The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-02-09
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9Th 1884

When the final history of the forty-eighth
congress is written it must be set down to
its credi, that il antagonized railroad grabs.
1t earned this praise by its action last
Thursday in restoring to the government
five million acres of land grants. A mum
Der of railway kings had appeared before
the public lands committee, with the most
plausible arguments in defense of their
monopolieS, but their eloquence had fallen
on deaf ears. No tilibustering, no tricks,
no parliamentary devices, have been able
To prevent action on the bills called up by
chairman Cobb for torfeting the grants to
eight corporations in the Southern States
Mr.. Cobb briefly explained that these cor
porationS had never completed their roads;
most of them had never begun them, and
vet under the decision of the Supreme
Court. the lands were valueless until Con
gress declared them forfeited. While MIR.
Cobb was speaking members left their seats
and crowded closely around him. Ina mo-
ment the vote was taken and the notorious
Texas Pacific grant which involves the title
To sixteen million acres of superb land was
declared forfeited 1t was the one for
which G. p. Huntington pleaded and for
which he said he would fight in the courts
even if Congress did declare it forfeited,
The Senate having held only two full
! 1 L., Ettln ,ynrl. =
accomplished except in committees Bus
mess to be disposed of during the present
week includes first, as unfinished business,
the bill for settling private land claims in
certain states and territories Then the
Mcpherson banking bill is likely to be
taken up in advance of its order on the cal
endar, as are also Mr.. Edmunds' civil rights
bill, and his anti Mormon bill.
In the House to-day during the call of
States for the introduction of measures, Mr.
Morrison expects to present his revenue re
form bill providing for twenty per cent.
reduction in the tariff Mr.. Converse, who
several days ago offered to the House Il
pack of petitions from the farmers and
wool growers of Ohio, asking for a restora-
ton of the duty on wool, contemplates ma
king short speech in favor of free wool
which Mr. Hurd expects to oppose. Mr..
Converse says the tariff legislation of the
last Congress imperilled the business of
three million men in this country who are
interested in wool growing, and this legiS-
lation not only affects the industrial, but
also the political outlook.
The Keifer-Boynton scandal has been a
fruitful subject of comment around the
Capital. The eX-Speaker has been unspar-
ipgly criticised for abusing his privilege
of the floor in IN undignitied, malicious at
tack upon Gen. Boynton, who not being a
member, could not reply to him. The eX.
hibition made of himself in this speech
has made the Republicans more ashamed
than ever of their support of Mr.. Keifer
A resolution, authorizing an investigation
of the charges made by him against the
Washington correspondent was adopted
and il is thought the bottom facts will place
the Republican leader in an unenviable pc
sition. 1t is rumOred that there is IA strong
probability Of his being served with res
ignaton appeal similar to that with which
Senator Malone was served. Speaking OF
: Malone reminds me that, notwithstanding
his recent failure to carry Virginia, to in
cite the negroes against their white EN-
ployers, and to taunt Democratic Senators
to angry retort, one eminent success ha
crowned his efforts. He has secured ;
clerkship in the Capitol for his son.
Mr. Belmont of New York is oppose,
to the inspection plan of pork, partly on ac
count of its doubtful legality, and will in
troduce Z resolution of inquiry as to thu
constitutionality of such procedure. He
says that the adoption of the system woult
create another army of Republican office
holders, with little to do, and consequent,
plenty of time to run the politics of thei
respective districts He strongly favors til,
retaliatory policy
, An old bill re introduced in the Senat,
provides for the election by the people o
postmasters, marshalS, district attorney
and other United States officers and Il new
bill prevents any state from imposing Ii
cense taxes on commercial travellers.
PrOhibitioniSts are trying 10 carry tn,
Capitol by storm. The Senate was literal
ly overwhelmed Thursday with petitions
r signed by thousands of people in the state
and territories, praying the enactment o
prOhibitory laws for the District of Colum
, bia.
TIE TARIFF On WOOL-The Republi
cans took the tariff off of wool last year
but left il on all wooden goods. This wa
D great outrage on the wool growers of thu
, United States and "A great benefit of courS,
to the manufactures, while it did not bene
a fit the people generally one whit
A Now the remedy for this is not to put til,