New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1884-02-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. G. Jan. 81, 1884

The weeks work in Congress is so
versatile in character that it cannot
be easily epitomized. Committee
reports have come in in rapid sue
cession. There has been no lack
of new and important measures.
After discussing the matter length
ly, both Houses passed a bill for
the fitting out of an expedition to
the Arctic regions, for the relief of
the Greedy party. The House made
decisive demonstrations in favor of
anti-railroad legislation, repealed the
iron-clad oath Of office, and devoted
two days to debate on the peren 'al
theme, the relief Of ex-General Pnr-
ter. Mtssrs. Bayne, Ray, and Fol
let advocated Gen. Porter:s claim,
and Messrs. Keifer, Thomas, and
Taylcr opposed 1t. There were
some lively and amusing scenes,
puzzling questions, and sharp re-
torts during the discussion. Gen.
Porter again sat IN the gallery,
looking worn, grim and impassive.
The Senate transacted executive
business, and provided thoroughly
for possible contingencies in the
passage of Mr., Honr's Presidential
succession bill. In case of the
death, removal, resignation, or ina
bility of the President aud Vice
President, the bill vests the execu-
tive duties, first in the Secretary Of
State, or if he be in any way ineli-
g,ble, then in the Secretary of the
Treasury, or in case Of the ineligibi.
lily Of that officer, in the Secretary
OF War; and so on successfully in
the Attorney General, Postmaster
General, Secretary Of the Navy,
and Of the Interior. The bill is to
apply only to officers made by and
with the advice and consent of the
Senate, Senator Sherman made a
move in the right direction in offer
ing a resolution for an investig ga.
ton Of the Danville, VA, and Cop.
aih county, Miss, political massa-
cres The facts connected with
those horrors should he given to
the country by an authority whose
truth and fairness cannot be ques-
tioned, and nothing but a congress
sional committee OF inquiry will
fully depict those outbursts Of
bourbonism.
Legislation has good chance of
being made more expensive through
IA move made in the Senate during
the week. This was the adoption
of a resolution, by vote of thirty.
five to nineteen, providing that
every Senator, not chairman Of a
committee. May employ a private
secretary during the Congressional
session, at six dollars per day, the
expense to be paid out Of the con.
tingent fund. Thirty.fve Senators
will be benefited by the measure.
+ orty-one are chairmen, and are
therefore already supplied with
clerks. The idea has long had
many advocates among the gentle.
men of the upper House, who claim
that the demands from correspon
dence and other causes upon their
time and strength, is too onerous.
Then it wonld furnish another con.
venlent outlet for the Treasury
surplus, and if the House should
succeed in passing a similar plovis-
ion for the members Of that body,
about four hundred more govern.
ment clerks would be added to the
roll at a yearly expense of several
hundred Thousand dollars, Repre-
senatives are already claiming that
they are, constitutlonally, as much
entitled to such services at public
expense as Senators. Mr.. Bedford
of Colorado, who never omits an op-
portunity to advocate the unlock
ing of the Treasury vaults, says he
has hundred letters to answer
every day, and that It takes his en-
tire salary to pay his clerk hire.
A bill that the people will heart,,-
ly approve, being in the nature of
al educational measure, was offered
by Senator Blair Of New Hampshire,
for the free circulation of news. pa
pers and other periodical publlca.
tlons within the State where publish
ed. The Postoffce department would
not suffer material impairment Of
its revenues by a free distribution
of knowledge, and in certain
sense would be protective meas
ure, for the encouragement of home
industry without antagonizlng re-
venue reform. 1t is not likely there
will be any objection to it's passage.
Never Give Up.