The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspor dent

OOuSI eSo IL just warming up w lh0
real business of legislation, and the
indications now are that it still has
long pull ahead before the session can
end. 1t is understood that about one
hundred speeches were booked in the
House on the Tariff Commission bill,
of which only comparatively small
portion have so far been delivered.
The tariff question is exciting mere
attention than was expected at the
opening of the session. and if the
Commission bill is defeated revision
will be insisted upon with sufficient
pertinacity TO compel another long
discussion. TO say nothing about the
large apprOpriat. bills, there are
enough other important measures
pending to occupy attention for con.
siderable time. This Congress IS
prof ably quite as laxative as any of
its predecessors, but as nearly all its
members desire to keep their seats
another term, and as they must
"make a record" to do so, there IS
some hope that something more than
the introduction of bills and making
speeches will be ACCOMPLISHED before
midsummer. The purpose of the
Democrats appears to be to talk as
much as they can, and if possible
prevent the passage of any desirable
measures, as a means of making po-
litical capital. That is about all the
policy the Democratic party has had
for years.
Some suggestive figures were sent
to Congress the other day by the
Secretary of the Interior in response
to a resolution requesting a list of
States and corporations that have re-
ceiyed land grants and have not full
filled the conditions on which those
grants were made. The grand total
of the land grants made to States and
corporations is 1877, S81, 1857 acres. OF
this vast amount, eight railway COM
panies have been granted 116, 5S0.N08
acres, and to them have been patent
ed 1871. 391 acres. These railway
corporations agreed 10 build 7,74S
miles of road they have built l ,465
miles. Grants of Il ,2S2, 349 acres of
land have been made to ten States
fer railroad building purposes, and
about one-half Of this amount has
been patented to the railway cOrpor-
atoms in the States. This briefstate
ment suggests the freedom with
which the railway corporations make
promises and the reluctance with
which they perform them. Another
important feature of the business is
that although the corporation in no
case fulfill their part of the compact,
they hold the Government rightly to
a performance of its implied obliga.
tons. Isn't it about time for the
Government to inspire these grasp
ing organizations with little respect
for its authority and a little regard
for the rights of the people?
Advices received here from Salt
Lake indicate that the pOlygamsts
have at last taken alarm over the
Edmunds bill and fear serious trouble
when it goes into operation. Meyer
theless. they have not given up all
hope that they may find loop-hoIes
of escape, and with this end in view
some of the leaders have quietly re-
moved their wives to separate houses,
thinking thereby to avoid arrest un-
der the clause which makes cohabi-
tation with more than one woman
a misdemeanOr. Many polygamist
ce-holders have also r. signed, and
their places have been filled by
mOnogamists who are not subject to
removal under the bill. 1t is also
said that no polygamous marriages
have been celebrated since the pas
sage of the bill, though, as these are
always secret, nothing can be learned
concerning them. This bill was
thought to be iron-clad in its pr0yi.
sions, and the presence of these diff
culties even before the Commission
is appointed Is very discOuraging to
those persons who have builded so
many hopes upon the success of the
measure. 1t is not probable, how.
eyer. that if this legislation fails Con.
gress will hesitate to supplement it
with other laws of even more Sc
we're character if really necessary to
effect the desired end. Having put
its hand to the plough Congress is
not likely to turn back. 1t may yet
turn out that the polygamists have
honestly accepted the law and are
only putting their houses in order
against the arrival of the Commits
sion.
Sickness has been quite prevalent
among Congressman this winter and
there are now several cases on the