The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-02-11
WASHINGTON, Feb. Z. 1891.

DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO FOLLOW LEAD
ERs.-ABsENTEEIsM --DELIEQUENTs
In BAR ROOMS.
The democratic members of Con.
gress are becoming recusant; they do
not obey the orders Of their leaders as
they have been wont to do in former
times. It was given out before the
holidays, as soon as the season Of fes-
tivities was over, the resolution for
changing the method for counting the
electoral vote for President would be
taken up and put on its passage. But
the party was in tribulation for weeks
after the holidays to obtain quorum.
There were members Of the party
enough for quorum to pass the reso-
luton, but they could not be gotten to-
getber to vote. Absentees were coaxed
and urged to come to the rescue, but
all efforts failed to bring them to time.
Whenever three or four stragglers were
brought in an equal number absented
themselves.
The Washington Post, organ of the
democratic party, is very severe on the
members of the House who absent
themselves from their posts and allow
the republican minority to defeat
democratic measures. The Post says !:
"Scores of times q quorum has been
broken, and the passage Of democratic
measures defeated, by the absence of a
few men, who at that moment, could
have been found in bar rooms" The
propensity of democratic members to
imbibe freely is no new discovery of
the Post, it is an old-time habit. The
Tribune suggests the best remedy for
democratic absenteeism is to open a
bar room in the Capitol. 1t now con-
sumes too much time to reconsider the
saloons, hunting after absent members
when their votes are wanted. II this
Is slandering the democracy, then the
organ of the party is the slanderer, not
republicans,
During the past two months large
amount of time has been wasted in
proftless discussion over the proposed
democratic plan for counting the cleo
toral vote for President and Vice Presi-
dent. Why this squandering Of time
to the neglect of important business is
to the general public unaccountable.
1t was not claimed that the plan urged
by the democrats for counting the vote
was to have any force after the 9th of
February inst. 1t was only a tempo
rary expedient for that day. Democrats
both in Senate and House declared in
their places that Garfield and Arthur
were legally elected, and that no OBJ
stacle would be put in the way Of their
Inauguration. In view. Of these facts
the question is, why were so many
days spent to prescribe a particular
form which was to serve only for an
hour? But this sort of trihing has
been characteristic of the majority in
| Congress.
The most obiectional features Of the
electoral count resolution, after many
long debates, have at last been com.
promised in committee and passed the
Senate without opposition.
STREET BEGGARs IN WASHINGTON.
| 4 few days since bill was consid-
cred in Congress to appropriate $4,000
for the relief of invalid persons and
those found begging in the streets OF
Washington. Mr.. Fort, of Illinois, a
prominent member of the House, who
introduced the bill, said, "There is nc
city in this country where there are 50
many street beggarS as in Washing,
ton" The EUe'1ing Star, carefully
conducted journal, endorses the state
ment of Mr.. Fort as true. Taklns
this to be fact, what strange contrasts
are here presented There is no city
in this country Of the size of Wash
ington where there is so much show Of
wealth, style and expensive living, as
| in this. The street beggars reach out
their hands imploring aims, while lord
" dignitaries, in splendid coaches, arr
driven along the avenues. The ricf
man and the beggar are here in close
proximity, yet in condition as wide
apart as Dives and Lazarus. The mag
niticent palatial residences built thu
past year would lead one to conclude
there is no limit to the expenditure Of
money for architectural grandeur
There have been entertainments giyer
| on private account the present winter
| the cost of some of which would fue
a thousand poor people week, If no
q month. Incidents Of poverty art
| many. While a retailer of coal wa
driving his cart along the street wo
man came out of a miserable tenement
| saying she was out of fuel, and inQuir
| ed the price Of COAL The reply was
sixty cents bushel. She could taxi
only a peck, that being the limit OF he
money. She had three children to b
warmed. What she did after the peel
of coal was gone God knows. The mex
day the weather was freezing cold.
It must not be inferred that all PEG
pie of wealth In this city are indiferen
! to the wants Of the poor. Among tbos