, 1884-02-24
WASHINGTON T 7
From our Regular Correspondent.


The legislation of this session, is, as
yet, not much advanced. The senate
has passed some twenty bills, but the
house has accomplished considerably
less, In this direction. The several
acts repeating the land grants of GER
tain railroads, the bill for the relief Of
Fitz John Porter, and a measure rela-
ting to the number and pay OF certain
officers and enlisted men in the voun-
teer forces, about sums up the compile
ted business. There is, however,
much work In prospect. Upon the
calendar of the whole House on the
state of the union there are now pend
ing forty bills, among which may be
numbered the bill to pension the vet
Grams of the Mexican war; the meas
ure to elevate the Department OF Agri-
culture to the dignity of a Cabinet po-
sition, the Dingley shipping bill, and
the naval appropriation bill. There
are also about thirty bills upon the cal
endar Of the house, and n hundred
and fifteen on the private calendar, to
say nothing oil the three or four thous-
inc which have e introduced, are
under consideration In committee,
and the myriads of bills now being per-
fected in the mental machinery OF our
energetic statesmen.
There Is no lack OF Dilis to deal with
the financial problems before congress,
but the subject has proved great In pei
plexities. Mr.. Potter now notifies the
committee which has his two per cent
bond bill in hand that he has decided
10 m 'dify it 80 as to make the Interest
rate WI and one-halt per cent, with a
reduction OF the tax on bank circuia-
ton to one-half of n per cent. IL Is
thought that b provisions OF this Dill
would enable national banks to contin-
ue business on their present basis Tor
some years. A number OF other prop
ositions have been made by the FRIENDS
OF the national banks, and the opposi-
ton to the system has almost vanished.
As Mr.. Beck said In the senate;
1.-The banks are out OF politics; nobody
opposes them," and some )uolcious
and friendly legislation Is expected
from congress on the matter. IL seems
probable hat u Dill bearing upon the
relation or The FUNDED debt TO the nat
ional bank system Will pass the senate.
The peculiar rules OF the nous render
lie less easy for that DOdy to reach and
pass on the merits or any proposition;
but strong pressure will be brought TO
bear upon the house on behalf or a
friendly and sensible bond bill.
Ihe naVai appropriations oui mas at
last come up IN the house, ana Win us
consideration congress begins the ses-
sions work on The supplies Inc appro-
priations committee ma been moving
very cautiously In its task OF unloading
the Treasury OF part OF the troublesome
surplus revenue, u they nave also
prepared u number OF other money bills
q all show a spirit OF rigid retrench-
ment. The navy Dill u { down the
department estimates more than seven
millions and ignores its recommends
:ions for an increase in our heets.
Work on the monitors ID ALSO 10 oe
suspended. The debate upon the bill
Will probably continue during this
week.
The b over the forfeiture OF their
lane grants, which has oeen waged SO
assiduously In COMMITTEES by represen-
tatives OF the railroads, has visibly subsi-
ded. The various interested corpora
ions seem TO have any hope
or stemming the adverse tide OF sentl-
ment In the mouse, and turn their eyes
appeallngly TOWARDS the senate, where
they aim TO accomplish more favorable
legislation. They Halter the dignity OF
the upper house, say 1t Is a more tempe
rate body than the House OF hepresen-
tatiyes, Ind that II proceeds more eau
tiously n judiciously In disposing OF
very Important matters. IL Ii evident
that the railroads Will wage their
great battle In the senate, and II they
arc defeated there, 1t Is That
the validity OF forfeiture legislation
Will be strained 10 ltS utmost tention In
the courts.
The somewhat delayed report OF the
civil service commission has revive d