Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-01-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8. Is,

We have got Congress back
again now, and the real work for
which Congressman are created
must begin in earnest. Not much
of it has been done this week how
ever. Ittakes these law makers
about ten days to sober off after a
two weeks vacation. From my
observations during several years
in Wash ngton, | am thoroughly
convinced that q change in the
time of Assem- bling Congress would
be a decided Improvement The
legislative work performed previ-
Gus TO the holidays amounts to
nothing,an the Houses are scarce
ly convened before a demoralizing
holiday recess comes in, after
which just as much time is con-
sumed in getting settled as at the
beginning. Representative Steele
has a bill now before the House
that ought 10 pass. Ii repeats the
law requiring meeting of Con-
gress in December, and names the
second Monday of January in each
year instead. This proposition
meets with much favor.
In one thing, however, the pres
ent Congress has displayed a good
deal of industry. The members
have lost no time ia introducing
their bills, and great stacks of
them are in the hands of nearly
every committee. But the coun-
try need not be alarmed at the
great influx of all sorts of meas
ures. Nearly all of these bills are
safe in the pigeon holes ofcommit-
tee rooms, where they will sleep
a loHg and peaceful sleep. Many
of thetn are not introduced to be
acted upon. Almost every Con-
gresham has a number of constit-
uents who think they have call
to take a hand in National legisla-
ton, and as the obstinate and un-
appreciative people will not send
these apateur lawmakers to Con-
gress, they have no recourse but to
prepare bills embodying their cru
dite conceptions and send them to
"our MEMBER" with request that
he present them. The obIiging
member complies, but has no
further interest in the matter.
This is why so many unwise meas
ures are offered. 1t is sors OF ven
tilation that does no great har.T.
while it makes many persons
happy.
Senator Davis, Of West Virgin
ia, chairman Of the Senate Com
mittee on Appropriations, has a
proposition to repeal all perma-
nent annual appropriations. An
investigation has developed :ne
fact that there are nearly one hun
bred permanent annual appropri-
.ations which are never supervised
by the legislative branch of the
Government, and about which it
knows nothing. Sometimes the
amount of the expenditures under
these appropriations have exceed
ed the amount of appropriations
made by Congress in the regular
appropriation bills. In many in
stances, where fees are collected
and the expense of running the
Department of the Government
collecting them is paid out of the
fees so collected, there is little SUI
pervision over the expenditures
whatever, by even the higher
branches Of Government, and none
at all by Congress. The bill OF
Senator Davis provides for repeal
ing all these permanent appropri-
atoms except the provision for the
interest on the public debt, so as to
make the Treasury the grand re-
ceptacle for all moneys collected
for or on behalf of the Govern
ment, and requiring specific APP
preparation to get it out. Secreta-
ry Sherman joins with Senator
Davis in recommending this inn
portant change.
The action of the Supreme Court
in refusing to advance the legal
tender case on the calender is
something OF a disappointment, 10
Congressman especially, yet it is
not an unreasonable result. While
members OF Congress are anxious
TO have q decision of the Court
that would relieve them of res
possibility, it is not unnatural
that the court should decline to 20
out of its way to grapple with The
troublesome questions involved.
The Court has once passed upon
the legal tender qualities of the
greenback, and the remaining
question as to the duration of their
necessary existence will perhaps
settle itself if let alone. Any how
Congress must answer TO the peo-
pie for its course in the premises
without any assistance from the
Court. Considering the unconr-
fortably mixed condition of the