The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-01-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
. From u Regular Correspondent.
Is W4sHIxefoN, DC.
Jan. 16, 1882.

Jan. 16, 1882.
The Indications at the present
time are that the most important re
suit ofaSpeakerKeifer's outrageous
concoction of the Committees will be
a change in the system of their Sc
lection. 1t is not improbable, from
the present temper of the House, that
MR.. Keiferti is the last Speaker who
will have the exercise of SO much
power, or the opportunity to abuse
it, and that in future the Committees
will be made in much the same man
ner they are in the Senate. 1t is
even limited that the Committees for
this Congress may yet be reorgani-
zed; but this l think unlikely,
though there is SO much feeling on
both sides of the House that the
movement could be carried if prop
erly inaugurated. Mr.. Orth, who
gave the Speaker such a cutting re
buke in open session, is not the only
Republican who feels outraged or
who recognized the motives and the
moving spirit of the whole scheme.
Mr.. Waite, Of Connecticut, is anoth
er old and prominent Republican
member who has taken decided ex-
captions to the course of the Speak.
er and written declining to serve pn-
der the circumstances. There IRE
curses loud and deep all alopge
line The arrangement of C5Easr
tees is a matter entirely within COR
troll Of the House, and it is only by
usage and courtesy that the Speaker
has been heretofore given that au-
thority. When ever a majority of
the members so determine, it is in
the province of the House to undo
his work and take the matter into
their, own hands. If such action
were to be taken now Mr.. Keifer
could not complain. He has abused
his privilege to such an unwarranta-
BILE and unprecedented extent that
the grievance is not a slight one 1t
rises because of its grossness above
all mere personal considerations, and
no fair person would regret to see
the wings of its perpetrators inglo-
riously clipped.
The Mormon question thrusts it
self upon. Congress in a very positive
manner, and like Banauo's ghost it
will notdown, Doubtless a MAORI
ty are against the Infamous institu
tien of polygamy and willing to see
its. political power destroyed, yet
somehow there is a disposition to
handle the subject rather gingerly.
| shall not be surprised if the pre-
sent agitation1ends in smoke and in
action, as all previous attempts have
done. 1t lakes something like an
earthquake TO inspire Congress TO dc
its duty indicating with any great
evil which possesses power and in
fuence. The plan proposed by Del.
egate Maginnis, OF Montana, appears
TO be the jeast violent and effective
of any suggested SO far. His propo
sition is to let Congress divide the
Territory of Utah, Incorporating the
western part with the States of-Ne
vada, the soul heastern part with the
State of Colorado, and the small
northern part with Idaho and Wy
Joining. Congress has abundant pow
er to do this, and it is evident that
when it is done the Mormon powel
will be broken Apart of the Eay
mon population will be then citizen,
of Nevada, and will be there only 4
minority of the whole State, and par
will become citizens of Colorado il
a minority there. The small remain
der will form a part of Wyoming o.
, Idaho. The main portion of the Nor
mon population would shus beccms
{ citizens of States which have already
established constitutions and laws
to which the Mormons would b.
, amenable. 1t is held that such a di
vision of Utah and distributed of it,
/ parts would not only be perfectly lie
; gal and proper, but would have TIN
advantage that the new boundariei
would be natural instead of artificial
, The Watch Range, Which now run:
through the centre of Utah, would
, form the boundary line between tn
States Of Colorado and Nevada. /
there any reason why Utah SHOULD
not thus be blotted but of the map
If John Sherman has not been cor
nered this time people would like t,
j. know what it is that makes hin
squirm o Ever since the investi
cation into the contingent fund ex
penditures of the Treasury Depart
ment was instituted John has beef
wriggling and twisting, and the in
quiry has been embarrassed at ever,
turn by obstacles interposed in hi'
interest. His first step, it will be re
membered, was to secure a suppress
sion of the evidence accompanying
1 the report of Secretary WINDOWS lit
tie committee of clerk last summer
Enough of that evidence has leake,
out, however, in one way or another
to show that the late Secretary ant
r Presidential aspirant had good rea
: sons for wishing to keep it dark
The Senate Committee conduetin:
e this investigation sits with closeC
2 doors, so that very little is reali.
/ known of what transpires within bu
some things come II through til
> key hole, or somewhere else, waic.
indicate that '~'pIaying dirt" as the
e say in the mines, has been stfaek
: The Republican members of the Com
mittee, who are a majority, asserted
with great vehenence at the star
t that nothing should be done in tn
z dark-that the public should kno,
e just what was going on-yet, just a
a matter of precaution you know, t
keep the newspapers from hiding tn
truth, they voted to double lock an
seal the doors. That is the way tie
always do when they want things t
be fully understood. Whatever ma
he shown concerning MIR. Sherman
J, use of the contingent fund for hi
0 own benefit in furnishing his house
e or other ways it ought to be show
how he used EMPLOYERS, not Maid on