Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-04
Especial Telegram to the Globe. I

D.
called Mr.. Anthony to the chair of the
senate this morning, and retired to his pri-
vate room, where he wrote out his address,
on retiring from the presidency of the
senate. At 11:55 he returned and relieved
Mr.. Anthony, and proceeded to read from
manuscript his farewell address. The
galleries, except that for the diplomats,
were densely crowded, and many civilians
and military dignitaries were on the floor.
Judge Davis, while somewhat nervous and
fdgety, proceeded to read in clear, dis
tinct tone, amid the most profound silence.
No applause or noisy demonstrations fol-
lowed, yet the expression on the faces of
the senators, both Democrats and Repub-
licans, showed that the presidents words
| had touched tender chords, and they after
wards gathered around him to cordially
shake hands. The judges allusion to the
press and politicians who have ridiculed
his independence, and impugned his mo-
| rebuke. Judge Davis retires with
| the unbounded respect of members, clerks,
and employees. The latter have especial
reason to be grateful to him. On accept
ing the chair he made it a condition that
there would be no changes in the official
force of the senate in order to avoid par
tisan scramble for spoils. The clerks we'll
testify their appreciation by presenting
him with large silver punch bowl, gold
lined and beautifully engraved.
THE DEFEAT OF THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.
There will be no river and harbor ap-
preparations this year. Senator Ingalls,
did it with his little objection. Senator
Mcmillan reported the bill, explaining that
the committee on commerce had no time
to consider it, and would submit it to the
senate for any action that might be deemed
proper. Und& the rules one objec-
ton would prevent immediate con-
sideration and compel the chair
to order that the bill lie
upon the table until tomorrow and be
printed. ingalls, promptly objected, and,
unless he can be induced to Withdraw his
objection, the bill will certainly die. The
Mississippi river improvement goes down
with all the rest.
BAD RECORD.
The congress which adjourns tomorrow
leaves behind it a not very enviable record.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, is quoted as saying
recently, that its record in certain respects
would be disgrace to the most uncivilized
tribe of South Africa. He was not very
wide of the mark, though it was pretty
rough on the congress against which it
was directed. Ten thousand bills in round
numbers, have been introduced in the
house and senate. Nearly hundred were
introduced on the last bill day, when the
men who introduced them knew that they
could not possibly pass. Of the 10000
bills introduced, not 1000 have become
laws. About 1000 stand on the calendar.
Another 1000 have been reported adverse
ly, or been incorporated with other bills,
and 5000 or 5000 sleep in tn at grave yard
of minority legislation, the committee
room. In the hands of one committee it
is said are over 1000 unreported bills. Of
the large number of important measures
not 1.-THE have become laws; not half have
ever been considered by both branches of
congress. The BANKRUPTCY law, the shipping
bill, the inter-oceanic canal project, the
Mexican treaty, the bill for transferring
claims to the court of claims, the Grant
and Fitz John Porter bills, the court of
appeals bill, the bonded whisky bill and
the internal revenue bill. All these have
persisted while the redistricting bill, the
Utah commission bill, the anti Chinese
law, and the civil service reform
bill, are the principal legislative
monuments left to mark the grave of the
forty-seventh congress. Where the fault of
all lies is pretty hard to say. The members
are really, as a rule, better lot of men
than they get credit for being. They really
want to do the right thing and they are, as
class, hard working lot of men. There
are three things which greatly retard legis-
lation, pressure of private interests, the
over-grown condition of the house, and the
constant struggle for political advantage.
Of cource the last mentioned cause of de-
lay can never be eliminated. The others,
however, ought to be remedied, and must
be or else congress will have to sit con-
stantly. Some measure which will take
fer them to some other tribunal must DE
devised.
Of the many private bills presented
in congress this session, probably not one
third have been reported back from the
committees, and yet twenty-five pages of
the house calendar to-day is devoted to
private bills, most of which have been ia
vorably reported by the committee, and
will fail for want of time in the house for
their consideration. Until law is enacted
relageting all this sort of cases to a court
of claims or getting them in some manner
out of the way of congress, that honorable
body will always be greatly delayed IN its
proper functions. Whether that other
cause of delay, the bigness of the house,
can be obviated, is doubtful, but certainly
it ought not to be allowed to grow larger.
house of representatives, made up of
100 men, even averaging no higher than
the present membership, would accom-
plish three times as much as the present
800.