Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-22
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
A MASS OF DEAD LEGISLATION.
Defects of Ehe AnTi-Polygamy Bill
The Pension SwiBdIe-A Germsn
Orator In she ROuse-ArIhur and
Cameron scared.

WASHINGTON, June 20.-There has been intro
duced in the House and Senate during the ses-
sion so far 982 bills and joint resolutions.
This is a fair specimen of the extent of the
Congressional mausoleum. But very few of
these bills and joint resolutions have become
laws. But this does not deter the introduction
Of schemes even at this late day of the session
They come in at every opportunity. These
are much smaller in number each time that
the opportunity for getting them in comes up,
but it is evident that the supply is inexhausti-
ble Congress might remain in continuous
session for fifty years and the supply of bills
would not even then be exhausted.
IN CONGRESS.
The Independent Republican element which
is opposed to bossism and consequently to
President Arthur, has for the first time openly
shown itself on the floor Of Congress. Repre-
sentative Tom Bayne, of Pennsylvania. was
the man who made the demonstration. Bayne
is a very good man and an active Representa-
tive. He is an anti-Cameron man, which, after
the Introduction have made. goes without
saying. He attacked the bill limiting the term
of Collectors of Internal Revenue to four years
as one to build up the Stalwarts, and princi-
pally President Arthur, by giving him more
patronage. At present the term OF Collector
Of Internal Revenue is indefinite during good
behavior Bayne properly characterized the
proposed limitation of the term to
four years, when he said it
was simply to give Arthur further power. He
attacked the administration as an AdminiStra=
tion or spoils to the favorites and without re-
gard to the party as a unit. Somebody asked
him derisively during his speech if he were the
mouthpiece of the administration. He repl ed :
II am not, thank Godn Bsyne. be it re-
peAted is one of the Republican independents
"a fnl1o for M in his QfofQ
fact that a Republican upon the fioJr of the
House has attacked the President OF the stal
warts and bOsSsm is a sign politically for good,
and one in which Democrats can take some
comfort to themselves.
GUENTHER's DIALECT
Representative Guenther, of Wisconsin, is
German, as his name would indicate. He is a
good member of the H use, and only on the
most rare cases makes speech. Perhaps his
value may lie IN the extreme pauclty or his
remarks. But when Guenther does make
speech he attracts attention. He is a small
man, and has a small voice. His attraction is
the rich German dialect. 1t is with difficulty
that he can be understood. He talks SO very
German that to follow hm you have
to be near, accustomed 10 the dialect
of the newly arrived German immigrant,
and very attentive. Guenther made
speech yesterday, and was surrounded
very soon after he started out by a crowd of
listening members. He has not been much
longer in the country than to be natural I'D.
have been in behalf of the newly arrived i'm
migrant at Castle arden. New York. There
was nothing funny about the speech, but it was
very suggestive of 1.-The Institutions of the
United StateS and could not but suggest the
thought that many of the newly arrived immi-
grants in whose behalf Mr.. Guenther spoke
may follow him, and in few short years
be talking broken English on the floor OF the
National Legislature.
THE MORMON QUESTION.
The gentlemen who have been selected as
members of the Mormon Commission have
been studying up the anti-polygamy bill. The
best informed men of them see the defects of
that bill and are already making efforts to
have them corrected. In fact, the bill as at
present does not amount to near as much as is
generally thought. For instance, it may be
stated generally that while the bill directs the
doing of a number of things no provision for
carrying out what is enacted is made. Again,
there is no provision m ade for the payment of
the members of ihs commission Ou may
easily imagine that the lack of such provision
Is considered of vital importance by the mem
bers of the commission, and then while the
bill declares certain offices now held by Nor
mons as no longer to be held by them. there is
nothing enacted as to how these necessary
officeS-they are election offices-are to be
filled. An attempt to remedy the deficiencies
of the anti-pOlygamy bill will be made before
the session closes. AS these deficiencies are so
very garing to seriously interfere with the
intention of the bill, the attempt will probably
prove successful.
HOW THE PENSION BILL WENT THROUGH.
The annual pension bill has been put through
the Hou 'e and put through, too, without any
delay or any deb ate. 1t was whips ped through
and men set there and saw S97 700, 900 of the
public funds-an amount greater than the ag.
gregate of all the other appropriation bills
appropriated to pay the pensioners of the gov
ernment for one year; and it does not include
the payment of any pension other than tn Sc
which grew and are still growing out of the
late war. Next year Congress will be called
upon to appropriate additional couple of
millions for this same purpose, and at the same
time Congress is almost every day enlarging
this pension list, and pension agents are work
ing up new classes of people-army nurses for
instance-and calling upon the government to
grant them pensions. Perhaps at some tim
there will be called halt in this plundering of
the Treasury, but iG is very doubtful the way
things look now.
SAVANNAH BRIDAL COUPLE.
Capt. E. A. Smith and his pretty little BRIDE
of Savannah, Ga, are spending a portion of
their honeymoon here, sightseeing before
going to Saratoga. AS Mr.. liam Lay and
Mr.. Hugh Waddell, former citizens of Savan-
nah, are acting as pilots for them. they will
not fail to see all that Washington can afford
of distinguished persons, etc. POTOMAC.