Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-11-30
Wafrhmar Dc NonrraL.
Meeting of Congress.

Meeting OF Congress.
On Monday next the forty-seventh con
gress will assemble for its first regular SEES
sion. The events of the last six months
have discounted, in a large measure, the
interest incident to the assembling of the
senate. The liveliest interest in the open.
ing proceedings relates to the speakership
aud the organization of the house, The
republicans, it is conceded, have the ability
to organize that body. 1t is reasonably
claimed that the two readjuster democrats
from Virginia will vote with the republicans.
There is also reason TO believe that certain
greenbackers who, like J. Hyatt Smith
from New York, are in point of fact repub-
hcans in politics, will vote with the latter
party in all purely political divisions. The
candidates conspicuously in the field for the
speakership are Hisoock of New York,
Keifer of Ohio, Reed of Maine, Orth of In
diana, Kasson of Iowa, Burroughs of Mich
igan and Dunnell of Minnesota. The fact
that New York already has the presidency,
the secretaryship of the treasury, and, for
the time being, the ostmaster-generalship
is used by the friends of other candidates
as an argument against Mr.. Hiscock's cleo
tion to the speakership. The various aspir
ants to the position are busily pushing their
claims, but who will receive the nomination
is at this time uncertain.
The organization Of congress completed,
very important matters, non-political in
their general character but on which parties
will no doubt divide, will come up for con-
sideration. Among these is the question of
national taxation, whether by customs or by
internal revenue. This matter has been the
subject of extended discussion outside of
congress and there is general conviction
that the time has come when an overhaul
ing of old methods is imperatively demanded,
and that reform in the interest of the peo-
pie should be instituted. Behind the old
tariff laws in particular, monopolists seem
to have taken shelter and the people to-day
are paying in the name of "protection "
heavy taxes on many articles to stuff the
plethoric Golfers of wealthy individuals and
corporations whose business, no longer an
"infant industry" does not need the pro-
lection, or at least the degree of protection,
originally provided for it. The shipping
interest of the country is another matter of
vital Importance to which congress should
devote its earnest attention, and it is one
which presents fine field for distinction to
the man who is wise enough to solve the
problem how to restore to the American
merchant marine its old-time prosperity,
and to save to Americans the monstrous
sums now paid to foreign ship-owners for
transporting our merchandise. A funding
bill TO retire permanently the bonds I" con-
tinued by Secretary Window will be re-
quired, and ia this connection, and in other |
ways, there will undoubtedly be recur-
renee OF the old warfare upon the national |
banks. The transportation question and a |
national bankrupt law are among other CUES.
tions directly bearing upon the material |
interests of the country which may come |
up for discussion if not for definite action. |
The Monroe doctrine in connection with the |
isthmian canal schemes will be the fruitful |
source Of much buncombe. Possibly bet
ter method of electing president or vice.
president and an effort to define the much |
discussed "inability" clause in the con-
stitution may be questions which this con-
gress at its first and the long session may
be bold enough and patriotic enough to
settle or to put in the way of settlement.
The passage Of an apportionment bill will
be incumbent upon this congress, whatever
else it may do or leave undone.
The passage of some law for regulating
and improving the civil service of the coun-
try should be strenuously pushed. There
are practical, level-headed men in the SER
vice of the government who have had long
in those departments where the
necessity for the regulation and improve
ment of the civil service of the nation has
been most urgent. These men have success
July tested the entire practicability of GER
ain reformatory methods, but these meth
IDS have been employed in a few only of
"o Pioihcuo oi'h ollceS, anu une perInd- |
lency of their application is limited by the
enure of office of the individual who has
lad the courage and the practical good
ense to introduce and systematically and
'ersistently apply them. The regulation
md improvement of the civil service should
pc made uniform and permanent in all the
departments and Offices of the government
y the operation of law, 80 permanent as to
'lace its efficiency beyond the reach of
changes in the headship of departments, of
great officers, or of the government itself.
The rich practical experience of such men
IS Mr.. James, Mr.. Sherman, and of the
president himself, should make them experts
n the work of perfecting such law, the
opinions of either one of whom must DER
weigh whole theater" of professional " re-
'ormers." Congress will have no lack of
Information as to what ought to be done in
his matter 1t is to be hoped that it will
ievelop zeal and singleness of purpose in
ioing that is according to knowledge. For
he first time in many years congress and
and the executive are in political accord.
It is now imperatively incumbent on the re-
publican party to redeem its pledges affect
ing civil service reform, promptly and man.
fully.