The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-03-08
Washington Letter.
WAsHGNGToN, March 1. lSS

WAsHGNGToN, March 4, 1884
Congress spent the greater part Of the
week debating the Important bills, the out
come of which was that the Senate voted
to improve the Navy by ordering sever
new vessels, and the House discharged it,
duty 10 cattle by passing the pleuro pneu
monia bill The Senate also Snubbed the
southern cyclone victims who had asked
for Federal aid and passed the House bill
repeating the test oath, with the stipulation
that no person who had first served In the
United States Army, and afterwards in the
Confederate could bring claims against
the Government The House passed a
nudber of private pension bills, pronoun
ced eulogies on the late Representative
Haskell of Kansas, and devoted a day to
debate on the naval appropriation bill Be
fore passing the latter bill the Senate had
much rambling talk and some good speech.
es on the Navy. The discussion wandered
through all the nayies of the globe, through
all our Government navy yards, and even
invaded the private ship yards on the Del
aware, especially the notorious establish.
ment of Mr.. Roach, who is building the
four steel cruisers ordered by Congress in
so, namely; the Atlanta Boston, Chicago
and Dolphin. Senator Beck wanted to see
| if these vessels would be able to swim be-
| fore ordering more similar to them. In
answer to the allegation that money had
been mis-applied in the Government navy
wards. Senator Miller made the startling
announcement that somebody would have
10 be trusted. He deplored the condition
OF the American navy, and said it was not
worth the name except in its personnel.
Another Senator did not expect these YES
sells to attack great iron clads that cou}d de
| fend themselves against thousand pound
shot but from such, thought these cruisers
could easily run away, Others opposed
the bill on the general ground that the
| United States was not anxious to fight any
body and nobody desired to fight her. Sen
ator Bayard in an able speech said, after
| waiting eight or ten years and spending
$3.50, 900 900 for that purpose the country
was without navy. He thought there
had been fearful amount of incapacity
and maladmini,tration within the term
mentioned He regretted to say what was
unpleasant, and made no charge of his own
but said the fact could not be ignored that
throughout the country there was great
deal of distrrtst in the head of the navy
department He was glad of the fierce
| light of public opinion that heats on exec
utive business, and thought public critl-
rism could not be too sharp or severe upon
questions of corruption in public transac-
tion,. He wanted every official in the
land to feel that he was closely scanned by
an intelligent people While favoring the
bill he wanted the money to be expended
subject to every wise guard that Legislation
coald decree.
Congressional funerals have formed the
material for an interesting investigation
upon which the House Committee on Ac
counts have Just been engaged. The city
undertakers have doubled their regular
prices for Congressional subjects. For in
stance embalning is increased from 81,
10 SI5 when the decedent is Member OF
Senator. The conventional sash for the
door knob the casket and all items of eX
, pense attending interment have been in
creased in like proportion. The bills unde
consideration will be in every case GU
down to common prices for first class funer
ais
The Woman's Suffrage convention ha
already come and will open on Tuesda.
, morning at Lincoln Hall All the shinin!
) lights of the sisterhood are here, ready t.
, tell again the old, old story of thralldon
, and freedom, wrongs and rights.
$ The long delayed debate on the WOO
| tariff will take place in the House to-day
; and there will be an effort made to hav'
2 the Senate bill fer the erection of Con
gressional library added to the list of spec
ial orders, also the bill providing an ann'hi
e appropriation for ten years to aid common
8 school education
v The special orders already made Civ
! precedence, first % the Mexican Veteran
2 Pension bill secondly, to that removing
!. burdens on the merchant marine, AN
!. thirlly, to the Inter. State commerce bill