Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-04-24
Washington Letter.

| the business hranCn OF the leQefal leSls-
lature, and, in the course of a session.,
manages to turn eff a fair amount OF
work Notwithstanding its besetting sin
Of verbosity. But the. House of Repres-
enatives has lost its character for law
making Members talk daily now of
adjournment, and yet, outside of the
money bills, few subjects on which Sc
rious differences of opinion exist, have
reached a vote Not single piece of
affirmative legislation Of importance has
been added to the statutes, althogh i'm
terests of great consequence are clam
oring for attention. Such questions as
the electoral count; the refunding bills;
the Mormon question, the Shipping
interest the relief of the Supreme
Court; the disputed lamp grants; the
militia bill; reform in the diplomatic
and consular systems; the admission Of
Territories as States, the isthmus policy:
the postal telegraph question; and
many other matters; lie in hopeless
bondage in the prison houses of the
calendars One of the chef difficulties
is that the House is paralyzed in its
| functions by Il set of obsolete and unjust
rules.
Since the beginning of the Tariff dis.
pensaion in the House some notable
speeches have beon made on the sub
icct, and an least u hundad more are
waiting for there turn An hour IS al
lowed to each speaker, and pcnt up ora
tory is so eager for an outlet that Mem
bers are rudely jealous of an extension
of time in behalf of any one of their
number. Mr.. Spriager asked that five
minutes more might be granted to Rep
resentative Russell Oh the occasion Of
his able argument the other day; but
Mr.. Beach objected saying too large a
number of gentlemen wanted to speak
for thIt kind of thing to begin. He
OF jected to eXtIa time for anyone, but
finally yielded ia Difference to those
around him. Mr.. Russell deprecated
the rsyival Of the Tariff agitation and
insisted that no section of the country
called for it. The South, lie said,
wanted no change in the Tariff as it re-
lates to their great products, sugar, rice,
tobacco, iron ore, and cotton. Since
the West could manufacture sugar
from sorghum and glucose from corn,
is asked for no change in sugar
duties. while it wanted protection
for its great staple, wool, and It's
various manufactures The Eastern
and Middle States, he claimed hoped
Congress would gives the new law
full and fair trial, before proceeding
further. The American born laborer
never left his country in order to I'M
prove his condition, and but for this
disturbing element, Mr.. Russell thought
ours would be the happiest nation on
the earth. He said if the material
wealth and prosperity Of country is
measured by its consumption of iron
and steel, America excrlS all others;
and if the intellectual standard Of her
people is measured by we'll recognize
ed rue-thc consumption of paper
she consumes nearly twice as much per
capita as either England, France, or
Germany.
The Senate is now talking about a
uniform system Of bankruptcy. 1t
passed the Naval and Post otliceappro-
priation bills during the week, consid-
cred some smaller matters, and heard
speeches on Inter state commerce, Land
Grant forreitures, and IA Tariff speech
from Senator Morrill,, directed chiefly
against he position taken by Senator
Beck in in free trade speech made
while the Education bill was before the
Senate. The Senator from Vermont
claimed that, while the friends of Sen
ator Beck compliment his ability they
apologize for his chronic Tariff idoisyn-
crusies, and he quoted Senator Lamar
recent remark to the effect that the
Kentucky Senator dreams Of "reveuue
taxation for revenue" Tariff for rev
enue sees it in clouds, "hears it in the
wind; it is his r!ornng hymn, his lul.
ably at night.
In social matters Senator Morrill's
birthday party was the leadil & event
of the week. The guests included Sen
ators and their wives, many from the
House, Cabinet officers, Supreme Court
Justices, foreign ministers, and others
from the Army and civil list, old friends
who had served with Senator Morrill,
at some time during his thirty years of
Congressional life.
President Arthur has not contribute