The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-04-01
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
Legislation and Appropriations
for Montana.
NEARLY ALL oENEHAL MEASURES
FAILED.


for Montana.
NEARLY ALL oENERAL MEASURES
FAILED.
Special Correspondence New NORTHWEST.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., March Is, ISL
The legislation for Montana during last ses-
sion makes pretty good showing. Delegate
Maginnis has accomplished more proportion
ately in the matter Of appropriations than
has some of the States with larger delega-
tion in the House and two Senators. Among
BILLS PASSED
Is one for the relief of Montana voluni GERS
In the Nez Perces war.
The bill for anolhes Judge for Custer dis
trict was not reached In the Senate. The
cessation of business caused by the deadlock
in the funding and appropriation bills pre-
vented from being reached the bills of Dele
gate Maginnis providing for the election of
certain Territorial officers paid out Of the
Territorial Treasury, and for the ratification
of the Crow treaty. These bills will be in
treduced In the Senate during the present.
week.
The following appropriations for Montana
were made through the strenuous efforts OF
your Delegate:
Deficiency for pay for the extension Of the
Legislative session from forty to sixty days
$1,000.
Improvement of Yellowstone Park $i5,-
700.
For the completion of Fort Assinaboine /;
$4,000.
An additional appropriation was made for
the construction Of Fort Maginnis of $780,
600.
M A. ;-x.~,cuou,a.,t 81 ,ha Jrc,ar M;s
souri, river; $4,000.
For the improvement Of the Yellowstone
Ali of which makes total Of $4,000 for
your Territory.
TUE UTAH 4 NORTHERN RIGHT OF WAY
BILL.
The bill to extend the right of way TO,
the Utah Il Northern Railroad was taken up
in the Senate several times, und after short
discussion temporarily laid aside. 1t will
be re-introduced.
Delegate Maginnis will remain here until
the Senate adjourns.
WHAT CONGRESS HAS NOT DONE.
Ii seems, to the general public, rather sin
gular that not one of the the several matters
of National Importance that were pending
before Congress has been finally disposed Of
| Some of these measures were introduced at
! the beginning of this Congress and even al
| The end of the third session they fail. Some
| did not even get out of the Committee room
| For instance, the most important was
TO REGULATE COMMERCE BETwEEN THE
| STATES
On steamers and railroads, by providing foi
equal or uniform rates on freights and fares
| At the beginning of this Congress in Decem
Der. 1878, this bill was introduced in the
| House. II finally came out of the commit
| tee room aud the railroad members fought il
In the House. Periodically it would come up
| lively discussion would follow AID the bII
would be laid over. Finally II disappeared
altogether, and, as Congress Is dead, the bill
Is dead. State Legislatures generally being
powerless to regulate commerce between thu
States, IL was hoped that Congress would d.
it. But, IL seems the Nation, too, is power
less or lis representatives have not the nerve
or power of resistance. The
| lNTER-oCEANIc SHIP RAILWAY
Of Eads and the canal scheme Of that Wis
ionary French charlataii, de Lesseps, ARE mat
tiers, 100, of National policy. They are no
merely of commercial nature. but OF polit
zeal Importance also. These matters wer
first eferred to a select committee on Inter
Oceanic Canal Affairs, of which General
Floyd King, Of Louisiana, was Chairman
He argued against both schemes, especial.
the foreign one, to which he applied tn
Monroe doctrine. He succeeded in getoin
a vote on it and placing the committee oil
record as for and against the Monroe doc
trjne. lie also offered a resolution reiiera
ting and reaffirming that doctrine. Tn
House never even considered or took a vot
on the repor, of the committee or the join
resolution. Yet, 1t seems strange that Jack
sopian Democrats should evade vote on til
famous doctrine Of Neutrality-suspicious.
The matter Of establishing a
| POSTAL TELEGRAPH SYSTEM
Was considered but was never allowed Z
come sauafely TO the font. 1t Is a well
known fact that representatives and Senaioi
are pretty literally supplied with railroa
dieafaJa Vi graphing and this THIS say az
postage. The railroad pass saves his mileage
Selah!
THE APPoRTIoNMENT BILL,
Another National measure, passed the hous
but the Senate did not take the trouble T.
give IL even the slightest attention, KNOWN
that If it failed this session that 10 or L
States would have to convene extra session
to redistrict the States in accordance wit
the new census and the bill. Those State
are not put to the expense. The only meas
ure Of National importance that passed bot
Houses was
THE FUNDING BILL,
And the President vetoed that. The DE
mocracy thought to secure political capital b
reducing the rate Of interest on the bonds 8
three per cent. On the other hand, they en-
deavored to placate, or reimburse, the bank
by reducing the tax on deposits and repeal
ing
THE TwO-cENT STAMP
On bank checks. 1t was claimed that thi
was benefit to the people, but it was in til
interest Of the banks. for they charge it T.
their customers at last. Suppose IL wer
otherwise. A man so fortunate as to hav
money In the bank can well afford to pa
two cents when he checks any Of 1t out. Oh
bank that has its vaults overlooking wit
deposits, on which II pays a small interest
and, in the majority of cases, none at all CA
well afford to pay one-half Of one per cent
The bank frequently loans the money at 81:
and eight per cent, or even more. But tina
measure was beaten, also, and the bank
must assist in paying revenue to the govern
ment as well as poor folks.
SO, 1t will be seen that OF the several ques
tions of political and financial Importance +
the Nation, only two were earnestly consid
cred and only one received action from bot
houses, and then it was vetoed. Evidentl
our statesmen are too light-waisted to Crap
pie with the momentous issues Of the day o
else do not want TO.
| THE NEW GOVERNMENT.
The Administration is too new TO form al
opinion as TO what II will be. The stalwart
are trying to win it over to their policy an,
some are free to say it has 10 more back
bone than Hayes. The anti-stalwa.ts ar
equally confident of capturing the govern
mrnt to their idea Of running things. Blu
the general opinion of the thoughtful ant
notwithstanding element is that Presiden
Garfield has both head and mind Of hi
own, and that, while he will endeavor to b
Just and fair to all the elementso If his party
he will not be controlled by either faction Q
IL. Yet, he must placaie the conservs
tives as well as the ST alwarts. Partially, an
the row begins on one side orthe other. But
poiitirians will growl anyhow. II Is thei
nature 10. The want loaf. or fish, o
both. If they get oue they wait the Other
If they get both, they want something 70
their friends, and SD on.
/ THE GOVERNMENT CLERK.
The new Administration proposes reforI
IN the civil service and will begin with tn
departments. 1t Is proposed to appoint tn
government clerk to certain position for
stated number of years. Then he can slice
soundly, knowing that he can only be remoy
| al for couaa and Ia mi subject In the within