The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-12-20
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
HonOring a Texas Senat0r-COke's
Santa Fe BilI-lnVestlgatlng
CrOOkedness-A Lady's Confidence
Composition Of the HOuse-Anti-
POlygamy Bill, etc.

POlygamy Bill, etc.
| Especial Correspondence to the Statesman.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. Ex-senator
Maxey was singled out for a distin-
guished honor in being made chair
man of committee by Republican
Senate. The special committee on
claims of the United States against
Nicaragua is not a new adjunct of
the Senate. Its duties are important but
not onerous. The senior Texas Senator
is doubly honored in that he gets a
craftsmanship and gets it from the
party to which he is opposed. The
honor was not sought nor was it ex-
pected. The circumstance is a mat
ter of credit to Texas, and fits well
on the shoulders of one of her Oldest
and most untiring servants.
Senator Coke's bill to give the right
of way to the Gulf, Colorado & Santa
Fe railway through the Indian Terri
tory asks a route from some point
west of the eastern boundary of Cook
county, Texas, to a point in Kansas
west of Coffeyville. The right of way
is to be 200 feet wide except at sta
lions, where $50 by 5000 feet is asked
for. The road is to pay $50 per mile
for every mile built, and $1,000 year
for every 100 miles, to the United
States, to be used pro rata for benefit
of the Indian Territory, to be in the
line of Texas. The road must be
built within three years after passage
of the bill.
Among Democrats 1t is conceded
that the investigation business will
find full occupation at an early day
with three important matters. First,
charge made by Republican
newspapers of good repute that a
member of the supreme court OF the
United States was appointed to po-
sition by bargain between the presi-
dent and New Y ork capitalists. Sec
ond, the management by the attorney
general of the United States of the
cases involving political indictments
in South Carolina, Mississippi and
Louisiana. Third, Hon. George Bliss
is to be Investigated for giving an
opinion in the Ottoman case against
the United States, for which opinion
it is charged he received a thousand
dollars, he having requested the attor-
ney-general to refer the case to him.
Ambitious ladies will like to know
that if they have confidence in their
lords no telling what said lords will
become some day, with good backing
and tender counsel. A lady friend of
Mrs. Carlisle tells me how she and
Mrs. G. and other ladies waited for
and received theneWs of Mr.. CarliSle's
nomination. They were in the Metro
politan Hotel when the caucus was in
session. Mrs. G. wore a soft fine cam
ELS hair shawl Of dark bronze green,
combined with the same shade of satin
merveilleuX and trimmed with bands
of brown marabout feathers. Her
wrap and bonnet matched the suit.
She sat among her friends the least
anxious of any of them. No one
would have supposed she was the ex-
pectant lady of the second social posi-
ton in the city. At last the little son
of Representative Blount, of Georgia,
ran into the parlar and said: Mr..
Carlisle is going to be speaker"
Mrs. c. was delighted at the news.
When told she was not demonstrative
as one would expect she said, "of
course no one can beat John. He was
was never beaten yet when he was
candidate for anything"
EX-Clerk Mcpherson of the House
has given the only reliable date show
ing the composition politically of that
body. His statement is that there are
1856 Democrats. 118 Republicans, five
Greenbackers and three Independents.
Tom Ochiltree is one of the latter.
He says he is going to be neutral on
account of the nature of the influences
that elected him.
Following is a table showing the
contest before the House this session:
IYth Alabama. Craig, Re-. Shelley, d..
With Iowa. 49,. Frederick, D.. Wilson, R..
Kansas at arge. Woods, d. ,..... Peters, R..