Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-02-01
WASHINGTON LETTER,
tFrom Our Regular corrcspondcnt.l

From Our Regular Corrcspondcnt1
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2S, 1884.
There is great activity in Congress and
between the Fuz John Porter discussion
lhe Mexican treaty, and the land gran
question. interest in the proceedings OF
both houses has been well Sustained dur
ing the past week. It is often rem arked
here what quiet Congress this is ard how
that heated personal ard political strife
which usually manifests itself, especially
on the eve Of an important campaign, has
been kept in the background. There is
less Of i this winter than / ever seen dur.
ing my ten years. observation here, Can
il be tile calm before a storm ? or are the
politicians beginning to realize that the
people are losing interest in these partisan
wraugles and looking to their represe nta-
ives for something more important and
business-like? We shall shortly see.
The secret sessions OF the Senate ON the
Mexican treaty have no doubt been very
interesting TO that body, who have re-
mained locked up several days discussing
the important cehlmcrcial questions in
volved. But an old veteran in legislation
and travel says, judging from what lie saw
in Mexico when visiting that country
few years ago, he does not believe that eur
exports there would amount to much for
Some time TO come, but we might obtain
from there several articles of which we are
in need. Sugar now costs great deal too
much, merely to benefit comparatively
few owners of Louisi ma plantations. Then
there is coffee, which costs as much as il
did before the duty was removed, the Bra
zlians having clapped on on income tax
equal to our reduction of taxation. The
Mexican coffee is far superior 10 that OF
Brazil, and equal to that of Mocha. Just
now almost every pound is gobbled up by
Prussan commission merchants, and sent
to Berlin. The agents of the railroads
constructed or being constructed in Mexico
with United States capital, have worked
very diligently in favor of the treaty. II
will be their only chance OF getting even
any small return for their large outlay.
The report of the House Committee on
Public Lands concerning the forfeiture of
the Texas Pacific grant is meaty docu.
ment and completely knocks the Plus from
under the Huntagton-Gonld combination.
1t was written by Judge Payson, of Hi
nois, who has devoted much of his time
for year past to nm investigation OF this
and other questions touching the Pacific
railways. Mr.. Huntington practically
abandons all hope of defeating The declar-
alton of forfeiture by Congress, but boasts
that he will hold the matter in the courts
tor twenty years and fnaly come off vic.
torions there, the lands meanwhile being
s i'd by the railroad company. Possibly
tins insolent corporation may defy Con
press, and defeat justice and the people il,
this way. but we shall see. If it is really
irue that these corporations are stronger
than the Government, M it sometimes mp
pears. il is time the people took measures
to bring them to book. The whole Pncifi,
pooling com.ination is severely attacke,
J in this report, and ii certainly ought to re
ceive some attention from Congress-. TIL
Government has voted millions of acres o
land, together.witli other aid, III bnilain
competing lines of road, which when bull
! unite IN general combination to enforc
, exac,ions and swindle the public. 1t
, time the Thing was stopped and the powe
, Of these combinations materially curtailef
The temperance queslion had little rn
' in the Senate .he other day when the joir
' rules were under discussion. One of III
, rules prohibits the sale Of all kinds {
liquors in the restaurants OF the House mn
Senate. Senator Bnynrd moved 10 strik
e ont the words "or maIi," so ns to exemI
k lager beer and other malt liquors from II
exclusion. Mr.. Frye opposed this with -
rarnestness that would have glad,lene
> Neal Daw's heart. and hescrihed The re
taurant 0f the Ilonse of Representative
e M having become nothing more or le
/. Than n miserable groggery. lie said lh
he had seen man will, his pnn.alosns
y his boots, and wearing II dirty blouse, .tar
< MP nj ~ counter in one of the Capitol rel
'e iauranis drinking mean whisky out of
e crockery ica-cnp, and il amy Senator d,
sired to follow his example he had Int
get down stairs and order some "cold lea
d The joint rule WIS finally ,,nssed so ame
q ,led as to exclude all Intoxicating liqnol
=. Petitions are daily rolling in uron ca
!, grcss asking changes in the pension Law
u and many of them bear marks Of h.vi,
I'd come through tie hands of, or being il
,e spired hv. the old gang of pension aitt
II news. Many of the pelilioi's sent to CO..
gress nre moi really in the interest Of
III understood bv the petitioners themselv'
General Butler in speaking Of this snhj.
er n 'Iny or two ago said that generally pei
,o tions were not worth considering. Th
~ were signed IN the most careless mann
re and never thought of afterwards. Tn
D were rarely read, and The signers never
of tended That they should have any inf
.r. enee. "l'or example" said he. "yon cor
~ get in Massachusetts 0 900 men to sign
st petition TO have mo hanged, and half I
number would sign petition 10 ha
o. Themselves hanged without knowing wi
I'd they were doing" There is n point IN N
m dear reader, If You have time To study
he out. Dom PEDRO
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