South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-01-18

Fro. Oar Regular csrrsps.a..e.


WAsHrxeTox. ID. @, Jan. II.
An air Of business pervades the
Capitol now, and since the recess the
temper of Congressman seems to be
IN the direction of attention to duty.
Ii professions are any index of inten-
tons the present Congress will be
long remembered for AIS virtces and
lite good works. There IL talk OF lob
bies and lobby lists, and no doubt they
are here, considering the various
schemes and interests Which need
their aid, but the present publications
are that they will lind hard picking
it their returns depend upon success.
1t looks like cold winter for the lob.
byists who work for contingent fee.
Concerning tariff legislation, there 10
= good deal Of talk about an alliance
between the Republicans aud high
tariff Democrats to prevent the pas.
sage OF amy bill; and no doubt here
are those on both sides who would
like to zee such an alliance made, but
those who understand the situation
know that there Is tie came diversity
OF opinion among the Republicans on
This question rs prev. among the
Democrats. A debat could develop
this fact, and for that reason the Re
publican leaders are anxious to keep
the subject ont Of sight at present.
The discussion of probable, and pos
sible, Presidential candidates is q lead.
ing industry around the hotel CORR.
doris and public loafing places. and it
increases apace ns the weeks bring
nearer the nominating conventions.
Mr.. Blaine has recently declared We.
~ positively that he 10 not can didate.
and people begin to think he ,neans
it. l think he docs, for tho .Pluined
Knight knows that, notwithstan ding
he Is the meet popular man in the par
ty, he could not be elected. The Re-
/ publicans are really all at sea in the
matter md their leaders admit that
they have no prominent candidate
whom they could carry through
Ejmunds is considered about their
strongest man, but he is not likely To
be nominated, and be says he would
not run IT he was. Thoy are talking
Il ing about Sob Lincoln, who some
think might pull through on the
strength OF his fathers name; but
there Ia not much sentimental politics
nowadays. Young Lincoln is ve-
~ clever gentleman, but there is not
much Presidential timber in h,m, be-
Ing quite an ordinary man in all re-
spects. General Logan is really in
: the held,and Is u stronger nan in ma
ny respects than Arthur, but the pre-
vailing opinion is that neither OF hese
two could be elected ii nominated
Considering the importance OF Ohio
to the Republicans John Sherman
has lately gathered new impetus tc
his old boom. Some pretend to be.
I lievc John will make ir,but he won't
| The leaders OF The party are looking
6 for come very rich man who will buy
his way through. That is their only
chance.
, Speaking OF lobbyists and the ne
thods OF securing legislation, remind,
me that there are some queer things
For instance. year after year tie Sun.
dry Civi! Appropriation bill han con-
: tanned clause preventing compeii.
ton IN contracts for photo-iiihogrnph.
. ic work TO be done Tor the Patent OF
fice. A MIR. Peters, who has an es.
Enlistment for doing that kind OF
work here, makes profit OF from
, $75, 900 to $loo,ooo n year on work
done for the Government. Under
the terms OF the law the wolk nus,
be awarded to Washington biddc,
If he is as low in his proposals AS an
outside bidder. The way the De.
partment of the Interior interprets
this Is as follows: They advertise for
proposals. If any foreign establish.
ment is lower than Peters, lie is asked
II he will do it at the figures OF the
lowest bidder, and he. or course, saws
he will. The contract il then made
with him for certain amount OF
work OF certain kind. For all 9th.
er kinds of work and for oil work OF
the specified kind over and above
what his contract calls for he charges
his own price-result, big profits. lie
keeps yacht, Il entertaihs Congress
men handsomely, max 8 expensive
presents to their wives and daughters,
aud always has friends on the Appro
priations Committee of both Houses.
| DIR. Joseph NJ. Toner, of this city.
known by his generous gift of books
to the Library OF Congress, has turn.
Cd his attention to- compilation
which seems to be novel-that OF
the biographies and obituaries pub
lished by the daily press on the death
OF noted characters. These arc often
full and valuable, and it takes some
time for them to find their way into
biographical dictionaries or similar
works. With the assistance of friends
and clerks. DR.. Toner, whose tast es
arc strongly in tue direction of fuc,s
and statistics, is in making an OK.
iensive collection, arranged ON slips