Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-01-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.

From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. oath,
1884. There is great activity in
Congress and between the Fitz John
Porter discussion, the Mexican
treaty, and the land grant question,
ETC., and interest in the proceedings Of
both houses has been well sustained
during the past week. 1t is often
remarked here what quiet Congress
this is and how that heated personal
and political strife which usually
manifests itself, especially on the
eve of an important campaign, has
been kept in the background. There
is less Of it this winter than I have
ever seen during my ten years OBJ
servation here. Can it be the calm
before storm ? or are the politi-
clans beginning to realize that the
people are losing interest in these
partisan wrangles and looking to
their representatives for something
more important and business like ?
We shall shortly see.
The secret sessions of the Senate
on the Mexican treaty have no
doubt been very interesting to that
body, who have remained locked up
several days discussing the impor-
tant commercial questions invol-
we'd. But an old veteran in legisla-
ton and travel says, judging from
what he saw in Mexico when visit
ing that country a few years ago, he
does not believe that our exports
there would amount so much for
some time to come, but we might
obtain from there several articles
of which we are in need. Sugar now
costs great deal too much, merely
to benefit comparatively few own
ers of Louisiana plantations. Then
there is coffee, which costs as much
as itdid before the duty was re-
moved, the Brazllians having clap
ped on an income tax equal to our
reduction Of taxation. The Next
can coffee is far superior to that of
Brazil, and equal to that of Mocha.
Just now almost every pound is COB
bled up by Prussian commission
merchants and sent to Berlin. The
agents of the railroads constructed
in Mexico with United States CAPT
tai, have worked very diligently in
favor of the treaty. 1t will be their
only chance of getting even any
small return for their large outlay.
The report of the House Commit
tee on Public Lands concerning the
forfeiture of the Texas Pacific grant
is a meaty document and completely
knocks the pins from under the
Huntingdon Gould combination. 1t
was written by Judge Payson, of
Illinois, who has devoted much OF
his time for a year past to an inves-
tigation of this and other questions
touching the Pacific railways. Mr..
Huntington practically abandons all
hope of defeating the declaration of
forfeiture by Congress, but boasts
that he will hold the matter in the
courts for twenty years and finally
come off victorious there, the lands
meanwhile being sold by the rail-
road company. Possibly this inso-
lent corporation may defy Congress,
and defeat justice and the people in
this way, but we shall see. II it is
really true that these corporations
are stronger than the Government,
as it sometimes appears, it is time
the people took measures to bring
them to book. The whole Pacific
pooling combinations is severely at
tackled in this report, and it certain
" ought to receive some attention
from Congress. The Government
has voted millions of acres of land,
together with other aid, in building
competing lines OF road, which when
built unite in a general combination
to enforce exactiOns and Swindle the
public. 1t is time the thing was
stepped and the power Of these COM
binations materially curtailed.
TIE temperance question bad
little run ia the Senate the other
day when the joint rules were under
discussion. One of the rules prohib.
it's the sale of all kinds of liquors in
the restaurants of the House and
Senate. Senator Bayard moved to
strike out the words ssor malt" so
as to exempt lager beer and other
malt liquors from the exclusion.
Mr.. Frye opposed this with an earn
estness that would have gladdened
Neal Dow's heart. and described the
restaurant of the House OF Repre-
sentatives as having become moth
ing more or less than a miserable
rkn yry