New Ulm weekly review., 1882-04-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsH1N aroN, Dc, Marches, 1882

uc dIc uauy IuoIUDerS OF OOn.
gress who think the present session
will not continue longer than un-
til the middle of June, but, how
every member can make his half doz.
en- cut and dried set speeches by tn at
time, no one has attempted to ex-
plain. ..
To- day the question of reclaiming
the Potomac flats will come up in
the House. It is subject of vital
Importance to every one who lives
in Washington, or, 1t might be
said, who visits this city, since
these swamps are the source of the
malaria which has given Washing
ton such bad name.
An effort will be made 70 dissoci.
ate the Mississippi river improve.
ment bill from the River and Har-
bor appropriation bill, for the reason
that the latter bill is, kind of an
omnibus into which every member
tries to get some appropriation for
his district, the result being that
the great water way is, to an ex.
tent, crowded out of the vehicle.
There have been more cabinet
rumors and speculations during the
past week than at any time since
the first week of President Arthur's
administration. It is believed, I
might say known, that Senator
Teller will be named and confirmed
Secretary of the Interior. Nearly
everybody says that Mr.. Chandler
will be called to take charge Of the
Naval portfolio. But there are
some who refuse, to believe their
ears in this report. It is quite
probable that the President may
nominate him for reasons known to
himself, and guessed .oy others, but
it is difficult to understand how Mr.
Chandler can be confirmed by the
Senate when this body, few
months ago, refused to confirm his
nomination by Garfield as Assistant
Attorney-General. AS was to be
expected, there is some dissatisfac-
tion at the removal of Kirkwood
from the Interior Department, but
it is known that President Arthur
has from the first intended to have
cabinet of his own selection, and
that this removal must sooner or
later take place. The new secreta-
ry IS expected to give play to the ex-
treme western ideas, as law will
permit him, in the administration
of Indian affairs. Extreme western
ideas. it may be remarked, are the
exact antithesis of Quaker or Fenni-
more Cooper's views of the noble
savage. We see great deal of
these anaesthetic wards OF the Ma.
tion here in Washington. They
are brought on by Indian agents
professedly to talk over some bust.
ness matters with the Secretary of
the Interior; but the real secret of
their presence here is in the fact
that the lazy agents become tired Of
the monotoMy of post life, and
make any excuse for a picnic, ex.
cursion, at government expense,
to Washington. They bring with
them a number Of hideous old
chiefs, who lounge about tile hotel
during the day and visit ba xdy-h
ses at nights. They have cne or two
big talks with the Secretary, in
which, prompted by the Agent,
they ask him to give them wagons,
farming utensils, and schools.
Then they 60 back to Uncle Sam S
free ration dispensary on the plains,
while the religious press all over the
country rejoices at the evidences of
their christianizatlon in the fact
that they have asked for plows and
school.houses. if there is anything
an Indian really detests, it is a
plow or school house, and, as long
as the government,supports him in
idleness, he will have no use for
either.