Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1881-12-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent !

assembled under such favorable auspices
as the present. We have no foreign
troubles to annoy us and are confronted
with nothing but peace and prosperity
at home. The financial condition OF
our country is better than ever before
and there are no disturbing questions
of any sort to be considered. All
branches of Government are under con-
troll Of the same party, yet the lines OF
demarcation between the two great par
ties are SO faint, and the majorities in
each branch SO weak, that political leg
form a potent factor in the proceedings
of Congress. Barring the new appor-
| tionment for members Of the House, in
accordance with the late census, there
does not seem to be any political issue
worthy of note and the one great object
of congressional action must be the can
vas and determination of the best meth
ods of maintaining the country's pros
perity and rengthenirg the founda-
tons Of business vigor.
The opening day was comparatively
quiet one, though on the House side all
the galleries were crowded. For one
day that body proved an attraction able
to compete with the Guiteau trial, but
it could not keep it up. There were no
especially sensational scenes to reward
the curiosity seekers. A look over the
House from the reporters gallery dis
closed the fact that it is composed of
rather an unusually fine body of men
graced by number Of old familiar
faces whom the fortune of politics had
again returned to the places from which
they had once retired. Abram S.
Hewett is enc Of the most prominent
Of these and he does not appear to have
changed much since last saw him on
the floor, except, perhaps, the wrinkles
on his brow have deepened somewhat.
Holman, of Indiana, the great obiector
and economist, whom SO many hoped
had permanently left the service of his
country, has come back to plague all
jebbers. Kasson, of Iowa, does not ap-
pear to have changed or aged or lost
any of his easy, alert manner since he
left Congress four years ago. There
are many regrets that he failed to cap
ture the Speakership, for his superior
qualifications for the place are univer-
sally acknowledged. Only few feet in
front is the seat so long occupied by the
late President. Mr.. Taylor, the sue
cessor of Garfield, is meek-looking
person with an iron-gray beard. No
little interest is centered around the
Virginia Readjusters, Paul and Faux
erson. The former is on the brunette
style of architecture, we'll built and or
namented with a black moustache.
Both voted with the Republicans.
The Speaker-elec General keifer, is
like Garfield, self-made man. He
fitted himself for the higher duties Of
life while working on farm and ac-
quired an education by dint of hard la
Dor and hard study, but had scarcely
begun his career when the rebellion
broke out He enlisted early in the
war and fought to the end, winning the
rank of Brigadier General and Com
mander of a division. He has served
two terms in Congress, and though not |
taking rank amongst the brilliant de-
bators, he has shown solid practical |
qualities that have given him a good |
in the House. The feeling |
that, because of the elevation of a citi-
zen of the East to the Presidency the |
Speakership ought to go West, contrib
uted largely to General Keifer's seclec-
ion. He started with much more
strength than any other candidate, and,
therefore, it was natural for the West
ern mem bers to rally aronnd him when
It came to choice between an Eastern
and Western man. General Keller un-
had the support of what is
Termed the "stalwarts," but as his nomi-
"a tiOn WAS finallv accommodated hx, vofoc !