The Press., 1884-03-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D. C., March 22

EE Washington, D. C., March 22 1884.
 The latest question taken up by the higher branch of congress promises to be exhaustively discussed. This is common schools, and aid in their establishment and temporary support. Senator Blair, who opened the debate pronounced this meas ure the most important one with which the senate has had to deal since the war. He held that the panacea for Americas 8 ills was universal education, and read a number of statements and statistics show ing the relation of iliteracy to crime. The bill appropriates fifteen million for the first year, fourteen for the second, and 50 on for ten years, decreasing one million yearly to be expended for common school education, the expenditure in each state t., be on the basis of illiteracy. The senate has voted to suppress the foot and mouth disease among cattle by passing an appro- priation of $50, ,000, for that purpose but the pleuro-pneumonia bill still fingers on the calendar as disturbing element. The upper house has also talked about more expeditions means of disposing of the vast accumulation of undetermined pension claims now before the pension department
 Applicants for such claims greatly annoy the legislators on Capitol Hill by their ap- peas for relief. Senator Hoar thought nothing could be more tragical than the stories which come to them every year, month, week, and day, of the hope defer red, of the poverty, the sorrow, the agony of those men, and the widows and orphans of the men who have given their life, health,
 strength, and the best part of their man.
 hood to their country. He spoke of the
 unfulflled promises made twenty one years
 ago, and that long after the military dis
 ability had been encountered, and said
 there were two hundred thousand claim
 ants now unattended to. Senator I.galls,
 on the other hand, took the position that
 edly prodigal in paying pensions.
 It has been many 8 year since the dc
 mocracy has had brains or bravery enough
 to inaugurate any new policy in politics and keen desire is shown to see the show begin in the proposed democratic caucus
 for discussing the tariff question. So fa1
 from being measure in the interest O peace and harmony, the caucus bids fall to intensity the bad feeling now rampan in the party. Quarrels have been PartlJ
 patched up before now, 1t is true, bu
 scarcely since 1860 has the party been Ii such condition as at present. Prote tionist ideas are springing up in all sort
 of unexpected places within the lines o their camp. The punishment threatened
 by the brilliant Kentucky editor, MT. Wat terson, has not made the offending breth J ren cringe in the least. MT. Randalls ad ,, herents say the MorrisOnites will have good time reading them out of the party. The republican spectators safely perchet up out of harms way, and indifferent as t. which faction gets the worst of it, wi
 quietly look on while the other party de
 yours itself
 The post office appropriation bill had z more troubled careeriin the house of rel : resentatiyes than any bill, passed by ths q body during the present session, Tn < long debate of about ten days was full ( :. party personalities, aud recriminatio1 }. During the last stages of the controvers .- 8 tilt occurred between MT. TowSsheI is who had charge of the bill, and MT, Reed e in which some bitterness was indulged II s The gentleman from Maine opposed
 feature of the bill, in answer to which tn 1T Illinois representative alleged that M d Reed had defended every peculator wh Q had ever been charged on that floor wit a mal-administration, every extravagant al propriation that had ever been suggested II and every interest of railroad compan, Il MT. Reed repudiated the accusation wit V warmth. He said 'sthere is no man $ |. poor, and no corporation so 1ich that
 would prostitute myself to injustice for th sake of the temporary advantage whic Y comes of maintaining false position b ,2 ae cause some dishonest men are clamorir ,r ,r against them, He did not wish to boas ', but had no occasion to lower his head n the presence of any man in that house. Y eitherg party, and vsntured to say M
 Townshend was the only man there capb n of making such remarks as he had mad ;" Roll calls by electricity is the latest i " " vention of interest to those who are an ,3 ious to save some of the time which is b in, ing so lavishly squandered by congres es Asdsvice for enabling 8 yea and nay yo e. ot the whole house to be taken instant