The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-01-17
From our Reyu ar Correspondsnt.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 10.

While the FitZ john Porter Is>ue
has received earnest pressure in the
Senate, the House has been dllato-
rily attending to the enormous
amount of work before that body.
With the exception of the army APP
preparation bill, nothing but minor
important bills has been considered
in the House. Even with the army
bill, and time as precious as it is,
The House could not refrain from
indulging in clap-trap political REM
iniscences. Mr.. Hewitt, of n. Y,
started the ball a-rolling" by ac-
cusing the Republicans of purposely
cutting down appropriations with
the view of leaving deficiencies at
the close of the year to be supplied
by the next Democratic Congress.
Finally Mr.. Cox. of New York, with
abortive wit, shocked the best sense
of the House by referring in his
speech to the Guiteau doggrel I'm
going to the Lordy." While the Re-
publicans hissed him, and the Dem
ocrats were rather inclined to blush
for him, no one could see the appli-
cation for the so-calied wit Mr..
Reed, of Maine, in concluding the
debate on the bill, referred to the
speech of two (Messrs. Randall and
Cox of the most prominent candi-
dates for the next Speakership and
said if their remarks were intended
to bring in votes for the Speakership
then he would like to hear from the
remaining candidates for that posi-
ton.
OF the three days debate in the
Senate on the Fitz John Porter bill,
Mr.. Logan Of Illinois, devoted all
but one half of day to his speech
antagonistic to Porter. Much has
been written of this speech, but lit
tie can be said against it. Mr.. Logan
did not show any personal vindict-
ivensss against Porter, but presented
his array of facts, obtained from evil
dence in the case. He spoke as if he
understood it, and that is more than
can be said of those who voted for
the bill. The supporters of this
measure tried to bring it up yester
day, but it was finally laid aside to
be considered one week hence.
The passage of the Pendleton civil
service bill through the House yes
terday without amendment was a
surprise to all and a disappointment
to half a hundred sons of thunder
who had prepared speeches on the
subject. The bill will doubtless re-
ceive the Presidents signature and
Mr.. Pendleton feels that he has made
an immense stride towards the
White House. But there's many
slip"
The whisky men are rejoicing with
exceeding joy they won decided
victory in the Senate on Thursday,
and they expect to have equal sue
cess in the House. 1t is believed
and feared that they will have the
support of many members who have
been counted upon to oppose them.
Several petitions were presented
in the Senate adding to the large
number already on hand, for con
stitutional amendment 10 prohibit
the manufacture and sale of intoxi-
eating liquors. Notwithstanding
these petitions which are continually
submitted to both Houses, Congress
does not heed them, but goes on leg
islating for the whisky interests. An
illustration of this fact Is found in
the whisky bond bill which has just
passed the Senate. Indeed the in
consistency of some members OF
Congress is apparent from the way
they present petitions against liquor,
and then vote directly to help the
interests of liquor men.
The Ways and Means Committee
of TIE House is working away and
taking pains enough to make a very
perfect tariff list but there is danger
that revision of the tariff will not re-
vise-that after looking at rice-f1our
with q microscope and giving cotton
manufacturers a new classification,
the appraisers will still go ON using
their old copies of "Heyl's imports"
with no reason in law for not doing
so.
AS it generally does in everything
else, the Senate got ahead of the
House on tariff legislation, for in the
Senate yesterday Mr.. Morrill, report
ed from the finance committee the
bill for the revision of the tariff, and
the bill was Immediately sent to the
printer. The general tenor of the
bill is a revision in nearly every
branch of commerce. 1t is thought
that the early action OF the Senate
will prevent the House from over
working itself ON the tariff question,
for the latter body will now await
the printing of the Senate bill, so as
to obtain points to guide the House
in any further action.
The reduction of the public debt
for the month of December amount
ed to almost $4,000, making i
the decrease for the first half Of the
fiscal year more than Sol, ,OOO,OOO.
The large decrease liz the Last mouth
is accounted for by remarkable
decrease in the ordinary expendit
ures. The Secretary OF the Treasury
r.timates the surplus for the year al
s120,OOO,OOO.
The House on Thursdsy, passed
the army appropriation bill.