Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-01-12
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON y. c., Dec. p, 1882.
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

1t may be truthfully sad that
there is no city III the world of great
er interest than that bearing the
: name of Tie immortal commander of
! tie Revolutionary armies. il Is III
deed tIur OF 1t rs Il c!iv a. 1t was OF
L:m II a myn, '}iat II Is first IL til"
heart, IF our cOun;lNmrr.
1hIs i, hct ouiy ;I!nr;,!, hIt pro
per. l. Is ii" my spot ""nri III
c"mm"n bv the - ;'rnond a. > ;:'"s
, aud under exclusive coI:ru. of the L
Senators anl Representatives. Hc:e
is the deposited wealth at the na-
ton, no: only IN the vaij,, Oi the
! Treasury, but i'll the grand, colossal
public buildings. the sta; uc, erected
to perpctuaie til" M mory Of our
noble dead, and III the spacious
avenues and buuicyAr,is, which have
already cost twenty million ,loliar%
This grand and beautiful city
should then be like Il rIvr,, to secut,
and strengthen each link i'll the
chain of our Union.
Nesting as it does on the banks
OF the romantic Potomac, sheilerc.!
from the north and weSl by he
friendly peaks of the Blue Ridge
and Alle9hanieS, it lays III the sun
light of an almost special rrovi-
d.nce, peculiarly suited Ia its mild
and healthful climate as a winter
residence for a cosmopolitan popul-
alton gathered from every section of
the thilty-eight commemorative
w:ich own it.
In it all extremes of temperature
are toned to pleasant mean, en-
joyable alike by all who seek variety
and pleasure within its borders.
,, Washington constitutes not only
the seat of government, but forms
during the sessions of Congress
one continuous
TABLEAU WANT,
Where the intellectual and social
greatness Of the nation can be seen :;
not only in the striking contrasts
which men and women from the
different sections of the Union pre-
sent, but in the expressive harmony
which settles over all, picturing in
fullness what constitutes the true
a9is of our institutions, viz, COM
mon interest so intense as to hide
with its overshadowing greatness all
individual and sectional differences.
This is the center from which pull
safes our national life, whence radi-
ates the light of our benign institu-
J tons and the spot standing upon
which every American can feel that
he is, indeed, at home All eyes
turn to it to see that guards Oh the
walls of our natl, nilitv are keeping
faithful watch, and ali ears listen in
I stinctively to the tale of events
! which each day goes out from its
portals, and news from Washington
must form an interesting feature at
each hearthstone in our land.
AS news center Washington
grows in interest wish each advanc-
ing year, and never was it more at
tractive than this winter. ROBBED as
it is at present in holiday attire, its
bazaars respondent with the blaze
of electric light, the beautiful wares,
and more beautiful throng of visi-
tors pressing to and fro in gay cos
tunes, it presents a scene to be adj
mired by those who see it and to be
read of with interest by all the read
ers Of the land.
DoINGs OF CONGRESS.
Congress forms the greatest center
of interest. The attention of both
houses, but principally of the SEN
ate, has been devoted during the
past week in great measure to the
introduction and discussion of bills
and amendments relating to civil
service reform. Senator PendIeton's
bill has been the special order in
the Senate each day, after the ex-
piration of the morning hour. The
Democrats generally oppose and the
Republicans favor the bill. Many
Senators have taken occasion to
make extended political speeches re-
viewing party history. party tactics
in elections, and ali the details of
party management. Senator Vest
made an extended speech on Thurs
day, opposing the bill. He called
it an experiment that had been once
tried by Gen. Grant, in 1871, When
he recommended certain regulations
almost identical with the provisions
of the pending bill, aud what had
become of those regulations?
He further argued that when Nj.
Schurz was Secretary of the Inter
ior he had made an attempt to put
them in force, and they were osten-
sibly i'll force now in the Treasury
Department, yet 10 Democrat could
get an appointment.
MIR. Barrow Senator Hills sue
eessor) opposed the bill. What was
required was not new system, but
the expulsion of the men who have
abused and degraded the service.
MIR. Dawes said that long ago he
had advocated the principles now
embodied in part in this bill, but
with SO little success that he had
been forced to the conclusion that
before the civil service could be re-
formed there must first be such q
reform in public opinion.
MORE CIVIL SERVICE
Mr.. Morgan was prepared to sup
port any measure which would tend
to put in Office the class of persons
best qualified and most to be relied
upon in the conduct of the public
business.
Mr.. Call made an argument to
,, show that the bill proposed to in
fringe upon the appointing power of
| tho Eyao,1fivo on1 roc tho,oro.1