Daily Republican., 1884-01-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

| WASHINGTON, January, 18th. 1888. -
Business continues crowd upon Con
gress. Many important measures hav,
been INTRODUCED during the week, o.
well as many Of n purely local and per
soDal nature, that may be- called petit
tions rather than legislative proposi
tiOns. Relief appeals have been ~
Dumerons since the opening of the ses
sion, and take up 80 much Of the tim,
of Congress by the reading of thei
title, and u reier' nee, that complain
has been make of the nuisance, and II
the future such documents are likely I,
be relegnted, without a bearing, TO tn,
box provided for them
Senator Edmunds of Vermont, who
has been acting Vice President since
the opening Of the session, having sig
Dified his preference TO be on the iiool
Of the chamber, the first action Of th,
Senate this week vas TO eject Senator
Anthony, Of Rhode lslasd, President
pro tenn. of the Senate. On account o
the precarious condition Of his health
Mr.. Anthony, with a voic full of emo
tion, gratefully declined the proffsred
place, IN n few well chosen words, t,
which the entire body listened with
marked attention. senator Sherman
then moved 10 re.elect Mr.. Edmund,
TO the position, and there followed al
Exchange OF differing opinions as t,
whether the declinatiOn OF Mr.. Anthony
made the office vacant,
The majority favored new election
and Senator Bayard Of Delawar, movct
10 amend, by substituting the name o
the father of civil service reform,
George II. Pendle oil, Of Ohio. A vot,
OF thirty-two TO twenty. four re-eiectet
the Senator from Vermont. Mr.
Edmuuds at once advanced 10 III,
stand uplifted his hand, and took thu
oath of Office, administered by Senator
Garland of Arkansas, who was then In
the chair. Though younger than Mr.
Anthony, the President Of the Senate
Is the most elderly looking man in the
chamber.
Both branches of Congress have been
discussing the Mississ ppi river i'm.
provement. A bill appropriatiDg one
million dollars has been passed and will
become a law when signed by the Presi.
dent. There have been lively discus.
sions In the Senate on the right Of the
American hog, which will utter another
determined grunt for almiitance into
the ports Of the efiete tuonarchirs across
the water. The halfdozen or more b lis
that have already been introduced in
Congress for the vindicaton Of the hog
in Europe, mainly contemplate retalia
tory measures, such rs the protection OF
" ines and other articles of commerce
that are largely sold TO American buy.
ers by countries that refuse to allow
American meats TO be- sold In their mar
kets, on the pretense that they are un'
wholesome.
Now, the agricultural committees ol
the Senate and House are preparing a
bill for the creation Of q board OF expert
inspcctors, who shall exam ne all mealS
that are TO be shipped to foreign mar
kets, placing upon each package a gov
egnment stamp, certifying 10 the condi
ton of the cOntents. 1t is claimed that
a refusal Oh the part Of foreign govern
tnentB 10 admit TO their ports meat
bearing the official stamp, will consti
tute u violation OF treaty obligations
and that the American government
can then adopt stringent measures tc
project its commerce. Senator Logan
made strong speech IN favor Of an i'm
mediate retaliaiory policy and Messrs
Vest and Ingalls, advocated rigid gov.
erumeut inspection. Among other
: nators who took part in the discus
sion were Senators Mcpherson, Max.y,
Van Wvck. Miller and Anthony.
The Senate also listened to a long
speech from Senator Hill of Colorado
on his bill favorlug a government pos
tai telegram. If the possibilities of
the scheme, as sketched by the ppeaker,
are ever realized the subirc, will he.
come an urgent and practical one. He
thought 1t probable that further i'm
proyemepts in telegraohy will provide
Tor the transmission Of messages by
ir.. oh al 10 Il ~
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