the peo-
pie are not consulted, or given any
weight, even where the entire com
munity unite in asking the appointment
of resident who is peculiarly fitted
for the position for which he is recon-
mended, and any resolution of legis-
lature for the removal of an official
sense, has lost all good influences and
usefulness, or for other reasons has be-
come generally obnoxious, is looked
upon as an insurrectionary proceeding
: which ought in some manner to be
severely dealt with. Our present sys-
tenn of territorial organization, and the
manner in which the residents are
treated is that of colonial vassalage
against which our forefathers revolted.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
You will know before this reaches
you of the order of the post master gen.
eral, to reduce the star mail route to
service of but once week. AS the
star is the designation for all mail ser.
vice other than that carried by railroad
or steamer, this will particularly affect
the western states and territories. The
cause is the reduction 10y congress of
the appropriations for the postofiice de-
partment, and the determination of
the postmaster general not to exceed
the scant appropriation allowed for
carrying the mails AS the onus is thus
thrown on congress, and it will act very
in1uriously against the party now in
power in that branch of the govern
ment, leading democrat, foreseeing
the howl which will go up all over tile
country concerning this foolish depriva-
tlon OF mail facilities, has introduced
Dill Tor the re-establishment or continu-
ance OF the usual service ON the star
routes. just imagine populous town
or thriving settlement off the line of
the railroad, accustomed to a daily
mail, being all of a sudden cut down
TO once week! The profanity which
would ensue would place the people
several weeks further off from heaven,
and the cursing which the party caus-
ing 1t would get would not be likely to
heip 1t much when the time came to
vote.
THE MILITARY CADETsHIP.
Delegate Downey has been notified
that in consequence of the failure of
the Wyoming cadet at West Point there
Is vacancy ut the military academy,
which is at his disposal He has been
earnestly urged to appoint son of
Maj. MiZner of the Fourth cavalry