The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-10-14

There are. no doubt. many people
in this congressional district who have
not had their attention specially call
ed to the invaluable services rendered
them by Congressman Washburn.
His work has been unostentatiously
done but it has an important bearing
on the development Of the North
west, and touches the convenience,
prosperity and daily life Of all III
people. For a new member he has
been signaily successful in his meas
ures, to some of which we propose to
briefly refer further on. It has been
the kind of work, too. that his con-
%stituents would expect from a practi-
Cal, energetic business man like MI.
Washburn. 1t should also be borne
in mind that he has been constantly
hampered by an annoying and base
less contest, in which the familiar vo-
cabulary of Ignatius Donnelly's abuse
has been freely employed III the effort
TO smirch his public reputation and
impair his efficiency.
Ofcourse he was always in his place,
and constantly sustained by the un-
finching support OF every member of
his party, and by the sympathy of
the best Democrats, who would never
have given the slightest heed to the
contest, except for extreme party des-
peration and necessity. He has been
a loyal, high minded Republican, and
has steadily won his way forward as a
consistent advocate of sound ,legisla-
ton on all subjects. A man who
properly represents such a district as
this in congress must necessarily have
a great amount of business to do.
Land claims before the land Office,
Indian matters before the Indian Of
flee, dealings with the treasury and
=. the internal revenue departments. in
Vulnerable details connected with the
post Office and agricultural depart
ment, soldiers pension claims settlers
homestead claims, and much private
business entrusted to him by his con,
stituents, all embraced in an armful Of
correspondence daily, added to a con.
gressmar's legislative duties, tax his
attention and energy to the utmost.
How well and promptly this work has
been done, the many persons who have
personal knowledge, understand fully.
We now refer to a few important mat.
tiers Of a general character.
There is many an ex-soldier in this
district who can testify to MI. Wash
burns faithfulness and success in Sc.
curing favorable action on pension
claims that had been allowed to sleeI
for years in the pension Office. Many
of these have been allowed, and al
have been forwarded as rapidly as thu
accumulated business in that overbur
daned department would allow. Th'
amount of claims thus allowed whe1
footed up. is quite a respectable sum
He has thus proven himself an inval
liable friend of the soldier of the lat
war. In this connection. it is well tt
say that he would have had still great
er success. and many more claims 70
pensions would have been paid. if tn
majority Of the pension committee
had not been Democrats, and a major
ity Of the Democrats ex-confederates
That's what hinders the payment Q
meritorious pension claims to-day.
Very soon after his election, he Sc
himself about improving the condition
of the mail service. The east, tn
south and the west, including Chicag'
and Milwaukee, all enjoyed the ut
most advantages the government coult
bestow in the manner of mail service
but the northwest was badly neglect
ed. For some unaccountable reason
the postal car service stopped a
Sparta, Wis, which was the terminu
of nothing. This service was subse
quently extended to Lacrosse and th'
mail bags were thrown into a baggag'
car, and brought to St. Paul ant
Minneapolis to be distributed over tn,
state. All the other cities in tn
country were getting mails on sever
days in a week. and the Northwestern
cities were supplied only six days
week, and part of this time the mail
lay in distributing Offices a day or St
awaiting assortment by an inadequat
clerical force. Through his effort
the postal car service has been ex
tended to St. Paul and Minneapolis
The bags for the northwest are re
ceived at Chicago, and as the train
move on to Minneapolis, the posta
clerks aSsolt and distribute the mail
en- route, thus saving the business mel
and people generally Of Minnesota ant
Dakota at least a full day oyer til,
old system.
Among the committees, where tn,
details Of legislation are all attended
to, Mr.. Washburn was peculiarly val
liable and influential. As a member
Of the committee on public lands, hi
holds an important relation to the leg
islation of his district and the rapidly
developing Northwest. Right here.
in the heart Of the most favored agri.
euIfura1 districts oco located ,o-a..1