The Press., 1883-12-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D. C.. Nov. 24th, 1ss'

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 The National Grange has has been in session in Washington City during the week, but after the members had come to- gether and the meeting was organized, 8 motion to exclude press representatives was made and carried Several reporters thereupon gathered up their notes and vanished. The papers have been ridicul- ing this mysterious action on the part of the agriculturists, but the curiosity of your correspondent being aroused dele gate to the convention was hunted up and became an easy prey to his pursuer. The substance of the mysterious proceedings of the grange may be briefly stated. It has been determined to maintain a lobby at Washington this winter, in order to influ- ence congress in way favorable to agricul- tural legislation. At the late convention for considering contagious diseases among cattle the sense of the meeting showed that congressman must be made to feel that the farmers demand that all restric- l tions on our cattle exports should be re- moved, and that the only way to obtain that end is for the government to give a clear bill of health upon all cattle for ex- port. The lobby will represent the farm CTS ill this and other interests, and con- gressmen will be made to understand that If they want the farmers votes hereafter they will have to favor their interests in congress.
 The Hobbies are gathering in force. The present occasion IS very useful for their purposes, as they have more opportunity to see and talk with members of congress than they will have later, when the activi- ties of the session demand attention. But their efforts are particularly devoted just now to making what they can out of the candidates for office. A lobbyist is SUD- posed to control one or more votes. Ere. quently they gre relatives of members, or have some other hold upon the representa- tive. And not unfrequently their whole capital IS cheek, and sanguine preten. sion to great influence The aspiring can. didate cannot very well investigate this as. stunned influence, and is therefore an easy victim to their wiles. Many votes for this or that office, which are claimed by candi dates, have no more basis than the assur. ance of professional lobbyists who are rak ing in dollars for votes which they sell but are not always able to deliver. The candidate when his eyes are opened is SC self convicted that he sets down his loss te the credit of experience and lets it go.
 Talking about offices the southern can didates for the smaller places have had their hopes rudely dispelled by the singu lar effect the race issue has had upon the opinions of southern members. It was re ported last week that all Virginia was nov ing towards the national capital with hun gry eyes fixed upon some fat office. Each southern member brought retinue in his train. But the fiat has gone forth that the house must not be too southern in its character. It must be made up with g due consideration for the feelings of the north, which are believed to be in an ab normally sensitive state as regards south. ern election methods. The consequence E that the applicants from the lower end o1 the democracy are coldly received, while those from the upper section of the great and pure party are eorrespondingly elated Howls and curses, and peans of joy and happiness are curiously mingled in conse lquence.
 I understand the pension agents al Washington are going to make it very warm for Col. Dudley, the commissioner Their business has been greatly injured by the reports which have been sent out from here in consequence of the dlsbarment o1 some of the firms that have been guilty o1 crookedness.
 The masons stop work to-day on the Washington monument, leaving the shaf for the winter at height of 40 feet. Al this elevation it is the loftiest artificial structure on the continent, and with very few exceptions in the world It is now al most the exact height of the cathedral al Antwerp. It is higher than any specimen of Moslem architecture, the highest min aret, that of the Mosque of Sultan Hassar at Cairo, lifting it's highest point only 28s feet above the pavement. The highes bell tower in the world, the Campanile o of St. Marks at Venice, is nearly one hun dred feet lower than the present shaft O