The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-11-22
WAsHINGToN LETTER!
WASHINGTON, ID. c.,
NJ 10 &C

Ia
Nov. Is, '82-g
10 the Editor OF The Morristown Gazette:
Congress viii assemble in about
two weeks. A number of Senators |
and members have already arrived
while others have. secured ROBINS
through the agency of their friends
or by letter. -. ..'-'7. '-'- -
The two halls of Congress at the
capitol have undergone the annual
clearing, and the entire capitol has
been scrubbed and painted, and
brushed to the highest degree OF
cleanliness.
The coming session will be very
brief because it expires by limita-
ton on the 4th of March, 1888, and
if Congress takes holiday adjourn
ment Of the usual length, there will
be but little more than two months
for legislative work.
The President is understood to be
at work on the message to Con-
gress; and the members of his Cab
inent have their annual reports in
an advanced state Of preparation.
It is said that the President will
make civil-service reform a promi
nent feature of his forthcoming
message, urging prompt and posi-
tive legislation on the subject. r.
Secretary Lincoln will, in his an
nual report, recommend that no
river and harbor bill be introduced
in the coming session of Congress.
He stat that it will be impossible
to expend the amount appropriated
last session during the present fiscal
year, and the balance, probably So
0OO, 900 or S9,000,000, will be car
ried over to the credit Of next year.
The appropriations are not made
with reference to any given year,
but are subject to drafts when
wanted. Sometimes a year or two
elapses before the work is begun for
which provision is made. There
was "a, 900, 900 on hand when the
last bill was passed. The appropri-
alton is a permanent one, the bal
ance from one year going over to
the next. The engineer officers be-
lieve that the amount. now to the
credit of the work will carry out all
that is now underway, unless unex-
pected floods or accidents should oc-
cur. --.4-.. -,
Postmaster General Howe will
recommend the establishment of po-
stall saving banks, postal telegraphy,
and the sale of stamped envelopes
at three cents each. This last rec
ommendation does not seem to meet
with great favor especially from
young ladies, who spoil package
of envelopes before they get one adj
dressed to suit them. There is a
strong sentiment in Congress in IA
vor of the reduction of postage to
two cents, thus making it as cheap
as the postage rates OF England,
France and Germany.
Those who have had most expert
ence in Congressional methods re-
gard it as improbable that any def
mite or comprehensive tariff legisla-
ton will be enacted at the coming
session. Its limited duration pre-
cludes the possibility of such full
discussion and consideration of the
numerous interests involved, as
must take place before any general
tariff measure can become law.
And so the idea seems to prevail
here among those best acquainted
that, if it be really the desire OF
both political parties to have the
tariff promptly and comprehensive
ly revised and modified, the only
practical means of doing so would
be to have bill passed next session
providing for the meeting of the
Forty eighth Congress in March
next for the purpose of considering
and acting on the subject
Naturally the first business in or
der to be dealt with by the House
of Representatives will be the dis
position of about two hundred SEN
ate bills now lying on the Speakers
table. Many of these are simple in
their character and are practically
covered by favorable reports from
House committees on the same sub
iect. An effort will be made to
pass, at least, those which involve
no appropriation of money and 9th
ers will be sent to proper commit
tees. #. .-,. ...