San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-03-03
WAsHJSGTOS LETTER.
Irregular correspondence 81 the PASS psH'S,l
WASHINGTON. DlsT. COLUMBIA.

More progress has been made du'
ring the last week than during any
previous one. All the appropriation
bills except two are through the House,
and one Of them will be passed to
day or tomorrow. The General De
ficiency held back 10 that the latest
items may be embraced in twill be
reported to the House at once, ahdin
form not Objectionable TO either
House. ". i
The appropriation bill on which
most debate seemed certain passed
the Senate yesterday-the Legislative,
Executive and Judicial. On it were
placed amendments increasing the
efficiency Of tho Pension and Patent
offices, These will excite some OPP
position, but not much.
1t being decided that the funding
bill would become II law with 3 per
cent interest rate, there seemed to be
a general concurrence OF opinion that
its provisions bore heavily on the MI
tional Banks A low rate of interest
was certainly desirable, but few Con
gressmen wished to cripple the banks
by an incidental feature of the bill.
So the Senate yesterday, by u very
large vote passed II bill relieving the
tax on bank deposits. This, it is be-
loved will reconcile nearly all the
banks to the 3 per cent. measure.
The Republicans are unable to har-
monte as to their course ON IN ap-
portionment bill. Enough of them
may go with the Democrats to en-
sure the passage of that much needed
measure. It is only the most Radical
of them who refuse to support some
bill on the subject. 1t is believed
enough Of them will hold out to pre-
vent action this session.
There is not whit more of Ger
tainty to day about President Gar
fields Cabinet than there was week
ago. II he knows its membership,
he keeps the secret well. Grant was
equally reticent in 1868, and he was
waiting up to the last dny for reports
showing the comparative wealth of
the twenty or thirty people he had
thought Of. As soon as he had that
information he acted promptly, 1t is
an odd fact that no man 50 far, prom.
inently mentioned for Garfields cab
met, with the exception Of Potter, of
New York, is wealthy, and not one is
an old man. Grants were both wealthy
and old
l sincerely hope That the narrow
minded people in this city who ale
objecting to the appearance of any
Elk onfederates in the inauguration
procession on the 18th of March, are
disgusting President elect Garfield,
us thoroughly as they are the decent
Republicans of this city. Does it ev-
er occur to these crazy people that
once in II while matter fifteen or
sixteen years old may resign the first
place i'll our thoughts?
The annual report of the Commits
sioner of the Land Office not yet pub
lished, will show one fact which should
be made generally known. 1t is that
over twenty thousand land warrants,
issued by the Government, have new
er been located on the public lands.
They are not of any value except for
Il location, and are probably laid away
among the papers of dead soldiers OF
the war of 1872, the Indian war, and
the Mexican war. As they were near
ly all issued prior to 1869, it is
probable that they are in the South
and that the coming on of the civil
was p.evented their location. Their
owners having died, the heirs are per
haps, in most cases ignorant of the
value Of the warrants, yet they have
a positive value. They represent over
two million acres of Government
lands DEN.