The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-03-20
Our Washington Letter.

Our Washington Letter.
Ia Dilatory Congress The Election Law
| Decision The Lobby An Oppressive
| honopoly-A. De lesseps' Reception
/ WARRINGTON. p. G.. March 10, 1880.
EDITOR CHIEF:
Speaker Randall still insists that il
is probable that Congress will get
away BY the middle Of May, but no
one else agrees with him. The House
will begin work in earnest on the ap-
preparation bills this week, but Con-
gsess is more liable to be here in
Jaly than to adjourn faally before
June. The debate in the Senate on
Fitz John Porter's case promises to
run . long time. Senators Bayard
and Mcdonald both intend to speak
10 defense of Porter, and u number Of
other Senators are booked for speech-
es on one side or the other. ss..1
So far the friction in running the
! House under the new rules has been
greater than any gain through their
adoption, bnt this, probably, will not
continue. Az they become familiar
to the members, through study and
the very acute rulings of the Speaker
business will move on smoothly. That
is, if business is presented for action.
So far there has been unprecedented
delay in reporting the appropriation
bills, and an apparent disiDclination
on the part of members in both
Houses to 60 on with those already
reported. -se@z ~ 3 -
In deciding that the Federal eiec-
tion laws were constitutionai the Su-
preme Court has settled finally a
question that has become of great in
terest and was likely to enter into
legislation during the session. The
Democratic party has not the power
to repeal those laws, and, after the
Courts decision, will hardly dare re-
frse to make reasonable appropri-
ations for carrying them out. @
The lobby, as a syndicate which
has taken charge Of the Geneva
award, the lottery cases and divers
and suDdry other schemes 10 which
there is supposed to be . few drip
pings, is now in full blast. The per-
sonnel Of this syndicate if given to
Congress, would bring certain death
to all the schemes they have in charge.
t moy be to Tie public interest to
keep an eye on this syndicate. It
isn't as pure as virtue itself nor as
strong as Hercules when its moral
power is aDalyz zed. But it is never
theless after the drippings Of unolean
legislation.
The application Of the owners of
the Mckay sewing machine patent
for an extension Of their rights and
monopolies ia now under considera-
ton by the Senate Committee on
Patents. Last year a similar propo-
sition was embodied in the Omnibus
bill, engineered By Senator Wadleigh,
and failed with that measure in the
House. The Mckay monopoly is one
Of the most exacting Of its class. The
invention comprises a. machine for
sewing the soles of boots aud shoes to
the uppers, and is in use in all the
large boot and shoe manufacturing
establishments-beiDg worked upon q
royalty Of one cent or more for every
shoe made. The income arising from
it is enormous, the stockholders re.
ceiving for many years over l4O per
cent. per annum. Everybody con-
nected with it. in fact, has become
rich, and certainly if the object of is
suing patents for meritorious inyen-
tions is only to secure to the deviser
q fair recolnpense for his labor, his
mechanical skill OF genius, in this
case there has been no lack Of appre-
ciation. To extend the patent for
another term Of years would be little
less than robbery. It does not tax
the wealthief classes, who wear hand
sewed shoes, but comes out Of the
pockets of the middle and poorer
classes and goes into the pockets Ct
people already made rich by their in
come from this patent.
The Inter Oceanic Canal Commit
tee of the House has adopted the reso-
lutions prepared by the sub-commit-
tee, and there is no doubt Of their
passage by the House. They re.af-
| firm the Monroe doctrine and assert
it's application to any canal that may
| be constructed across the 1stbmus.
There is no evasion or equivocatioD,
but simple, emphatic declaration Of
National policy.
Lieutenant Wyse, WHO is in the
city with Ferdinand de Lesseps, is
the son of Letitia Bonaparte, one o1
the most noted Of women of that re.
markable family, De Lesseps, his