The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-07-05
Washington Letter.
Regular Correspondence.


Both Houses Of Congress are working
hard for an early adjournment and the
progress made during the past week has
encouraged the hope that next Saturday
may be the closing day of the session.
There are some political embers in the
Fortitications bill, that could be famed
by debate until they would light up the
last days of the session with an angry fire,
and possibly detain the lawmakers here
until after the Democratic National Con
vention. Therefore, Chairman Randall does
not desire to have the adjournment resolu.
ton adopted until a day Or two before the
House is ready to stop work. BY holding
it back, the privilege accorded of suspen.
ding the rules six days before adjournment,
in order to pass all sorts of bills will be
withheld and the chance for mischief
avoided.
The Senate is now discussing the River
and Harbor bill, about one half of which
has been approved, Indications are that
some important works are to be neglected,
or are to be allowed to drag along in an
aimless, wasteful way, while small jobs,
which are more for the advantage of indi.
viduals, stand chance for improvements.
The House is debating the bill to pay
Government employees, who have worked
more than eight hours day since the eight
hour hour law was passed, the extra com.
pensation to which they claim title This
discussion has brought out a number of
snowy speeches from Members who hold
that the labor market can be regulated by
legislation without regard to supply or
demand. Some of the most effective criti-
cisms of the bill have been offered by
Southern Democrats, many of whom have
escaped the contagion of hypocricy, and
demagogism.
Hereafter il is thought the Congressional
Record will show only what actually takes
place in the two great deliberative assem-
blies OF the country. Senator Vest of Mis-
souri,, offered an amendment to the Legis.
lative Appropriation, which was adopted
without dissent. 1t prohibits the publica.
ton OF speeches in the Record that have
not been delivered on the floor of either
House.
The fiercest gale of the week in Congress
grew of dispute about an undelivered
speech. Representative McAdoo had sim.
ply done, what is often done-incorporated
into such speech newspaper article
published last January, which had been
reprinted from Maine to California. 1t
contained, among list of citizens who held
vast tracts of land, the name of John A.
Logan. Senator Logan saw this in the
Record and asked Representative Valentine
to say it was not true. The latter obeyed
and proceeded to make much ado about
nothing. He said Mr. McAdoo had tried
to stab one of the brightest, and most gal.
ant OF soldiers an assertion which the Re
publicans greeted with applause. Another
member intimated that Mr. McAdoo would
not have uttered the statement on the floor
)f the House. The Democrats would no
onger submit to such talk, and Mr. S. S.
COX came to the defense of the gentleman
rom New Jersey, pledging himself if Mr..
lcAdoo had made an error in copying the
he would correct it. Both sides
IT the chamber smiled at this, and Mr..
tandall hoped that Mr. Valentine might
re permitted to 60 on, as the New JERSEY
lember was quite ready to meet him.
When the latter obtained the floor, he said
mong other plain words, something about
standard bearer, with Indian blood in his
ems, who in his greed to absorb territory
I land made for independent free. hold
RS and small farmers, went under cover of
is brother-in-law to New Mexico and
led to pre-empt the most valuable land.
hich already belonged to another class:
} unfortunate savages who were unable
protect themselves. He also said he never
,ught to strike a man with an innuendo.
hen he could go to him and say: Thou
t the man" When he took his seat his
lends applauded, while the Republicans
'uld only jeer derisively.
Mr.. Blaine has had his household goods
'cked and shipped to Augusta, Maine.
uring the past week his son Walker
laine, went through the Departments
ere searching for boilers A list was
ade up, and these men are given to under
and, if they do not simulate some enthu.
asm, they will haze to go next March, if
aine should be elected.