New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1884-01-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. e. Jan. 26, 1884

WASHINGTON, D. e. Jan. rs, 1884.
The record of this weea in Con.
gress is one of considera bic interest.
On Monday, the regular day Of each
week for the presentation of bills, a
large number Of measures Of every
degree of Importance and unimpor-
lance We're offered. There were
Legislative propositions, resolutions
and memorials, petitions and relief
appeals from private aud unheard OF
indiqiduals, and corporations with.
out souls.
The bill passed by the Senate last
week for the immediate appropria-
ton Of one million dollars for the
Mississippi river improvement, was
debated in the House until it was
passed on Thursday, by a large ma
jority, and has since been approved
by the President. The House also
discussed patent laws without ac-
ton, and passed bill making all
public roads and highways post
routes. The Senate dealt with pub.
lie health, temperance and the cur
rency, finished the discussion Of the
new rules and adopted them with
slight amendments. The rule which
prohibits the sale Of spirituous or
malt liquors in the capitol buildin g
gave rise to the periodical contro.
versy on the limitations of the traf-
tic. Mr.. Bayard of Delaware OBJ
iected to the exclusion of malt liq.
uors which have been sold in the
restaurants Of the Capitol for fif.
teen years. Mr.. Frye Of Maine,
chairman of the committee on rules
said one of the restaurants Of the
Capitol had become a low, misera
BILE groggery, at the bar of which
he had seen a man disgracing him.
self, and the Capitol of the nation,
by standing with soiled blouse and
panta!oons in boots, drinking mean
whiskey from a cup. To complete
the climax OF the shocking story a
Senator asked him if the said cup
was IA tin cup Mr.. Frye replied
that it was crockery cup, and that
he had many times seen whiskey
served to Congressman and others,
in cups and saucers under the name
of cold tea, and that there was
something utterly disgusting q.
bout It. After some good natured
interchange ofoplnions, the Senate
decided to drink beer but no whis-
key, and in the revised code the
word Gin toxicating'' was inserted
in the place Of ''spirituous and
malt
Senator Hoar's electoral count
bill which passed the Senate of the
last Congress, was passed by the
Senate again this week.
Senator Hill of Colorado, in a
long speech on his Postal Telegraph
bill, opened the discussion Of an
interesting subject. He said he
thought letters could at no distant
day be sent as cheaply by electrici.
ty as they now are by steam In a
committee meeting for the consid-
Grafton Of the subject, Senator Ed
munds said he had no doubt regard
ing the constitutional right of the
Government to build telegraph
lines, and that he was strongly OPP
posed to the pul chase of existing
lines. The committee is going in.
to the matter thoroughly, and in Or
der to hear all sides, has asked the
telegraph companies to appear be
fore them and argue the question
from their standpoint.
Within barred doors the Senate
has devoted several hours each day
to tie consideration Of the CONNER
cial treaty with Mexico. A vote
was reached Friday afternoon at
four o'clock, the treaty failing of
ratification. Unusual interest has
been aroused in this matter from it's
bearing on the tariff, and the vote
was attentive+y scanned on that
account. The division of opinion
was found to be upon neither sec
tional, political, nor economic
grounds. Free traders, and pro-
tectiopists, Northern, Southern,
East ern, and Western Senators,
Dem ocrats, and Republicans were
found upon both sides. There was
a move to reconsider and the sub
ject will be reconsidered this week.
1t is expected there will be
warm contest when Chairman
Cobb's bill to forefeit public lands
granted to railroads, comes up for
discussion this week. don t mean
that ''the lobby will control any
Congressman, but that a decided
Of opinion exists as to
the powerso Congress in the pre-
misses, many able members holding
that in most of the cases, forfeiture
to be efectual must be through ju-
dicial proceedings. Mr.. Cobb and
most of his committee hold to the
contrary opinion.