The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1880-01-17

C0HGREss neutrality-suspicious. or a
LONG sEssIoE--rHE NEW MEMBER
ANXIOUS TO HEAR HIMSELF TALK--
MR.. TowNsHEND PRoPoBEs.



From Our Regular Correspondent
WAsHrEaroN, ID. c., Jan. 10, 1880
Congress has re-assembled after q
two weeks holiday recess, and, though
n few, here and there, have talked OF
an early adjournment, the prevailing
opinion is that the session will last nm
til sometime in Jnne. The House has
shown disposition to hurry along the
appropriation bills, and, even if the
Senate should be moved by the same
spirit, it wiiinot signify q short session.
In the first place, this is what is termed
"a anew Congress. That is, it is
largely made up of men who have not
served before AL these new members
rs well as the old ones, desire re-elee-
tion, and every one of them, perhaps,
has some pet measure, or may be a
dozen, the passage of which will add
to his strength and popularity in his
district. Before another session shall
convene the congressional elections will
have been held, and therefore these
bills mnst be acted upon at this session
in order to assist the sitting member to
another term. 1t is true the new MEM
bers had the advantage of an extra
session, but the political questions then
before Congress monopolized its atten-
tion, to the exclusion of general and
special legislation. Since the organize
ton of the present Congress many
hundreds of bills have been introduced,
and not twenty of them in all have yet
been acted upon. To say that Con-
gress will adopt the plan attributed to
Speaker Randall, of passing appropria-
tion bills and forthwith adjonrning, is
to suppose that the members intend to
sacrifice the interests which their dis
tricts, respectively, have entrusted to
them, to an idea that the party might
be benefited by "short session" If
any one can suppose such a thing he
can learn better by conyersing with a
few of the members as to what they
intend to do with their special bills.
Each member will answer that while he
is willing to defer to the interests of
party, his first duty is to his constitu-
ents, and that he means to serve them
first. Then, besides the unusually large
number of bills pending, there is the
financial question, which win lead to a
discussion of some length in the Senate,
if not in the House, too. Some of the
Senators have devoted their holiday
recess to the preparation of speeches
upon the subject of finance, and they
expect to deliver them before many
DAYS. There are other bills, too, that
will have to be debated. For instance,
Representative Townshend, of Illinois,
says that he intends to press his bill
the transfer of causes from
state to federal courts, over which
there was such a contest in the House
during the extra session. This became
a party measure, the democrats nfging
it and the republicans opposing it, and
there has been no change in sentiment
upon the propriety of the bill. Con-
gress will scarcely adjourn before June.
The sentiment in Congress which
has been cropping out for long time
in favor of abolishing foreign missions,
or Of, at least, modifying the system
and reducing the expense, has been
given voice in the shape of a resolution
submitted by Representative Towns
bend. This resolution directs the com
mittee on foreign affairs to enquire into
the expediency of abolishing ENJOYS
extraordinary and ministers resident
from the United States to foreign conn
tries, and to report to the House
the conclusions reached. The opin-
ion that the rapid means of com
now existing between this
country and the capitals of the world,
can be utilized to transact international
business more promptly and more
economically than by ministers, is not
ceSSned to democratic Con-
mr. rs to what extent it
prevails cannd ertained until Mr..
Townsfasa,s rsssn shall come up
for action.
ae saos.r..