The Portland daily press., 1884-01-29
Washington Notes.


Unprsmisins Outlook for any Legislation
10 Improve the Currency-The National
Banks and the Silver Dollar to be Ne.
eleeted-The Worlds si,ipping-No suec-
ial RElA for tbe Improvement of she
MHssissippi-Pc0r Mems REeat mnd Rich
Mems Meat.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.
1t is evident THAI there is little rrospect of
any important legislation upon the curreneS at
this session OF Congress. Indeed it is doubtful
if even the despised and troublesome trade
dollar, which everybody agrees ought to be
got rid OF in some way, il TO BIS touched. Az
for silver in the form of other coins it il not
to be interfered with. Touching paper CTR
culation, it is net probable that it will be in
any way affected, unless some Of the schemes
for the increase of the national bank circpla-
ton should squeeze through. And this is not
probable. The MCPHERSON bill, rapo, ted tn
the Senate the other day, increasing the eircula-
ton OF the National Banks up to the mar value
OF their bonds, has provoked some iealousies
among people who had other schemes in this
same line, and it is doubtful If the House eve r
gets chance TO slaughter it, as ii is pretty
sure to do if it should successfully run The
gauntlet OF the Senate. AS for Mr.. Buckner,s
bill prohibiting notes OF less size than SIS. it
Will never get through the House. The fact
10 that there is now greater demand for small
notes thar can be mat, while silver continues
ID aocumulsts in the vaults of the Treasury
nat is this congress going 10 do with the
slver qnestlon," your correspondent asked
OF MT. bland, the chairman of the eommitte
on coinage. weights and measures.
"DOn't know - ha orsc -z,axasI tt,~-.
done much talking in regard to that yet, and
it's impossible to say what viii he acne. or
whether anything OF Importance"
IL one wers to ask what will not be- done,
you conld probably answer that as far at least
as relates to the coinage of silver"
Yes, think IL is safe to say taat there will
pc no cessation OF the coinage of silver ordered
by this Congress, at least BY recommendation
"How about the trade dollar?,'
Don't know about that. [ doubt if any
thing is done With it. Several propositions ara
being talked over, one of them locking to the
calling ia OF these dollars and their recoinage.
aaother legalizing them and making them q
legal 'ender. % course il they were made
legal tender, that would be- the end OF the
trouble, as they contain more silver than the
standard dollar, and only lack that one thing
to 10 axe them at least as popular as the other.
doubt however whether anything is done
WIN tne matter. Tor if we get started on the
SOMEBODY wish We had let it alone entirely.
STEAMSHIPS OF THE WORLD.
\ Consul Grain, of Milan, sends to tina State
department, statement showing the steam
ships and sailing vessels of the world, which is
quite interesting at this time when there is
the usual winter talk of revival of American
shipping. He says that the total number of
steamships OF the world, for ocean trade, on
I MOI A.
OF little over niue million tons, and the total
number OF sailing marine 26, 104 with ton
mage of over thirteen million TONS OF the
z ,734 steamships ahoat, the British flag enters
for 4,649, and CT the 36,104, sailing vessels
1855 ara English.
THE MISSISSIPPI
The friends of the Mississippi River are con-
WINGED that there is no hope for special Mis-.
sissipp River bill at this session, that is to say
general Mississippi River improvement bill
separate from the river and harbor bill. "We
have one special Mississippi River hill this SEES.
son. said Mr. King, the chairman of the Mis-.
slssippis River committee, "and we can scarce.
iy expect more than that The Mississinpi
will have to go in with the general river and
hafoor OIL, put am sure that we shall get
good treatment. l think there is every reason
to expect liberal appropriation for the river
this tirne.o
Mr.. Blanchard, of louisiana who is MEM
Der OF the river and harbor committee aoraas
with Mr.. King that the separate bill PROPOSE
ton is dead SO far as this session ia connerned
but thinks that the Mississippi is likely to CAT
q generous share of the annual appropriation
for rivers ~
MEAT FOR THE POOR AND THE RICH.
Consul Ballou, writing from Alsace-Lorraine
OF the customs there, g.. :. Owing to the poor
crops of late years and - Ugh prices of beef
and pork, the eonsunat,vtvas of horse ash has
increased ia .Alsace The fash +
one hundred horses is eaten ever week the
retailers selling the choice cuts for about EIGHT
cents per pound, for ordinary about six cents
"A large quantity OF horse flesh is used for the
of sausages. All horses are bs-
fore and after being killed given strict exam
ination, and if found in any way diseased are
rejected The price of this meat renders it
possible for many of the working people to
have meat occasionally upon their tables which
Wonld otherwise be impossible. The consump-
ton of horse flesh is principally confined to the
working classes.
The making of goose liver pasties is = very
important industry of Alsace, and particularly
of Strasburg. The business increases steadily
every year Last year over three millions of
goose livers were made into terrenes and
pastiss. The geese are fattened by the peas
antS, who make business of 1t. The opera
ton is not q painful one forsthe geese las some
suppose. They are confined in small pen,
where running about is impossible. Water is
within reach at all times, and three times a
day corn which has been previously moisten-
ed, is poured down their threats until they will
hold no more. This is continued daily for
three weeks Qonger is dangerous), epd the
liver becomes very fat and large; They sell
for $1.50 to $.170 per pound. according to color.
The expectation of terrones sIarge, principal
ly to France. Russia and England but many
are sent to the United States.
From Other Sources.
CHAT WITH MIR, BLAINE.
Col. Clark Carr. of Illinois, an orator who
has often been heard in Eastern campaigns,
has been here for some days. lie thus speaks
of an interview with Blaine: eHe wants
more aggressive foreign policy. Hell believes
that the interests of the people of this country
should be maintained with more vigor, and
thinks that the time has come to have an adj
ministration which will protect them. BE
still believes that our commerce and wealth
could be greatly advanced by bringing together
in close relations our government with those
of Central and South America. He told how
earnest Garfield was for such contamination.
and how disappointed he, himself was when
the attempt was abandoned. Mr.. Blaine
seems to be welded to and enraptured with
the dignlfed retirement into which he has en-
tered His own uolitical agDiration aeams 70