St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-04-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
MARCH 25th, 1884.

MARCH Goth, 1884.
The Democratic Members of the
House have been invited TO meet in the
Hall of the House of Representatives
ON Tuesday evening, at half past seven
o'clock, to discuss matters of party in
terest. The request was signed by
twenty Members who were convenient
ly near Mr.. Morrison, when he prepared
the call, and handed it over to the
chairman of the House Democratic eau
Gus, Hon. S. s. Cox. The Republicans
have long INDUCED in the pleasant fic-
tion that the Democratic party of the
House is divided into two nearly equal
factions over the tariff in general, and
Che Morrison bill in particular. In an
5icipation of the pending conference,
they wait in hopeful suspense, saying,
nov for the catastrophe!n "now for
the split " In reality it is sheer non
sense to talk of revolt in the party
ranks, for there are not two factions
within the organization at all approach
ing each other in strength.
Conclusions reached by Congress dur
ing the week lave not been in proper
tion to the amount of eloquence ex-
pended. The Senate gave some atten-
tion to cattle Affections, pension claims,
and the salaries of District Judges.
The House passed some private meas
ures, a special deficiency bill and the
Post-office appropriation but whisky
has been the chief basis of contention
this week in the lower branch of Con-
gress, and National aid to public schools
mas furnished the principal element of
disturbance in the higher. AT the Cap
itol the prediction is, that the bonded
extension bill will not pass the House
and that the Blair Educational bill will
DO defeated in the Senate. Committee
deliberations indicate that Indian
schools are to be we'll supported, that
the life. time of patents is not to be linn
tied to FIVE years, that postal telegraphy
Ts to be inaugurated, and that adulter-
ated importations of food and drink are
70 be prohibited by proclamation of the
President.
The Military Academy Appropriation
bill, the first of the fourteen general ap-
preparation bills has gotten out of, Con-
gress, gone to the President, and will
become law. The Naval, and Post
office Appropriation bills having been
acted on by the House, have both gone
TO the Senate. Three others have been
reported to the House from committees,
namely: the Indian, Pension, and Agri-
cultural appropriations, but between
the Whisky and Tariff bills there is but
little chance for progress in the House
with appropriation bills during the
coming week.
The friends of the bill for furnishing
Federal aid to establish and maintain
common schools in the more illiterate
States, have difficulty in keeping it be-
fore the Senate. Efforts have been re-
peatedly made to displace it for other
measures. Within the ten years con-
templated by the bill for extending aid,
the education of practically two genera
Eions would be secured, for the majority
of children get in five years whatever
school education they get at all. The
Republicans oppose the bill on sectional
grounds, although their platforms com
INIT them to the central idea of the
measure. Senator Plumb made an ar
gument in favor of each State making
provision for educating its own chill
.dren, saying, Massachusetts, New York
and Connecticut did not need the
zRoney. Last week the Senator from
Kansas heard that some of the cattle in
d few counties of his own State had
been taken sick. ThereupOn he pre-
pared a joint resolution asking $4,000,
from the National Treasury for the
treatment of the cows, and prayed the
9enate's immediate attention to the
matter. That body voted for the relief
of the Kansas cattle granting $4,000
instead of the amount first requested,
but Mr. Plumb did not detect the sec
Of his demand until it was
upon by other Senators.
While the report of the committee of
in relation to the manner
in which Ex-Speaker Keitfer used the
patronage Of his Office is intended to.
spare him as much as possible, it is
terrible condemnation, and WOnld over
whelm less sensitive man. The facts
which the committee found tell enough,
and it requires no inspiration to read
between the lines the comments, which
would have been made. had the commit |