The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1880-04-10
lFrnrn nur RanIllar corresnontlent.

{Frern Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. c., March ~, 1880.
The best half Of this week has been
consumed, or worse, wasted, in P fruit
less wrangle between the Free Traders
and Iarotectionists. There has been
much fiIibnstering, and 2 development
! of bad feeling between the tWopartles,
land even between individual members
of the same party. The euutending
factions were led'respectiyelY by Messrs.
Blackburn and Garfield. The deadlock
was broken on Thursday by a sort of
compromise, which will enable both
the belligerents to claim victory, but
which, to the unbiased locker on,
seems simply drawn battle. The
lProtectionists and Free Traders, as
was shown by a test vote, do not divide
on party lines. Discussion has been
silenced for this session, but it will
doubtless be burning question in the.
future. The House, as at presentcon-
stituted, is protection House. The
same may be said of the Senate. The
speaker of the House is high tariff
man. But how viii it be in two wears,
when a new census has given the VI est
an overwhelming preponderancc IN the
National Legislature
Dnriag the controversy intIe House
over Mr.. Townshend's Tariff bill,
Speaker Randall has been the recipient
of many luncomplimentary criticisms
by his free trade democratic colleagues
Notably among these who denounced
him was MIR. Blackburn, Of Kentucky.
During Wednesdays night session
while Dir. Blackbnrn was denouneing.
the Speaker, and declaring him a traitor
TO the democratic party, which would
be benefited by Randall's removal, bag
and baggage, into the republican party,
he was confronted by Mr. Coffroth, Of
PENNSYLVANIA, who defended his col
league and declared that the language
of MIR. Blackburn would Justify him.
(Coffroth} in striking him. Blackburn,
much enraged. said: "Well, You have
heard what 4 have said, and if yon
mean to say it is not true yon are "a
liar" Bystandcrs prevented q collision,
and as Mr.. Coffroth moved away he
said to Blackburn: There is one
charge you cannot impnte to him. lie
never was traitor to his country
The long debate in Congress oger
the election laws has ended more sat
isfacioriiy thaD seemed possible a year
ago. The decision of the Supreme
Court has had much to 10 in settling
the question. The democrats in the
House have now passed an amendment
to the law, giving the appointment of
these Deputies TO the United States
eircnit judges, and providing that, in
stead of being all OF one political party,
they shall be selected in equal numbers
fromboth parties, and shall be persons
of good moral character, and we'll
known residents Of the vating precinct
in which their duties age TO he per-
formed. There is some talk of this
being opposed by the republicans in
the Senate, as it YVES opposed hy some
Of the republicans in the House, on;thc
ground that it is ''rider' to the ap-
preparation bill, but the president it is
announced very positively, will approve
i it if PISSED.
The present Commissioner of Pat
ents, like all his predecessors, has
handed in his resignation after very
brief tenure Of Office. IIeexptcts, like
all the Commissioners who have gone
before him, to 60 into the practice Of
patent law. His resignation is hailed
with delight By the employees Of the
Patent Office, as well as by inventors
and their attorneys. Many new and
confusing changes have been introduced
in the rules and practice during his in
enmbency, and it is predicted that his
successor willhave a great deal to undo.