The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1884-01-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.

III W ashlHBloh uuFlhR tho lohS AZ.
JGurnment for the holiday recess
nor has time been wholly Jun.
improved, There has been solid |
work in several of the COMMITTEES,
and some of the regular bills will
be ready for presentation as 500 as
Congress reassembles. Then, too,
the committees have had an oppor.
tnnity to become acquainted with
themselves, individually and coleo-
lively, to pull themselves together,
to measure their caliber and take
their aim. | will not carry the
metaphor further for fear | may say
that they will soon be ready to
ashoot off their MOUTHS" and | am
aware that this would be depart.
ure from the severe and classic Ian.
gaage which you impose upon all
your correspondents.
The majority in Congress is no
doubt better informed on at least
one important question than it wis
two weeks ago, and will be all the
better able to give just expression
to the needs of the country, than if
it had hurled legislation hap haz-
zard as some OF the committees
were named.
The new House committees have
been thoroughly discussed during
the holidays and they seem TO give
pretty general satisfaction. Mr..
Morrison chairman of the commit
tee of Ways and Means is reported
to have said that .lhe tariff issue
cannot be avoided and that it is
welcomed. The Republicans have
inyIted the contest IN the call Of
their National Republican Commit
tee and we cheerfully accept it. i
is the issue ulon which we shall &C
TO the people IN the Presidential
campaign OF 1884, and upon which
we expect to win. But If the pro
lection Democrats shall choose II
unto with the Republicans, it viii
I not be possible for us to pass bill
even through the House" Thi
p programme, it is thought will b
opposed by the high tariff Demo
Gratis uudef~tftr66 9eadefsthiiR of Nj
R Randall, and Il serious split in th
t party in Congress is predicted
!. The first day of the year was eel
t ebratod in the usual way in Wash
! ington at the White House at tn
c residences of cabinet officers at tn
/ homes Of the wealthy, the we'll t.
II do, and the hard up. The ral
Icanio uown ineess"ntiy oor-e"o- ute,
years caller in carriage or on
piled his vocation. The specti
at the White House when the Mast
Room was filled with the diploma
ic corps, in their resplendent F{ ga
liza, and our Army and Navy off
GERS in their uniforms heavy with
epaulettcs sashcs and gold lace was
one of unusual splendor.
1t is known by every one who
has the least familiarity with histo-
ry, and our relations with other
countries that modern diplomacy Is
farce and an anachronism. The
roles of tho Matternichs and Ches
terhelds OF past age have been
superseded, even IN Europe, by
steam, electricity and international
progress. But, if there remains
semblanec OF excuse for diplomatic
relations between contiguous Euro
pean powers, it is impossible 10
show the slightest use on our part
for such relations. The gorgeous
ministers, charges de affair, and at
taches, who called on the President
on the first day OF January perform
ed their sole diplomatic duty. They
can now rest until the first of Janu-
airy 1885. They are very pictur-
esque and we would have, perhaps,
no right to complain that they are
hero were it not for the reminder
that We maintain, at an immense
expense, a legation at every for.
.eign court that is represented in
Washington. THIS government
pays millions annually TO support
so called diplomatic establishments
abroad that are as utterly useless
as are the bodigted dudes called
diplomats in Washington. All in
ternational negotiations are now
transacted by wire and steam, and
the American citizen who takes a
pupav ,,,,,. ,.,.l ,.l..t ........ .....