The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-02-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our regular Correspondent

Inc nnanclal problem over when the
Senate has been celebrating for more
than week is likely to be solved by a
vote to-day. The question is the rela-
ton of the funded debt to the National
banking system, and the perplexities
of the subject have been great. In the
earlier stages of the debate the circum-
stance which more than any other, i'm
pressed the visitor looking down from
the galleries on the law makers in the
Capitol, was the utter Indifference to
speeches shown by those to whom were
supposed to be addressed, scarcely a
dozen remainingo on the floor when any
Senator arose to make his contribution
to the pending debate. Interest in
creased, however, as the discussion
progressed, and during the last few
days Senators have occupied their seats
and given close attention to the matter.
The National banks have been attacked
and defended, and nearly every sena-
tor has participated in the controversy.
1t must be confessed by all that the
present House of Representatives eclip-
SEES all its predecessors for downright
do-nothingness. Representative Buck
ner says it is now farther behind in its
business than it has been for the last
ten years. The Democrats held an all
night session trying to collect a quorum
containing sufficient number of
friends to the Mexican Veterans Pen
sion bill to make it the special order
for Thursday. At eight o'clock Tues
day they succeeded in getting 2l1 men,
bers to answer the roll call, and the
motion passing the Pension bill was
considered on that day. The party
tried to make capital of this circum-
stance which they characterized as Re-
publican tilibustering, when, if their
own men had been in their seats they
would have had seventy-five more
members than quorum. The House
has passed a bill reducing postage
on transient second class matter;
another appropriating one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars for Indian
education, and has begun the consider
alton of the Military Academy appro-
priation bill.
As the Danville riot investigation
proceeds, some of the developments
are that the attack on the defenseless
negro was provoked; that the whites
bought and loaded pistols the morning
before the massacre; and that armed
Danville Democrats travelled to distant
polls by the car load.
The city is swarming with Dakotans
who have come in behalf of the interest
of that territory. Some urge upon con-
gress the necessity for opening the
Sioux reservation to give railroad and
other facilities to settlers in the Black
Hills. Others want Statehood; others
a division of the Territory in conform
ity with the wishes as expressed at the
polls and through the press.
At the American Prohibition Con-
vention now in session in this city,
Fred Douglass made speech last
evening on civil rights. He said,
among other things, that people talked
as if the negro were going to disappear
like the Indians; but that, instead of a
blanket and moccasins, the negro want
ed coat of the latest Partisan cut.
That he had taste for civilization, and
wanted to be where it had achieved its
greatest triumphs. That as an imitator
of advancement and follower of fash
ions, he was quite factor in American
civilization.
This is Washington birthday and it is
being observed as holiday and parade
day in this city. The courts and var
ious executive departments are closed,
the streets are crowded with pedestri-
ans, military organizations are out in
full dress uniform, the drum and fife are
filling the air with martial music, and
the stars and stripes are floating every
where, even from the heads of horses
attached to street cars, omibusses and
cabs. The George Washington Social
Club of Philadelphia are parading the
streets presenting many, grotesque fea-
lures, such as George Washington on a
chiefs, William Penn, Robinson Cru
soc, Goddess of Liberty and Uncle Sam
in an open barouche.