The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-03-02
WASHINGTON T T
From u Regular Correspondent.

~ ASHlNGTON, ~,
Feb 81, 1882.
Now that the apportionment cues
lion is disposed of, the two subjects
exciting most interest and discuss
ion here, both under the dome and
in its shadow, are the Utah contest
and the Dakota division. John Lo-
Grant pension bill is a dead
cock in the pit. Think, and the ad-
vent of Lent has knocked social
questions higher than a cooked hat.
The advocates of the proposition to
carve a large sized and sparsely set
tied State GU. of one side of the Ter
ritory of Dakota are making the most
tremendous efforts. 1t is nothing
more nor less than a political scheme,
devised chiefly to give the Republi-
can party two U. S. Senators and orig
mated largely by selfish, aspiring
politicians who hope to gobble up
the benefits. Outside of this there
is no demand for action at this time
and reliable advices from the Ter
ritory indicate that a large majority
of the people who represent its in
dusLrv and material prosperity do
not desire a State government. They
regard it an unnecessary burden and
expenses. But the Republican par
ty is committed to this rotten Dor
ough system as a means of perpetu-
ating its power. Nevada with its lit
tie handful of mining prospects, and
Colorado with less than one-half so
many inhabitants as are required to
elect a member of Congress in other
States were admitted in pursuance
of this policy and for these ends.
The superintendent as finally made
is nearer to fairness than there was
reason at one time to expect. The
most Objectionable feature of it is the
large increase in the number of Rep
resentatives. Adding thirty-two
members to body already unweildy
is not wisdom, especially as it will
be almost impossible 10 properly ac-
commodate them in the present Hall.
If this increase is to go on through
every decade, simply because of the
selfish desire of members to- increase
their chances of re- lection, we shall
have to build a new Capitol. One
means of temporary relief will be to
adopt the plan of the English House
of Commons, remove all desks from
the Hall and seat members in rows
on plain benches. Some Senators
who have served in the lower house
and realize the truth of the situation
would have been in a position to
bring out the objections to this mea-
sure but for the need of passing it
without delay. Senator Hoar point
eddy referred to some of the difficult
ties of transacting business in the
House, and the manner in which its
rules destroy the freedom of debate
and amendment, which he said had
grown out ofthe large membership,
and gives the control of legislation
into the hands of the speaker and a
few veteran members. There is no
question as to the great difficulty of
getting measures before the House.
Thousands of bills die IN committee
and on the calendar every session,
because the authors and supporters
are unable to get them considered.
Many of these measures r merito-
rious, though perhaps they affect
very few persons. There is one class
of Legislation that especially suffers.
Private claims against the Govern
ment rarely ever receive attention,
and it has became q recognized fact
that it is almost worth the auount of
a claim against the United States TO
collect it. Notwithstanding these
facts, there r those who pirate of
Congress spending too much time in
session, and talk of the imaginary
benefits thas would follow biennial
sessions. The truth is Congress does
not remain in session long enough
to attend properly to public bust
ness. The rapid growth of the com
try increase the business before each
recurring session, and the sessions
should be heightened. Especially
should Congress adopt some means
to relieve itself ola class of business
which belongs properly to the
courts. ins
The present Congress seems more
inclined thar any of its predecessors
to add a Secretary for Agriculture
to the Cabinet. The proposition in
the House is to make a regular De-
partment nth several bureaus, and
to take away from the Interior De
partment the land office business
and the geological survey and add
these to the other bureaus to be ere
ated in the new Department of Ag-
riculture. The prospect of the crea
tion of a number ofnew offices, and
these OF the higher grades, already
captiYates the imagination of the ar
my of hungry patriots, who stand
about, with their mouths open, anx,
iously hoping that something may
fall into them, and whenever, if ever,
it becomes reasonably certsSn that
the bill can pass Congress, there will
be numerous applications for bureau
places, which are among the most
sought after in Washington. Mean
while the passage of the bill would
make DR.. Loring's position embar-
RAISING. He is at present head Of
the Agricultural Bureau, and is an
active and efficient chief of it. But
if the Bureau is turned into a De-
partment, with a Cabinet Minister at
its head, he would find himself elm
mated, unless he chose to take the
position of chief of one of the new
bureaus. Il the selection Of so great
an officer as a Cabinet Minister po-
litical considerations are always pre-.
dominant, and the Secretary for Ag.
riculture, would undoubtedly be Sc.
lected from the great agricultural
West, and would have to be a per.
son of pronounced political conse-
quence and influence. Massachu,
sets would hardly lay claim to The
place, and it is said here by persons
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