Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-07-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Great Act Of Beneilcencs 10 The
South-What Has Been Done
And Left Undone at this Session Of
Congress Acts Of Omission
Wiser Than Those Of Commission
Utah and Other Moral Questions.

WASHINGTON, July lit Is due to
congress which went away today to
state that 1t was sober. / have seen n
congress drunken. 1t is due to The
Texas delegation to state that their
constituents will find their names
recorded whenever the roll was called
and he whom they call SLEEPY Dave
was always wide awake. 1t was
the purpose of some of these Texan
gentlemen to attend the Chicago con-
vention; but, worn out with tolls and
sleeplessness of these last three DAYS
and nights, they will probably 20
directly to their homes.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
NO greater practical good has been
accomplished TO the extent that the
South is affected by federal action, hy
any session of any congress than by
this, and Morrison, henceforth, must
be deemed the South's chiefest modern
benefactor. He has touched the
most sensitive chord that vibrates
in the bosom of the country.
He has appealed from the mighty
Cuflee to the Almighty dollar, from
sentiment to fact. He has substituted
national for sectional issues. He has
divided the North against itself and
driven old Wing theorists of the South
into opposition to the "whjten party.
which now becomes the Democratic
party of the South. Such, YOU will re-
member, was the pre-announced pur-
/ pose Of Senator Coke, when he made
his great revenue tariff speech, some
three years ago. His aims are ut last
achieved and the senator leaves
the capitol tor his home in Waco per
fec;ly blest.
Aside from the injection of this
practical money question into the
campaign very little has been done.
The attention of the country has been
arrested by the process of monopoliz.
ing land by the favorites of Republic
can power and practical results have
followed. Nearly one hundred mil
| lion acres bav- been restored to the
people by congressional action.
The shipping act is a meas
ure of partial, rather than
thorough reform of many abuses
and monopolies, instituted by federal
iegislation: but in its details readers of
| THE GAZETTE confess little interest.
Unhappily, no proper Legislation,
affecting national banks, was perfected.
Since the three per cents are rapidly
called in, and the banks will not buy
other bonds at present premiums, ON
which to base circulation, 1t is feared
| that the volume of currency
will be contracted to the detri-
ment of the country; but no great
damage can be done during the con-
gressional vacation by any probable
| resulting contraction of the volume OF
paper currency.
The senate passed bill providing
| for the construction of six steel cruisers
but the house, as advised by Admiral
Porter and Engineer sherwood, con
cluded to await the completion of like
vessels now about to be launched. Ii
deemed of value after they go to sea
the six others may be built.
The hideous, lawless Utah bill o.
the senate died in the house. 1t will
know no resurrection, save wher
evoked to render its authors odious i
not infamous.
AS predicted, the bankrupt bill
failed. | have no doubt it is the best
possible law for creditors ever devised
1t was concocted by this class and
turned over to the lawyers of the two
houses; but they made no vigorous eff
fort to have the bill enacted. Bank.
rupt laws ana their au
thors have always become de
testable and representatives OF
rural districts, unlike chose of cities
were not anxious to act fully on this
measure.
Unhappily and unwisely, and per
haps most unfortunately, for tbs
countrys peace and well-being no cleo
tOral count bill was enacted, and i
the presidential contest must be deter
mined by congress there are many
who believe that II bloody conflict ma,
ensue. The Democracy submitted
when Tilden was cheated ant
robbed, and will not, If tn,
events of 1876 he repeated
The South will stand aloof, but civil
war Is not impossible and this con
gress has failed to provide methods o
counting the returns and determining
results which might render blood,
conflict, beginning in the capital, thu
most ruinous and terrible of inter
necine wars.
We should not forget perhaps
that the Democratic house approved
the scheme of civil servic'
reform. No legislative action was eve
more generous. The civil service nc
retains those already in Office, all Re
publicans, and then only gives De,nO
Gratis an equal chance with Republican,
to fill vacancies and this chance Is no
equal. Fathers i'm Office educate chill
! dren for Office and coach them for civil
service examinations and officers ar
hereditary, not only in the army ant
navy, but will be in all the depart
ments. The result Is that the civi
service code creates special office
holding mobility. From this result
that department swell-headism o
which / was telling, and those grada
lions of rank even in social and civi
life distinguishing manners and per
considerations in the capital of this 80
called republic. But we should neve
, | forget the selfsacrifcing generosity q
the Democratic house In approving tn
civil service reform act.
7 CONCLUSION.
1t Is therefore fact that congress
. has done great good In doing nothing
IL has made an Issue 70
J the presidential contest. 1t ha
made the people inquire whether thi
is peoples government or one OF
: government enriched class. II ha
drawn the lines sharply between tn
people and the masters and the rob
beers Of the people. And the end
not yet. The people are ahead OF thei
leaders In congress. Ben Butler Ia
sign of the times.