The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-01-20

iBreeu upon Dy tne lflenuS OF inc Dlll 81
uccessfully carried out, a debate might
nave been started which would have
rivaled the Tariff Commission bill debate
in length, ard the bill would probably
have died a lingering death, or been so
weakened by amendments that il would
not have been really worth preserving.
ALI these speeches must now he consigned
to the waste basket. The passage OF the
bill after only half an hours debate W II
be regarded as one of the greatest cuiics-
tiles of legislative action in Congress.
OF all the measures now before Con-
gress the three Of paramount importance
are, the bill te provide for counting the
electoral votes, the Tariff bill and the
bill to provide Judicial investigation of
private claims. There is no greater
abuse of justice in all the rami6cations
of our Government than is told in the
history of private claims before Congress.
The story is interesting enough and long
enough for al entire letter, and mean
to write it up in full shortly. The bond
ed whiskey bill which passed the Senate
could never haye got through but for the
political influence credited to the liquor
interest in the last election. 1t is meas
ure for which there cannot possibly be
any justification. tits proposed to post
pone tor two years the payment of taxes
amounting to $50. ZOO, 600 because those
owing find it hard to pay taxesP And
what right has Congress to make any dis
inction between different classes Of tax
payers2 No doubt those Senators and
Representatives whose constituents are
most interested in this legislation advo-
cate it without corrupt motives, but it is
special legislation of most dangerous
character. If the payment of the taxes
now due on whiskey is postponed two
years, the amount then due will be much
lIrger than it now is. Does any sane
man believe that the distilers have any
idea of promptly paying the much larger
sum which will be due two years hence
if this bill passes? Evidently the present
relief bill is meant as an entering wedge.
The difficulty Of payment will be still
greater when the subject again comes up,
and the stake to be lobbied for will then
be enormous. But 1 do not believe the
House of Representatives will pass this
bill, now that its character is fully under
stood.
Some funny incidents occur now and
then upon the floor of Congress. Mem
bers are often walking about in the rear
OF the seats or in the adjacent cloak-rooms
talking or attending to matters of their
own when suddenly something in the
proceedings strikes the ear and calls
them to their posts. The barber-shop
in one of the cloak-rooms is also con-
venient auxiliary to Congressional COM
fort. Representative Neal, of Ohio,
rushed into the House the other day in
his shirt sleeves to record vote. H
was in the BARRIERS chair when his ear
caught something that induced him to
think thata villianous bill in regard to a
Washington street railway was about to
be passed. Flinging the towel one way
and barber another, off he tore. shouting
"Mr. Speaker! Mr., Speaker" The barber
picked himself up, seized Mr.. Meals coat
and dashed after him. While Mr.. Neal
was stating his objections to the bill,
which were those of man of sense, the
Injured barber was hustlIng him into his
coat. There was considerable laughter,
but MIR. Neal had carried his point when
he sat down, red, painting and glaring
savagely at the poor barber, who had
done nothing but assist him. Mr.. Ran
dali, by the way, once voted while in the
barbers chair. When question is be-
ing discussed in which members have a
particularly strong interest, they have to
practice eternal vigilance-for if they
don't their opponents will steal march
on them and the first thing they know
the bill will be sprung upon the House
and disposed of before they know any
thing about it. There is life enough to
make it interesting about Congress now.
The House still meets at IL o'clock a. m.
to the infinite disgust of 300 out of 293
members. This never was done before
as regular thing. The Senate, too, in.
stead tf being dull and respectable, is
actually Sc lively as to be ki;tenish
They toss the legislative ball back and
forth, and hide it under piles of argu.
ment and find it again and roll it abou
the floor and scamper after it with great
interest and persistency. But when the
Tariff bill comes up! That will be per.
fectly delightful. The lobby will ther
be at boiling poiut.- everybody will hav,
an axe TO grind, and the debates will b,
too good to be lost. Dom PEDRO.
T IFRoM OUR SPECIAL CoRREsPoYDENT.l
, WAsHISGToN Jan. l3. 1882.
= The President last evening entertained
General and Mrs. Grant aud thirly-out
other guests at dinner, The 10 over foo
of the Executive Mansion was open and
illuminated, the blue parlor looking es
pecially beautiful under gas-light, Ia,
rooms had a stately decoration of palm
for the hero of many battles, these rising
e out of beds of moss and begonias, anr
y the mantels were beds of floral mosiacs
' bordered with alternanthera and fcrus
The floral arrangements of the dining
room were superb, and were arranged il
person by Mr., Emil Phster, the hea,
gardener. Four large sconees framed
massiyely in repousse work, each beariu
five candles, have been added 10 to ia
S walldecoration of this apartment. Gil
y and silver candelsbra upon the tail