The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1883-02-10
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From our Regular Correspondents.

WAaH1NeToN, p. c., Jan ~, 1883.
The past week has boon devoted
almost exclusively to social gayety
with 4 little congrcssial work thrown
in by way of episode and recreation
When senator's, members, cabinet
ministers, and Justices Of the supreme
court are seen in awaliow-tail costs,
with the gorgeously arfayed wives
and daughters Of some other man, at
2 o'clock in the morning eating chick
en- salad, sealloped oysters, drinking
champagne, and inhaling earbonic acid
gas, one begins to get an insight Of
the real sources Of bilious legislation
and lax administration. No wonder
that ii is difficult for congress to an
semble at the early hour Of IL a. M,
or that on the calling Of the senats
roll one day last week Senator Butler.
Of South Carolina, was the only sena-
tor who answered to his name.
The social entertainments began on
Monday evening, or ratheron Sunday,
for it is on this day that ''Royal Bob,
as the late president called Mr.. Inger-
soil, holds his receptions, aad they
were continued with unabated fury
throughout the week, ending with i
grand bail gwen at the British minis
ters in honor Of the husband Of her
royal hlghness the Princess Louiae.
But Tuesday evening eelipsed all
others in the number and hFiliiancy Of
the social entertainments when society
divided the hours between the resi-
dences of Justice Woods, the Spanish
ministers, and General Beale. When
tell you that many men ofprominent
official position were in all three Of
these entertainments, and that they
were expected next day to be in their
offices or in tho halls Of congress trans
acting intricate delicate business Or
discussing questions vital TO nation,
questions that tax the best thought
and best energies Of men, you will
allow there ia cause for denonncing
this social folly run mad The most
curious thing about these entertains
ments in Washington is that they are
but little frequented by gay youth.
The dovotees are mostly old married
and middle aged people from whom
brightness of eve, smoothness of skin,
and grace and litheness of limb has
departed,
According to the present intention
Of the dominant party in congress the
sessions Of both houses during the
coming week will be devoted almost
exclusively to the tariff question. Tho
tariff bill framed by the ways and
means committee was taken up for
detailed consideration by the house of
representatives under the five minute
rule to-day, and its consideration is to
proceed throughout the week, inter
rupted only by the delivery of ofeulogies
on the late Congressman Orth, some
time Wednesday afternoon, and on the
deceased Representative Lowe, Of
Alabama, at o'clock Saturday.
The senate this morning resumed
its sessions, in committee ofthe whole
on tho finance committee's tariff
measure, now pending as yolnmin-
GUS amendment to the house bill for
the reduction of internal revenue tax
alton. The understanding. is that the
majority will prolong each days ses-
sion of the senate until as late an hour
as may be necessary to accomplish sub
stantial progress upon the bill before
adjournment, BY this means it is
hoped to advance the bill nearly or
quite to the point of final action BY
the close of the week, but the realiza-
tion of this hope is not generally ex-
pected with much confidence.
When the forty-seYenth congress
expires it will have been in session
eleven months-eight in the long and
three in the short session. Ten of
these months are gone. But thirty
working days remain, and most Of
this brief residue must be expended
on the appropriation bills, Under
these circumstances the majority,
whose members cannot agree among
themselves on any bill, proposes to
hold the minority responsible for an
extra session, should the president de-
eide to call one, There has been
scarcely day Of either session, since
the first one began in December, 1881
in which the duty Of framing and
passing revenue bills has not been
urged on the majority by the minor
ity, That duty has been systemati-
cally shirked. The forty-seyentb con,
gress cannot escape this condemnation
due to those who trife with great
public obligations,
The army appropriation bill will
probably be reported to the senate
during tho next few days, but none Of
the appropriation bills will be called
up for action in eithor house Of con
gress until the week following.