The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-12-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From u Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, D. c.,
Z Dac 96 1891

WASHINGTON, D. c.,
Dec. %, 1881.
We have had the usual program
me for the beginning Of Congress
faithfully carried out-a three weeks
wait for the Committees followed by
a two weeks holiday adjournment.
After the recess the real business of
the session may be expected to be
gin. There has been, too, the Gus
tomary dissatisfaction among Mem
bers over their assignments on the
Committees; but the world moves
on, Congress will move on, and the
Members will eventually move on,
just as they have done heretofore
The guileless Robson had as much
to say about the makeup of the
Committees as anybody, not even
excepting the Speaker himself. If
Robson had had any rods to pickle
it will be found that they are safely
in soak. The protectionists, too, are
pretty well satisfied, or ought to be,
with the Ways and Means Commit
tee, with Pig Iron Kelly at the head
and ex-Speaker Randall bringing up
the Democratic end. That Mr.. Kas-
son was not given a leading Chair
manship, but disposed of as second
on Ways and Means, a not be read
lily understood by those not acquaint-
ed with all the why's and wherefores.
1t was known that Robson did not
want a Craftsmanship. He was sat-
isfied to control the general arrange
ment of affairs, and take a low seat
himself. 1t is coming to be gener-
ally understood that he is about the
ablest man on the Republican side
of the House. Taken as a whole,
and without going into details, it
may be said that, barring two or
three singular assignments, Speaker
Kiefer has done about as veil as he
could with the material at his com
mand.
The President has dragged MFR.
Timothy O. Howe, of Wisconsin,
from the political obscurity into
which he vas rapidly sinking and
has placed him at the head of the
Post Office Department. The ap
pointment, so far as can be perceiv-
ed, has not yer the slender apology
Of political expediency in its favor.
1t would certainly have been posi-
BILE to make a worse selection from
the names mentioned in c, injection
with the position; but, however diff
ficult it may be to secure a man pos.
sessing the eminent fitness of Mr.
James, it would have been easy tc
find a Postmaster General more OBJ
v%iously qualified to deal with the
delicate and difficult duties of the
position than Mr.. Howe, who after
eighteen years service in the Senate
without achieving the slightest dis
tinction, was retired by the election
of Matt Carpenter. Since that even
he has been mentioned for almos'
every office in the gift of the Execu
tive, but for obvious reasons nevel
appointed to any of them until Mr.
Arthur came along. One reason
why other people ought to object tt
his appointment is that the sta
route ring are so well pleased will
it. His son-in-law is chief counse
for Brady. Mr.. Howe may turn GU
an ADLER and more resolute admins
traitor than is expected, but it woult
not be judicious to increase the risl
of his appointment by finding an
other BRADY as his Second Assist
ant.
The decisions of the Interior De
partment in matters affecting the in
terests of railroad corporations, am
especially in cases of lapsed grant
and cases of contests between th
corporations and settlers on land
excepted from grants by provision
in favor of claimants and occupants
are beginning to attract considers
BILE attention. The present Secreta
ry and his immediate predecessor
and a number of their subordinates
are much criticized for rulings il
cases affecting the inter SITS of lam
SIdLt oIpOidelOLS' IHc ldSe 1uuI
large number of officers and clerk
in the Interior Department and ser
eral Assistant Attorney General
whose duties related to the interest
of land grant corporations, have, O.
retiring from office, been we'll provi
ded for by the corporations that hav
been benefited by the extraordinar..
rulings of such officers, is cited a
!. evidence that there were reasons TO
: certain decisions that do not appea
in the published opinions. A pamph
let has recently been published il
this city in regard to the Maxwell
land grant in New Mexico, chargin;
that by the fraudulent conniyance @
an x-Commissioner of the Genera
Land Office, and certain other Off
cials, a patent was issued for a mil
ion acres in excess of the confirms
tion. PHoNo.
Commenting upon a proposition t
provide glass ballot boxes to insur
r- Al