Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1883-12-07

FROM our Resul.r corr,,ou,lep,,

WASHINGTON d. c., Nov, 3rst, 1883
The Speakership contest is at boil.
ing heat this week and will doubtless
be settled by the time this letter is pub.
lshed. At present writing Mr.. Gait
isle has a decided X, Id and the result,
so far as he is concerned, wholly de.
ponds upon how many Of his support.
ers can be frightened off by the influ.
ences being brought to bear in the in
serest of Sam Randall. Upon a free
vote ofthe Democratic members Carl
isle would certainly be chosen by a
large majority over Randall, because
he is more popular man personally
and because he more nearly represent:
the sentiments and principles of the
Democratic rarty But tremendou:
pressure is beng exerted by the rail
way in,eres, and the manufacturing in
terests, or the monopoly branch o.
them, and in behalf of what Is repre-.
sented to be the business interests Of
the country. All this with the section.
al question is having some effect, but
whether it will be entirely successful re.
mains yet to be seen. Some Of the
ADLER and more earnest Democrats say
it is about time for the party to cease
being frightened by TINS ghost Of Sec
tonalism. Given a true man, they
say, with consistent, patriotic record
like Carlisle's and what does it matter
which side OF the Ohio River he comes
from? And they hold, too, that it is
about time this believing about the
business interests of the country
was stopped. The material interests
ofthis country do not depend upon
the election OF this or that man to the
Speakership or the Presidency or any
other position. 1t is always the monied
interests, the monopolies, the banks,
the middle men and highly protected
manufacturers that are meant when
this cry is raised. But it begins to
dawn upon great many Congressman
that there is very large class known
as producers in this country whose In
terests are entitled to some respect
that the farmers. laborers, mechanics,
doctors, lawy ers, and professional men
generally, should have some small
share of consideration. If a count
were had perhaps they would be found
almost as numerous as the millionaires
even ifnot SO loud or influential. This
contest will be pretty fai: test of how
many Democratic Congressman can be
found to stand squarely up to their
convictions.
The annual report of the Attorney
General lately submitted contains some
very excellent recommendations in the
way of improvement upon the present
modes of procedure III the courts of
the district. The Star-route trial,
which ended in smoke after seven
months of wrangling among the law
yers, could have been disposed Of in
any other court in Christendom in as
many weeks. and the trivial technicali.
ties which might be ruled out or ruled
in by the judge in furtherence of JUS
tee. in any State court. were elabor-
ated upon at this trial for weeks at a
time.
The Attorney General properly calls
the attention Of Congress to these de.
fects in our criminal jurisprudence and
strongly urges the application of the
proper remedies. Coupled with these
recommendations is another. suggest
ing a change in the mode of drawing
iuries, the practice under which here,
virtually allows a criminal defendant to
select a jury panel, who though they
may be his peers, are only so IN the
commission of crime. 1t is little sin.
gular that the courts here should be
compelled to lag a century or more be-
hind those Of the courts in every State
in the Union, for it is fact tina. they
are governed by statutes that were
among the first enacted by Congress in
Continental times.
When the drawing for seats in the
House of Representatives takes place
next week, a vast amount of indignation
will be occasioned among the members
who do not draw lucky numbers. by the
crowded arrangement ofthe desks. In
some Of the middle rows the seats are
arranged by sevens, and the rows are so
close together that if a member leans
back in his chair there is no room for
his neigl.bor to pass behind him. The
arrangement of seats is admitted to be
bad, but the clerks officers say it was
the best they could make. Congress
will soon have to build a larger hall for
the House or else abandon the attempt
TO provide each member with seat.
Dom PEDRO.