Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-05

naTd's Reform.
WASHINGTON. February 3-MembeTs of Con-
gress who have measures under hand, many
of them of general interest, and many of par
ticulsr interest 10 certain sections, are forced
to the conclusion that they have practically
no chance during the present session. Beyond
the appropriation bills and tie funding bill,
the work Of the session is TO all intents and
purposes ended. There is hardly time to get
through with even these unless there is a close
application to work. Yet members go on in
Producing bills, and committees go on hear
ing parties Interested in different measures.
and preparing reports. Tie session for gem
eral work is dead. Seeing failure in all else
the different members are cevoting at
tention to the appropriation bills, with
a view to getting as big a slice
as possible out Of the Treasury for their
constituencies. The river and harbor bill is
/ the principal appropriation attacked The
/ Commerce Committee is besieged day and
night for sums to clear out rivulets and rills.
The Georgia members are at work for their
districts with the rest and with much more
I reason than the greater number who beleaguer
the committee. The committee is very favor
abby inclined towards Savannah harbor, and
/ the chances are favorable for an apptopTia-
ton for properly lighting it. Outside of this
very probable new item in the river and harbor
bill, the appropriations for your section in
Guided in that bill will be just about the same
as the amount given for the fiscal year ending
June S0th next at the last s. ssion
JNTERocEANIc COMMUNICATION.
Among the important measures that have
attracted attention during the present session
oceanic canal communication. The EadS ship
railway has been brought to the attention Of
this session on the principle OF the Monroe
doctrine and appropriation That has teen
the only new feature in this much discussed
question, except the appearance as lobbyist
for the Panama route I ex-Secretsry Ihomp-
son. Otherwise it bas been the same question
of Nicaragua and United States enterprise
or Panama and De LeSseps. AS indicated no
action viii be tai en- this session, although the
House Foreign Affairs Committee is at this
present moment loaded with Monroe doctrine
she'll and liable to go OF ct any moment-I
IL z Is the chance But that committee IS
far from being the House of Representatives
Even If the report IS gotten IN ana some olru-
offreedOm speeches are made there viii be no
action. This will be in the nature OF victory
for Panama and De lesseps- He can argue
| that Congress refuses to second the President
in the position he has taken. and therefore the
United States is not opposed TO the Panama
Canal. Eads, do not think. ever had any
/ chance for his Tehuantepec ship railway. with
/ a government interest guaranty IN the bones
/ his comTauV proposes to issue. All is not ex-
actly clear to the average mind as to how sue
/ Mississippi ietttiPs is, and whether
| Eads has earned the enormous sums
I for that job that he has yanked out OF
/ the Treasury. The Nicaragua people DO not
deserve any coincidence. Their affairs are not
/ properly managed. They have no activity; no
| push and no apparent welldehned purpose ex-
/ cept 10 oppose Eads and De Lesseps. Ihey
have not given the impression that they VIZ MT
10 do ANYTHING, but rather that they do not
want aaybodv but themselves to have the least
bit to do with opening communication across
rI-a fcfF,
this whole question will come up at tne next
session to be again gone over. 1t would seem
that, Ike the poor, we are to nave IL always
with US.
THE POTOMAC FLATS
The stretch Of the Potomac, Just opposite the
city, is shallow, except in the chan
mel marshy, malaria breeding and
an eye-sore. The filth is covered
bV a foot or 40 of water at high tide and left
fostering when it ebbs This IS what Is caHed
the Potomac Flats For mary years the
good people Of Washington have la6ored with
Congress for money to reclaim these uaIs.
They have several times been near'y success
full but some of the good people are not ADVERSE
to being In jobs Whenever the que sIloh 0I pre- re-
claiming the fats has been up, there has been
accompanying inevitably the Jobber lie wants
to get his work in either in having the work OF
reclamation conducted according 70 ms httle
pian or have the thing so fixed that ne can
have a finger in the land which would be re-
claimed and which would also be very Vslua-
bic At tho present session, however.
down dow psTpo9 UPON the jobber, aud it was
thought that there was good chance OF an
spprOpriatiOn But there is not time-ln Isct
there is not time in Congress for anything but
nice little rows and buncombe brag The Com
merce Committee to-day decided that it would
not recommend an appropriation for redeem
ing the filthy and DEATH breeding stench. Such
was the fEfiuence Brought to bear by the
people of the district that the question could
not be wholly ignored SO the comH@lttee mites
throws out sop in reporting that the Secre-
tary of Wsr cause a survey 70 be mace ana
plan for tie work reported This Will not oe
at all satisfactory. There have been surveys
and uians without number heretofore, but no
apDroprfation At some day when you and are
both under q slab with an inscription on
It telling how truly good we were mon prooa-
bly the people of the district viii have given
mp all attempts to get Congress 70 aoollsn the
| flats or Congress viii have taken the necessary
steps in that direction.
MORE OF MAYNARD's REFORM
It was mentioned yesterday that young
mana Democrat. whose uncle had opposed
postmaster General Maynard when he wss oe-
fore the Tennessee Legislature for senator
had been promptly bounced from the Post
Office .jepartment upon Mzynard's return
from the conflict. That was not the extent OF
the MAYNARD revenge. Maynard expected
Democratic support 10 enable him to be
Senator In pursuance Of revenge and civil
servico reform he to-day discharged fifteen
more Democratic employees of his department..
who had been appointed BY Judge key. All OF
them were from Tennessee. fOTOAAC'
The simplest post office in the world is
in Magellan Straits, and has been esta6-
l naSI. III