The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-12-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Dec. Sc, 1882.

within my knowledge been SO fur nd.
vanced at this eurlv Stage of he sessio,
as 1t is now The usual practice oftnkino
things easy aud leisnrelv until sitter tht
holidays Inns not obtained This wear. bpt
on the contrary both houses have from
the first dav Displayed extraordinary
industry, the result Of which is that
several appropriation bills have alread&
passed both houses, aud q number of
other Measures are in All unusual tate
of forwardness, The action of the
House of Representatives in regard to
a recess during the Christmas holidays
savored little of the ludicrous, Many
of the members who on Mondsy voted
to work during the holiday season ap-
peared to have done so in the hope that
the decision would apply only to their
fellow members, they themselves OK
pecting to get away on leave of absence
and have good time at their respective
homes. AS Artemas Ward was willing
to give up his cousins, nephcws and
uncles and allow them to shed the last
drop of their blood for the defense of
the Union, these representatives were
willing to have their brother members
forego the delights of Christians and
New Years at their own firesides. but
wished to be excused from making the
same sacrifice themselves, and when
they found that this cheap patriotism
would not pass muster they faced about
and voted for a recess The resolution
for this purpose, which finally passed
the House, was supported by "A Demo-
Gratis and IS Republicans, while rs Re-
publicans and % Democrats voted in
the negative.
General John d. Eaton, Commission
err of Education, has been over to Ney
York to address the Union League
Club on the subject of national aid b
education in the back ward states. Tle
pending proposition 10 grant an annull
appropriation of ten million dollars b
be distributed among the states n
amounts proportioued to the degree If
illiteracy within their borders mees
with good deal of favor in Congress
and among the people. Eight NORTH
ern state legislatures have, 1 am in
formed, passed resolutions in its favor.
and it is believed that the Southern leg.
islatures, governors and school officials
are all but unanimous in desiring its
adoption. With SO large a support i,
would undoubtedly be promptly enact.
ed into law if the question of making
the proposed grant could be submitted
to Congress in form uncomplicated
with political considerations. But.
unfortunately, this is difficult matter
and may prove to be impracticable. The
money wouldgo mainly to the Southern
states, and, If placed under the control
OF the state governments, might be
used with view to Strengthening the
Democratic party, at least in incidental
ways. This Republicans will naturally
desire to guard against by placing
around the grant certain restrictions as
to the moGe of expenditure, and if these
happen 10 be such as Democratic mem
bers of Congress strongly object to. mn
e.~~."e"v may We Impossible, anu a
measure which both parties really de.
sire, could they be assured of its honest
and disinterested administration, may
fail to go through, because neither is
willing to trust the other with the con.
troll of the money.
There is at last promise of some
thing being done 10 recover the public
lands held by certain railroads under
forfeited grants. Senator Saunders
has made move looking to a repeal OF
the pre-emption act and an enforce.
ment of the law against railway COM
panies which have failed to complete
their roads within the periods:prescrib-
ed by law. Both Of these objects de-
mand immediate attention. The amount
of public land available for farming
purposes is now becoming compare.
lively small, and it should be scrupu-
lousy reserved for the benefit of actual
settlers, under a modified homestead
law. The presumption law, although
supposed to be designed for the benefit
OF actual settlers facilitates the acqui-
sition of large tracts of land by capt.
talists, and the same is true as regards
the Communication feature of the home
stead law that feature. namely, which
provides for the acquisition of title to
homestead at the end of six months
residence upon payment of 5000. AS
regards the forfeited railroad lands,
Congress ought eagerly to embrace the
opportunity OF repairing in some degree
the error committed by former Con-
crosses in making these extravagant
grants. 1t will hardly be credited per-
haps, but is nevertheless true, that the
lands now subject to forfeiture are of
greater aggregate extent than the whole
of the German Empire, and the oppor-
tunity to rescue so vast territory from
the grasp Of these monopolies should
not be neglected.
Considerable interest is felt here in
the various senatorial elections to occur
early next month. Rumors have been
from time to time of possible
by which the Republicans
would be defeated in Kansas and Ne
braska, and even in Illinois and MinDe-
sofa, but well-iDformed representatives