The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-26
A DELUGE OF DISPUTES.
1t Fails to Materislize So Far rs Seats
In Congress are Con
cerneu.
The Tariff observation-disclosures and tho
Spea<ership- AN Unsigned Check
Passes Many Hands.

WASHINGTON, d. c., February IS.-Sev-
eral members Of Congress really exhibit a
marked degree Of intelligence upon the sub
ject of the tariff and a large number are very
much interested in the discussion. The gen
eral impression is that Carlisle, who leads
the free trade fight on the Democratic side, is
really gaining much ground in the Speaker
ship fight, He is courageous, aggressive at
times, always fair and perfectly honest, evad-
ing no issue and emitting all trickery, of
which he in fact seems incapable-meeting all
issues fairly and frankly, and is admitted by
all, friends and foes, as making a fair, manly
and able fight for his principles.
Mr.. Randall on the other hand takes little
part in the discussion, and when he does so,
conducts himself in such a way thai he cannot
command the admiration Of either side, for he
neither avows himself Fl ee trader, protec-
ZIONIST or anything else that will gauze his
standing in this particular.
Haskell, of Kansas, by the way, is making
good record for himself in this tariff fight
He shows more of reason and less of unrea-
sertion the other day, that he had surprised
the House and country with an ability that
he had never indicated before in his whole
career in Congress, was not far from correct
Mckinley, too, is in his glory, for only in tar
iff does he shine.
In a long experience here, Mr.. Mckinley
has never been known to rise to the surface
on any subject save the tariff. On that, how
ever, he is really strong, and he has proven
valuable man on the Republican side in
this fight. Tucker, too, on the Democratic
side, has stood fairly up beside Carlisle. and
though he has not shown the ability, or in all
cases the fairness of Carlisle, he has been
second in the contest on that side.
CONTEST CASES.
The deluge Of contests for seas in the House
| of Representatives, promised just after cleo
ton, does not materiaIize, and the political
Vennor who made these predictions turns out
to have been Virgins. 1t was generally
believed here soon after the election that
there would be at least so contests for seats.
Now the number has dwinded down to a
round dozen, and probably may be much less
than that by the time the next Congress con-
venes and the opportunity for contests is
made. In CONVEX sation with the Clerk OF
the House, Mr.. Mcpherson, to-day your
correspondent learned that the number Of
contests OF which that gentleman had learned,
officially and unofficially, did not exceed 10
or,,I2.
81 don't think there will be nearly so large
a number as was promised in the first flush OF
Democratic victory" he said. "a good
many contests that were promised just after
the election have been abandoned. Take
Peele's district in Indiana, at indianapolis,
you know, young Mr.. English was promising
to contest that, bui he has been persuaded not
TO do SO, | understand. There are good
many districts in the same condition"
There is list of but Is contests, and it will
probably dwindle down to about two by the
time the next Congress meets. Ten of the
lI3 who are making the contests for
seats already given their opponents on the
face OF the returns, are Democrats: three are
Republicans. OF course it is difficult to
predict the result until the testimony has
been filed, but it may be said that the general
feelings of the thoughtful Democratic mem
bers of the next House is that their majority
is too large now, and that it isn't worth while
to strain point or conscience either TO add
to the number.
PASSING AN UNSIGNED CHECK.
The Post tells the story of a remarkable in O..
stance of the peculiar oversightS that occur in
the business world, which came to light al
the counter of the cash-room in the Treasury
department day or two ago. Some months
ago the discussing officer of the United States
| Geological Survey forwarded to one of the
attaches of the Survey in distant Territory,
a check covering the amount OF salary due
him. Upon the receipt of this check, the
| party to whose favor it was drawn indorsed it,
and obtained the cash for it of the nearest
post trader. The check was used by the
trader in making his settlements, and slowly
moved eastward. From Chicago it was for
warded to New York, and in course of ex-
change passed through the clearing house,
and subsequently ii was sent to Messrs. Riggs
& Co., of this city for collection, being drawn
upon the United States Treasurer here. In
its travels the check had passed through
many hands, and the Endorsements on the
| back of it represented Institutions whose CAPT.
tai aggregated many millions.
When 1t was presented in the cash-room
for payment, for the first time in all its Jour
neyings, it was discovered that the check had
not been signed by the disbursing officer who
d ew it. This 6efe was remedied as soon
as the attention of that official was called to i,
and the amount called.for by the check paid
over to Riggs Co. The strange feature of
the matter is that such a material defect as
the lack OF a signature to a check should not
have been discovered by some one of the
many banking experts through whose hands
itpassed. AJAX.