Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-25
HOUSEWORK.
A Review or the Business Now Before
the Various Congressional
Committees.
The Mississippi Riyer-Labor Strikes
CIViI-serEice Reform Reducing
the Revenue.

iho mississippi hlfcE-LdbOF Siflkfs-
CIViI-SerEice Reform Reducing
the Revenue.
WASHINGTON, November A.-The dock
cts OF the committees OF both houses hav
still great deal on them, Notwithstanding
| the House Calendars are crowded with re
ports from the committees upon which n
action has been taken. Many of the com
mittees will undoubtedly be found TO nav,
less heart in legislation, as the political ca
reer OF many of the members has becom'
dinmed.
AGRICULTURE.
The Committee on Agriculture preu,
nearly cleared its docket, having made re
ports on the proposition TO reorganize Ia,
Agricultural Department, on experimental
farms, pleuro-pneumonia, and seeds fe- aes
utu!e persons.
TIE LIQUOR TRAFFIC..
The Co@mittee on Alcoholic Liquor Traf
nc finished lis work by reporting ia favor Of
| the appointment of a commission ON ~ al
subject; and the bill remains in the Hoass
| without action, the ATTEMPT TO f,ass II nt,de,
a suspension CT the rules having failed. II
remains TO be seen whether the Prohibition.
lists Will have strength enough TO continue
the work.
APPROPRIATIONS.
The Committee on Appropriations will
| meet here the last of November, and ils
cnairms an has promised that four sppropriA
tion bills shall be ready by the first MONDAY
IN December; but that promise was made be.
lore the election, and it remains to be seen
whether any promises Of zsal at that time
are now to be fulfilled. Besides, promises Of
that sort are regularly m ade at the begin.
I ming of every session, aud they are as rezu.
larry broken.
BANKING AND CURRENCY
The Committee on Banking and Currency
| accomplished its great work under the lead.
ership Of Mr.. Grape, and passed the bill ex.
tending national-bank charters. 1t is very
fortunate fer the national banks OF the
country, and for the people Of the country,
that this was done at the last hefsion for the
bill would have eloemy outlook in the
Forty eighth Congress. There are no yery
impertsnt measures remaining on the docket
OF this committee.
CENSUS
The Committee on the Census, although il
| has recommended very liberal appropria-
tons to complete the census, will fnd itself
lace TO lace again at The coming session with
large deficiency, and the problem will be,
email the census be corn pleted on the original
plan, and great deal more money expepd-
ed, or shall the work that has aIresdy been
parity done be allowed 10 10 to waste and
The encyclopedia census monument of the
government rem ain unfinished?
CIVIL SERVICE.
The Committee on Civil Service Reform.
grotesque always ia Its composition in the
House, vii! seem even more ridiculous iu
view OF what has happened since adjourn
aent. Whatever it has on its docket, the
committee has mad in the past very little OF
its heart in the interest of reform whose
name it bears.
CLAIMS.
The Committee on Claims has a docket
which never ends; and, although reports
were made on 200 or 800 cases last year,
there are very many more which still remain
TO be acted upon, most of which undou btedly
will never see the light.
COINAGE
The Committee on Ceinsge was very indus
trious-made reports on the metric system,
silver coinage and the different Withstand
has little left to do.
COMMERCE.
The Committee on Commerce will perhaps
be asked 10 frame another river and harbor
bill; but, if it does, the bill will be likely not
to contain appropriations for SlS,O00,000.
DISTRICT MATTERS
The Committee on the District Of Columbia
never ends its work. Tits the purpo.e of The
chairman of the committee, Mr.. Neale, of
Ohio, who is not in the next Congress, 10 do
all that be can to promote some of the bills
specially affecting the Districts interests
The District, however, at the last session, had
the lions share.
STRIKES
The Senate Committee on Education-Mr
Blair, chairman-was directed TO investigate
during the recess the question OF labor
strikes. No meeting of the committee has as
yet been held, although some privare in
quiries have been made. Il is the purpose
of the hartman to call meeting "a the latter
part OF November, here in Washington, and
to conduct the inquiry here by summoning
witnesses. Possibly this committee, as well
as other special committees, will not be able
to accomplish anything until an appropri-
alton for the contingent fund shall be passed,
ss that fund, from which the payments were
to be made, is exhausted-ihe sergeant-st-
arms very properly declining 10 render him.
self personally liable under the statute for
mourning any personal obligation in the alb
sence OF a specific appropriation.
ELECTIONS.
The Committee on Elections of the House
X
be one of unusual length; but il the reports
OF threatened contests Of the Foriy-eigbth
Congress snail prove true, the Elections Com
miitee in the next House will have docket
much longer, and the cases on it will be OF
much more question able character.
DEPARTMENT COMMITTEES.
The Committees on Expenditures in the
different departments have done nothing dur
ing this Congress go far. The Committee on
Expenditures in the Navy Department has q
fine room fitted up; but it is used chiefly as
private Office for Mr.. Robson, who will not
need private Office in the next House OF
Representatives. The Committees on Ex-
penditures in the departments will in the
next Congress- however, be busy. The ex-
penditure of the contingent fund of the treas
ury, which was partially investigated, will
be thoroughly inquired into before the presi-
Dental election; while the Department of
Justice, with its large expenditure in connec-
ton with the Star-route trials, will also re-
ceive full attention.
FINANCE.
The Committees on Finance and OF Ways
and Means will have again TO consider the
subjects of tariff, finance and taxation, W ich
they in part avoided at the last session; and
the verdict at the polls on the 9TH of Novem-
Der will be taken as an instruction by the
LEI ders of both parties 10 see 10 it that the
OuIQcn OIL Ld4dltOu AcluONcu1 Out NJ
systematic revision Of the internal revenue
system ia possible in short session OF Con-
gress.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs
spent most OF its time last session in the con-
sideration of the. Chili-Peru business, the
results of which sppesr in large volumes OF
testimony. The subject will not probably be
revived at this session, although there are
some resolutions pending which might be
made the basis OF further consideration oi
the question. A curious fate has followed
some of The members Of that committee
Williams, the chairman, whoss return was
never doubted, is left at home; while young
Perry Belmont is reelected by msiority Of
10000. The committee has before it still
some important questions relating to fish
cries.
INDIANS
The Committees on Indian Affairs OF the
two houses always have long dockets. Both
| we're pretty busy at the last session, and made
reports on a great many subj cts; but most
of the bills lie upon the calendar in both
houses without action, with several thousand
| other bills which shared the ssme fate Mos
of the important measures before the VIC
committees were disposed of. There remain
a great number of private clsims-yery many
! OF them iust-which are at a deadlock in the
| COMMITTEES, psr.icu' arly 10 the Senate, because
some members OF the committee are opposed
10 paying any claims, whether they sre just
or not. The principal ground upon which
| oh,acfion - m ade TO The bills il that IL any