Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-12-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Selection OF Chicago a. the Place for Holdinl
the National Republican Convention-Leg-
islat;on--aovernor Robinson-The
Member from Colorado.

| isiafion-d0yern0r k0biHsoB-The
Member from Colorado.
| From our Regular Correspondent
/ WASHINGTON, ID. c., Dec. 21st, 1883.
Chicago again stakes the cake"
The Republicans with whom l have
talked here express themselves well sat.
| isfied with the designation of that enter.
lprising town as the place for holding the
next National convention. In making
the selection the National committee
had in view two considerations at least,
one of which was the abundant facilities
that Chicago has for accommodating
the thousands of visitors who will be
| present at the convention, and the other,
that Chicago always names the winning
candidate. Much greater significance
than this is attached to the action OF
the committee by many, and there is
some talk that the selection was the re-
suit of combination between the
friends of Blaine and Logan. How
ever, / am pretty certain there was no
pre-arranged understanding between
these two. If their friends united as
against the Administration forces, It
was the result of natural causes-chief
of which is that both are strong in the
West.
Although nothing of this kind was
said at the meeting OF the committee, it
was nevertheless understood that Sena-
tor Logan is to go into the convention
this time and burn the bridges behind
him. Mr.. Frye's new rule of represent
ton in the convention. which was de-
feated, would have given General Logan
an admirable advantage over Mr.. Ar
thur or any other candidate who is not
distinctively representative of the SOL
going to allow itself to be ignored in
convention. Perhaps since the organi-
cation of the Republican party there has
never been time so near the meeting
of the National convention when some
one of the party could not be designated
as available enough to insure success at
the polls. But now, with the conven-
ton already called, there is no more
idea, or formulation of ideas, between
the most sagacious of the party leaders
as to its probable candidate, than there
is of forecasting the verdict of petty
jury. The new Illinois Senator, ex-
Governor Cullom. scored brilliant tri-
umph by his successful argument before
the committee in favor of Chicago, as
the defeated delegation from Cincinnati
can testify.
Out of the omnibus of bills presented
in the House last Monday relating to
railroad land grants, there is likely to
be some pretty lively tits between
the railroad and anti-railroad Members.
The fun, however, commenced in the
Senate upon q resolution offered by
Senator Hill, of Colorado, who desired
to inquire by what authority Secretary
Teller directed the transfer of lapsed
land grant from one railroad company
to another. This bomb-shell moved
Mr.. Ingalls,, of Kansas, to remark that
it was the skirmishing advance guard
of general war-first upon the Inter-
ior Department generally, then upon
the Pension Bureau, with an enfilading
attack upon the Land Office and Indian
Bureau, to all of which Mr.. Teller in
| vited attack at any time and in any
place. 1t is known that there is no
special affection existing between SEN
ator Hill and Secretary Teller, and, as
the Senator has been occupying HIM
self all summer long in accommodating
evidence to be used in these lapsed land
grant cases, it is reasonable to expect
that there will be lots of material this
winter for keeping the public mind ex-
cited. 4:sa
There will be no end to the reforms
inaugurated by the present Dem cratic
Congress, as there was no end to the
reforms promised by the Democratic
Congress six years ago. The trouble
with Democratic reforms is that they
are not of a kind that accomplish any
thing. Some of them propose to abol-
ish outright the whole internal revenue
system. root and branch, without fur
nishing anything to supply its place;
while others propose to wipe out the
entire National banking system, and in
the same breath declare that the Ma
ton debt, to which alone the National
banks owe their existence, is National
blessing. Nor do they propose any
substitute for the National banks. They
also propose reform of the tariff, but
whether such reform extends to tariff
for revenue only, tariff for the pro-
lection of home industry, or tariff that
simply pays its own way, are questions
upon which the party may be said to be
all torn up. How they can effect re-
cancellation among themselves upon
these differences on broard National
questions is past all finding out.
Robinson, of Massachusetts, the new
ly elected Governor, will remain in the
House until the holiday recess. He has
been the subject of a great deal of con-
graduation since Congress convened.
He will be greatly missed in the House.
He is not what is known as an orator.
but he is one of the best makers of
five-minute speeches ever upon the
floor of Congress. He can say more in
five minutes and produce more effect
than the average Member who talks
five hours. tits said by Massachusetts,
people that he is the coming successor
of Senator Dawes. A story concern
he breezy red headed Member from
Colorado, Judge Belford, is told by
Secretary Teller. According to the
Secretary. Belford was intended by his
for the Baptist ministry. Young Bel
ford made no objections when the pro-
position was first made, but when he
came to investigate he found that the
rite of baptism in that church was by
immersion. Belford would not consent
to disappear from the public gaze for
1