The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-03-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Feb. is, 1882.


The present Congress is making
very fair r-ogress with its legisla-
tive work, aud is ahead of any pre-
vious Congress for some years past.
Five of the appropriation bills have
been considered, and one passed.
The apportionment bill has been
disposed of by the house. During
the session nearly 5000 bills and
resolutions have been offered in the
House. This is more than twice as
many as were ever before filed so
early in the session. The commit
tees are very industriously at work,
and, since Lent viii begin on the
22nd inst, and put stop to fash
ionable nocturnal gayety, Congress
will be able to give lless divided at
tention to public business. Many
members think Congress will adj
iourn as soon IS the first of June,
but the majority are of the opinion
that the session viii continue until
the middle of July.
A large number of the thousands
of bills that have been introduced
are of a petty private character. and
it is ridiculous that our laws furnish
no other court than an unwieldy
and expensive national legislature
for their adjudication. There ap-
pears to be an absolute necessity of
some measure to relieve Congress
from the burden OF private legisla-
ton in the form of petitions and
bills for the relief of individuals.
The single Committee on Claims of
the House, has already had nearly a
thousand bills referred to it, and the
Committee on Invalid Pensions is
still worse oil. 1t is said thai there
is not a standing committee of the
House which has not more or less
private business on its calendar.
Among the bills provided for the
relief of the Supreme Court, one
was introduced in the Senate by
Mr.. Pugh which proposes to divide
the Court into three divisions with
three Justices in each, to be known
as the Federal. Equity, and Admi.
rality Law divisions. These divi-
sions are empowered to set separate
ly, and all cause are to be heard in
the first instance by one of the divi
sions, except causes in which a jury
is required these are to he heard
by the Court in banc.
Mr.. Cox, from the committee to
audit the expenses grow ng out of the
death and burial of tie late Presi-
dent James A. Garfield, reported
bill granting a pension of 5000 a
year to Mrs. Lucretia ;. Garfield.
Mr.. Atkins, of Tenness =. id he
would not object to the III, Dut he
thought that a similar measure
should be adopted to pension the
widow Of any other President. The
bill was then passed
The subcommittee of the House
Committee ON Territories has agreed
unanimously Oh q bill to provi e
for the admission into the Union of
all that part of Dakota Territory
south of the 46th parallel.
\ bill has been introduced to
make the Bureau of Agriculture an
Executive Department, placing it
on an equality with the Post Office
Department, the Department OF
War, and the other executive
branches of the Government that
have cabinet officer at their head.
The chi,f of the Bureau would then
be mem Der of the Cabinet, with
the title, perhaps, of Secretary of
Agriculture. The representatives
from non-agricultural states have
heretofore, opposed a bill of this
character, on the ground that agri-
culture has no more right to Execu-
tive consideration than any other
industrial interest, and one member
some years ago, derisively proposed
an amendment that the interest of
boots and shoes should also have a
place in the Cabinet. But there is a
growing sentiment in favor of adding
this department to the Cabinet, and
of following the precedents of other
civilized nations in this respect.
The United States has only seven
cabinet places. France has twelve,
and l think the other first class Eu-
ropean powers have as many.
C. A &.