The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1884-12-13
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent.)

WASHINGTON, Dec. l. 81.
The newspaper prophet in Wash
ington, after he fashions q cabinet
for the President-elect to his own
intense satisfaction, is fully pre-
pared for more arduous labor, and
is now busy in planning the work
of Congress with great zest. It
seems to have struck him that
possibly Mr.. Cleveland may have a
voice in the selecting of his cabinet.
Members who lave arrived in
the city express the opinion that
Congress will not find time this ses-
sion to attempt any very important
legislation. Besides the appropri-
alton bills, the land grant forfeit
ure question will probably he taken
up. and it promises to bring about
a long and bitter fight. Some of
the members, however, have not
given up the idea of tackling the
tariff. and say that sonSthing should
be done this session. Mr.. Nor
rision,*it is understood, is primed
for another fight. He looks upon
the success of the democratic party
as an Endorsement of tariff reform,
and has expressed the opinion that
something should be done this winter
to re luce the revenue. If congress
is disposed, however, to make a
busy and eventful session of it,
there is no lack of material in the
shape of pending legislation. There
is, for instance, the silver coinage
question, which urgently calls for
attention. A very respectable ele-
ment is calling for a bankruptcy
law; there is great desire in legal
and business circles for action which
shall inexpedite the work of the
Supreme Court; much remains to
Do settled respecting the rel tons
of railroads and land corporations
to the government; and there are
various private canal and railroad
schemes to which Congress will be
asked to give helping hand; the
pension laws are not yet satisfactory
to some influential classes; and the
friends Of the shipping interests
look upon last winters legislation as
merely preliminary, and are anxious
to'follow it up by roaderhneasures;
the education bill presents its claims
to the House; and two or three
territories which have now large
and ambitious population are
clamoring for the rights and digni-
ties of states. 1t will be seen read
lily, therefore, that even if Congress
prefers to ignore the tariff and
follow precedents pretty closely in
tine appropriations, there is an
abundance OF important subjects on
which it can protitably spend the
winter.
Among the first questions pre-
sented at the Capitol to-day will be
a resolution in the House calling
for a diplomatic investigation Of the
action Of the French in prosecuting
work on the Panama canal, and de-
claring in favor of the American
policy of predominance on this con-
tnent. Several leading democrats
have the matter in charge, and it is
indeed gratifying to see some in
clinatiOn towards enforcement OF
the Monroe doctrine. The repre-
sentatives of the three great 18th
, mian inter-oceanic transit projects
are gathered here in anticipation
of some action by Congress on this
important question. The Panama
people are simply anxious to be let
alone. The Nicaraguan people want
substantial recognition The Te-
hauntepic people are willing to take
anything they can get. James b,
Eatls, the father of the Tehaunte-
pic scheme, went to London last
summer to get some money. l don't
understand that he got any there,
But he has apparently gotten some
on the way home, for he is exhibi-
ting quietly to New York capitalists
working model Of his inter-oceanic
ship railway which cost him Sl0,-