The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-12-09
Washington Letter.

Irregular corresponderce,)
The First Pevormance-A Iten from M
Reporters GaiIery-Speaker heyer'
Trials.
}, WASHINGTON, ID. g. Dec. A, 1889.
A first performance" be 1t theatrical oil
parliamentary ALWAYS forms great at.rac
ton for the spectacle.loving Washingtoni-
ans; and especially for the large number
of transient visitors always in the city. II
was, therefore, not surprising on this frs,
day to find the galleries of the House
crowded within, and Its portals surrounded
by throng of eager sightseers. The open.
ing scenes IN the House and Senate were
such as have been often described There
was great confusion on the floor of the
House both before and after the opening of
the session. Members greeted one another
with great etusiveness and joked and
laughed loud, or talked seriously in pairs
or groups. The senate, on the other hand,
maintained that dignity for which it Is re
nowned.
BY half past eleven O'Clock both houses
had answered to the roll call; and then
members and senators made themselves as
comfortable as possible while they listened
to the monotonous drawl of the clerk read
ing the Presidents message.
There Is much talk and speculation in
official and political circles in relation to
the course OF legislation during the pres
ent session. Neither party has as yet held
caucus or mapped out its programme
From conversations with different men,
bers and senator's one is convinced of wide
and apparently irreconcilable differences
of opinion, especially on the subject of the
reduction of taxation. All agree that there
must be reduction, but how? That's the
question. Individual democratic members
and senators have expressed the opinion
that the better policy for them is to oppose
legislation on this question so that the
coming democratic house can have clear
field. But Others among the most expert.
enced and practical of their party, express
the opinion that such course will be dan.
gerous. They say that the democratic par
ty in congress will commit serious mis-
take if 1t undertakes blindly any reduction
of taxation; that If nothing in this line is
accomplished at this session of congress,
the house democrats, when the next CON
gress meets, will find themselves confront
ed by grave problem, the difficulties of
which they will surely ind themselves I'M
able to surmount, as the republicans, with
their splendid leadership and organization
In the senate, will harass and embarrass
them at every turn. The result will be
that the republicans will have an effective
rallylng cry to 60 to the country with in
the presidential campaign of 1884, and the
democrats will again be put on the deten-
slve, than which there can he nothing more
fatal in politics. II the reduction In taxa
ton which the country demands, and de.
mands speedily, be accomplished this win.
ter, the responsibility will In a great meas.
ure be divided, and both parties will share
the praise These views will be impressed
upon senators and members of the demo-
cratic party, and will have much weight.
The strong probability Is. therefore, that
there will be material reduction IN taxa
tian before the adjournment Of congress on
the 4th of March.
On account of the repairs that arc being
made In the White House, the Presidents
receptions will not begin until after the
holidays.
Tho knrOra Ps1.no al tho uhs,i III