The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON. ID. c., Feb. l. 1884
The action of the senate in voting each
of its members private secretary will not
be initiated by the house. though many
members are strongly in favor of it. 1t is
a question with two sides, like all others.
and there are some reasons why many of
the prominent congressman ought to have
this assistance, even at public expense,
for it is the public, people in every part
of the country, who impose the greatest
burden upon them. by writing to them on
all sorts of subjects and making all sorts
of requests. Still there are perhaps a
majority of members of the lower house
who have very little todo, or, at least, who
do very little. The leading men who have
SO much correspondence are usually rich
enough to hire their own clerks think
Ben Butler used to hire six clerks when
he was in congress and kept them all
busy, but he could afford it. But in most
cases the only benefit of this measure
would be to make so many more places
for sons and nephews. The fellows who
are looking for reelection this wear dare
not vote for it. A southern member who
Las received only ten letters from his
constituents since the holidays, except
personal letters and those concerning
private business. said yesterday: What
would most of these congressman have to
do il they had clerks to answer their let
ters? They would be absolutely idle, and
| expect that idleness would lead TO i'm
morality. Its better to keep them busy
running around after seeds and census
report"
Some of the demands made BY letter
upon congressman are preposterous, and
some OF them are funny. Some men want
all the seeds there are to be given away
others want all the books and seeds
One member recently received "A letter
from constituent, page after page or
which was filled with names of the differ
ent kinds of seeds that he wanted. At
times the writer seemed at Il loss to know
just how many varieties there were of
some particular vegetable, and then he
added, ''as many kinds as you've got. ."
He wanted pink eyed potatoes, yams,
melons, squashes, corn, wheat, flower
seeds, everything. His order would have
filled railroad freight car His letter
closed in this fashion: Now, don't you
do with me as you did with old man John
son. You only sent him five packages.
| waht EN- all.
I 70 In
this week The Springer investigation is
progressing slowly, and the FitZ John
Porter bill will have passed the house by
the time this letter is in print. Concerning
the latter, Porter's friends have produced
at the last moment letters from General
| Garfield and other notable evidence, and
| it does lot seem possible that either
branch Of congress can longer refuse jus
| tice to q much injured man. Ex-senator
Dorsey has come on here of his own accord
to testify before MIR. Springers committee
concerning the star route trial. Mr. Dor
sey knows something about this trial. He
was present all the time. Ii is thought
that he has some hope of getting even with
the attorney general. But just why Dor
sey should bear any enmity to the prose-
| Cution N this case it is difficult to under
stand; for most people think he and Brady
| owe their present liberty TO the faulty
management OF the case against them. If
these men don't appreciate the efforts ot
Bliss and others to lei them out of II bad
sCrapG they are ii set of ungratCful cusses
CHIEF Charles and delegation of
| Flathead Indians have been here several
| days in conference with the secretary OF
the Interior concerning the proposition tc
remove the Fatbeads now in tie Bitter
Root Valley to the Jocko reservation in
Montana. The Indians are the widest
looking tribe of all the delegations seen
| here lately. Secretary Teller has, sought
to convince Charles that the proposed
change was for the best interests of the
Indians, as they were at present brought
into contact with white settlers, and suff
cred thereby. He told Charles that tht
lands in the JOcko reservation intended
for the use of his tribe would be sole
unless they were occupied, and the Indians
would find themselves homeless. A houst
on the reservation and an annuity of $50t
were promised to him, and other tempt
ing offers made, but the old chief main
tanned stubborn silence, and when tht
Secretary offered him paper he refuset
it with an angry gesture. He was advised
to think over the matter and to call agair
at the department PHoNo. /
|