Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-01-16
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent

J,nuary, 18th, 1884
Through force OF custom the country
hes learned TO expect no solid work
| from Congress prior 10 the holidays.
But the play days being over, the new
officers elected, the committees ornsd,
Legislative machinery all in working
order. the new body began on MoudsV
the work of the session. Should it &C
complish what is demanded of It, 1t Will
be a phenomenal Congress. 1t 10 ex-
pected to pass tariff bill in the inter-
ests of the people that will do away
with the Treasury surplus. 1t 10 ex'
pected TO pass m interstate commerce
hill, Presidential succession bill. and
several economical appropriation bills.
1t is not expected to interfere with the
Internal revenue system at all.
Under the most favorable circum-
stances. and with the least possible
degree of facllous obstruction, Con-
gress cannot hope 10 make more than q
beginning Of the great work of revenue
reform; but beginning will most pro"
badly be made.
A feeling # caution prevails among
the Democratic majority in the House
and no purely political measures are
likely to be put forward during the few
early weeks Of the rev year. lndlyl'
dual views upon financial aud economic
questions, as embodied IN the bills al
ready introduced and TO be introduced.
will be discussed without leading to i'm
mediate action. The three Appropris-
ton bills placed before the House this
week, namely the FOrti6cations, Mil
tary Academy, and Pensions bills,
were selected for the first action OF
Congress for the reason they give rlae
10 less debate than others, II being ex-
pedient 10 get rid Of those on which all
agree. aud prepare for a long debate
upon measures which are sure 10 call
forth divtrsit of views. The main
ISSUE between tne two political parties
the tariff question, will most probably
be The last discussed.
There is decided activity among tho
various House committees. Many Of
Them met this week for The first time,
organized. arran. ed for their ie2uIa
meeting and did considerable legislative
work. Among the fourteen hundred
hills intro duced 10 the House during the
week. we're a series Of bills and reso'
Unions bearing on The question Oh
adon,ing some measure of retaliation
against foreign governments, which
have prohibited the importation Of
American pork. Several of the most
innorlant committees have been called
npon to consider the question, namely;
the ways and Means the Foreign AL
fairs and the Commerce committees
These bills were offered by Mr.. Kasson
Of Iowa. Deuster OF Wisconsin, Browne
Of Indiana, Towpshend of Ill. aud
Senator Antbouykf R. l.; showing
that remarkable nlmlty OF senu-
ment prevails over%wide section Of
country. 10 favor Of taking immediate
stems to deal with the subject IN =
business like manner.
In the Presidents message to Con-
oress Tuesday. he commented iavoraoly
upop the annual report Of the Missis-
sippi river commission, and recomusn'
ded the early passage ola bill Tor the
,mproyemeut OF the rver. When
Sneaker Carlisle laid the message sub
hitting the report before the House.
Willis. of Ky. Chairman Of the COM
mittee on Rivers and Harbors. and Mr..
Kino of La. chairman OF The commlttee
upon Levees and Improvement OF the
Mississippi River, each moved that the
matter be referred to bis committee.
Tbs gave rise to a general debate,
developing the views of seven Con-
eressmen upon a subject likely to at
tract national attention. The House
voted 10 refer the message to the con-
mittee on Rivers and HartOrs. During
the discussi D, the lrrepressible mem
Der from Colorado, Mr.. Bedford, who is
never so unhappy as when 'lost to
sight" got an opportunity to say that
the WAYS aud Means committee was
composed of the brains OF the House
and the Appropriations committee "oi
The white but Toned mandArins" what
ever that may be. Tue other com-
mittees he said were slaves and COM
pelled to bow their necks aud ask the
speaker to recognize them, but he
thanked Heaven the House was now
under the control OF Southern and
Western men, who would unlock the
Treasury vaults aud improve the water
WAYS Of the country, 10 the end that
the interests Of the people would not
be overborne by the railroad corpora
tiOns OF The country.
A LOVER DUMPED IN THE Snow. -
M ma n anh nndinn To ON nl0na.