The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-12-03
w ashington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Nov. %, 1884

present political outlook, could it be ex-
pected to settle down composedly, for
the short, second term, to mass of un-
finished business coming over from last
summer? Members will come fresh
from the distracting circumstances at
tending reelection or defeat and there
will be the excitement of an electoral
count added to the usual rush of latter
end of congressional term. 1t will be
late in January before congress will
begin the necessary work of the session,
the appropriation bills. All this is as it
should not be, and if congress would do
nothing more this winter than bring
about reform as to the time of holding
sessions, SO that there might be proper
deliberation on the measures before it,
it would have met to good purpose.
Active preparations for the opening of
congress are in progress at the capitol.
Many changes and Improvements have
been made during the vacation, and
sixteen new rooms have been added by
enlarging the wings of the building.
The hall of the house of representatives
has been newly carpeted and chairs and
desks are in position awaiting their old
occupants. After necessary renovation
employees are adding the last touches,
repainting and renewing defaced fres-
Goes. In the senate cloak room, each
senator has been provided with a ward
robe on which is printed his name in
gilt letters. Another improvement is
that the wash stands have been removed
to an invisible corner of the cloak room,
and senators will not be seen as hereto
fore, from the senate galleries, in the
act of washingtheir hands and cleaning
their teeth.
Between now and the re-assembling
of congress, the president will devote
some time to clearing off his appoint
ment docket. His most recent import
ant appointment was that of Mr.. Clark
to be commissioner of pensions, in place
Mr.. Dudley, resigned. His next step
will be to select a commissioner of labor
statistics. AS there are more than fifty
letters of application for this office,
many of which are well endorsed, it is
not safe to venture a prediction as to
hom the president may name.
Every member of the cabinet, and
every Important head of bureau is at
present in the city. They are busy
getting up their reports to be submitted
to congress. At cabinet meetings, the
presidents message to congress, and the
annual reports of the cabinet officers are
the principal subjects discussed.
Naturally there is much depression
over the result of the election. The
thousands of men, women and children
who are dependent on the government
for food, clothing and shelter, feel that
they will need every nickel they can
scrape together in order to get away
from here. What to do then, or where
to 90. half of them cannot tell. But it
is clear they cannot live in Washington
after their occupation is gone.
Experience has proved that whenever
and wherever the democrats have gain
ed political ascendency, they have
seized all they could see and asked for
more. They were always hungry
enough for office, but during the last
twenty-five years the bottom has been
com pletely knocked out ftheir appetite.
They began their advances upon Wash
jngton long before the doubt OF the
presidential contest died away. Ihey
can be seen now at any hour of the day
reconoitering the department and trying
to find out how places are to be obtained.
Some have ignorantly asked II ap-
plications for offices are placed on flle
in the department.
The night the democrats were jubilat-
ing here United States senator remark
ed to, me, eyes this is big procession,
but lust wait until the fourth day OF
March. The mob that will march in
and take possession of the city on that
day Will mash Grover Cleveland into
the earth if he gets in their way. They
will pave their way to -- with the
good intentions he may bring to Wash
ington with him.
Social life at the capital gives eviden-
ces Of revival, number of prominent
families having resumed their weekly
receptions. Senator and Mrs. Don
Cameron will again occupy their palat-
tial residence, which was leased during
their sabsence by Mr.. Washburn. Mr..
Blaine will also return to Washington
next week to spend the winter. His
son is here in search Of residence for