Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-07-09
DAILY POST INTElLIGEhcER.
TINE WORK or CONGRESS.

TINE WORK OF CONGRESS.
Under the terms of joint esoluslon
the first session of the Forsy-eients
Congress was terminated on MONDAY
last at3p.m. The list of legislation
perfected presents but begearlv array
with the exception of the regular 80
uropriation bills, bat little general ies's
iation has been accomplished. Action
nnon thu more important bills for sup
portino the army. navy and civh ds-
,.,tr,spts of the Government WIS de-
iayed until nearly the end of the session
when they we're forced through under
high pressure, and without the strict At
..n.;on Tn which they were entitled, by
the Democrats Of the House in q tn
mnlsuoss d.sire TO finish mp prior TO the
assembling of their Convention at Chi
oapo. Congress has been in session
seven months. All the legislation 1t has
perforned could have been perfected
nv the exercise of ordinary industry,
and the hestowal of ordinary attention
In one third of that time.
Especialiy is this the case with the
House of Representatives. That body
started out in the beginning Of the sss-
sion 10 work radical changes. Its mem
bers we're profuse in promises and Gu
thusiastic in assertion. The country
was promised large number OF salu-
tary reforms and necessary laws. The
majority who organized the House and
elected the Speaker, thereby gaining
control of ell committee appointments,
pledged themselves to practically abol-
ish protective customs duties, to repeal
internal revenue laws, or so to reduce
the tax that the amount collected should
be comparatively insignificant. They
agreed to 30 adjust all taxes that there
should at the end of each year be no
surplus revenue. The Democratic
House promised TO pass laws regulating
inter State commerce, prohibiting dis
elimination. pooling and other sorts of
robbery under protection or cover of
law. II pledged itself to give the people
relief from the iniquitous overcharges
of the telegraph monopoly by the pas
sage of postal telegraph bill. 1t passed
a resolution very early in toe session,
which was concurred In by nearly all
the Republican members, pledeing it.
self to restore to the public domaia, by
suitable and necessary legislation, all
public lands granted to railroad corpor-
atoms not earned according to the slip
ulations of the granting acts. To all
these pledges save the last Il has proven
recreant, and has kept Its promise con-
corning land grant forfeiture only par
TALLY. As ia always too much the case
prior TO q Presidential election, parti
zanship has figured far too prominently
in Congress to allow due consideration
of and action upon promised and neces-
sary legislative measures. To an at
tempt 10 gain partisan advantage the
public interest has been made subservi-
emit.
In the matter and upon the question
Of land grant forfeiture, the House has,
as We remarked before, only partially
fulfilled its pledges. II has, however,
passed several bills to effect that result,
one Of which has also passed the Senate,
but with an amendment which, necessi-
tating It's return to the House, prevented
ID from becoming law at the present
session. This In the bill FORGETTING the
unearned grant TO the Atlantic and Pa
oifio Railroad Company. The House
also passed several other bills. which are
now upon the Senate calendar, or In
committees of that body. aud will come
mp in order on the assembling of the
Senate next December.
The bill 70 forfeit the unearned land
grant to the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company Ia In It's proper order on the
calendar Of the House, and may al any
time be called mp when Congress shall
reassemble. Il has for several weeks
been manifest that the policy
Of delay inaugurated by the combined
railroad lobby would be successful in
deferring action upon the bill until the
next session. The managers OF the lob
BY long ago gave mp all idea of defeat
ing the passage Of forfeiture bills, which
were permitted TO come before the
House and addressed their efforts TO the
prevention Of any test vote thereon. In
this they have been successful "a to the
Northern Pacific and some other bills of
similar character. These tactics Of rail.
read lobbyists are not new in fact, the
policy pursued by them was the last re-
sort remaining. Their only hope was
TO stave Of vote in the hope that by
20 doing some advantage might be
gained during the recess of Congress.
In this they have been successful, with
what resulta We shall probably soon see.
In view Of the fact that bills 10 for.
felt unearned land granted 10 the North.
srn Pasific Railroad Company are now
before both the Senate and House and
are supported by favorable reports from
conmitsees in both Houses, to whom
they wers referred II appears extremely
unlikely that any action win be taken
~ the Executive Department in the
matter Of accepting constructed sec-
tions Of railroad or certifying lands "A
earned therefor. until such bills are
nnAlly dispcsed of, which must be a |
the session next Winter. The proba. |
biiisies are that matters will, with ref |
srsnoe 10 this land grant question, no. |
main In sfatH quo until Congress reas-
semblcs. We can oil afford 10 wait
Inc more prominent the matter be-.
comes the more thoroughly the claims
Of fhis predacious company are investi-
eased the better win be the chance. for
defeating i'd attempt 10 menopolise the
oest portion Of this Territory and con.