The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WAsHINGTON. D. c.. Ian. LII 1SS


WASHINGTON, d. c.. Jan. IL 1884
An air of business pervades tie Capitsl
now, and since the recess the temper Of
congressman seems to be in the direction
Of attention to duty. If professions are
any index of intentions the present con.
gress will be long remembered for its vir-
tues and its good works. There is talk of
iobbies and lobbyists, and no doubt they
are here, considering the various schemes
and interests which need their aid, but the
present indications are that they will find
hard picking if their returns depend hpOn
success. 1t looks like a cold winter for
the lobbyist who work for a contingent
fee Concerning tariff legislation. there
is good deal of talk about an alliance
between the republicans and high tariff
democrats to prevent the passage of any
bill; and no doubt there are those on both
sides who would like to see such an all-
ance made, but those who understand the
situation know that there is the same di-
versity of opinion among the republicans
on this question as prevails among the
democrats. A debate would develop this
fact and for that reason the republican
leaders are anxious to keep the subject
out of sight at present
The discussion of probable, and posi-
bic presidential candidates is leading
industry around the hotel corridors and
public loating places, and it increases
apace as the weeks bring nearer the nom
mating conventions Mr.. Blaine has
recently declared very positively tina; he
is not a candidate, and people begin TO
think he means it,. think he does. for
the "Plumed Night knows that, notwith
standing he is the most pc Cpular man in
the party, he could not be elected The
republicans are really all at sea in the
matter and the leaders admit that they
have no prominent candidate whom they
could carry through. Edmunds is CON
sidered about their strongest man, but he
is not likely to be nominated, and he says
he would not run if he was They are
talking about Bob" Lincoln, who some
think might pull through on the strength
of his fathers name; but there is not much
sentimental politics now days. Young
Lincoln is a very clever gentleman, but
there is not much presidential timber in
him, being quite an ordinary man in all
respects. General Logan is really in the
field, and is stronger man in many
respects than Arthur but the prevailing
opinion is that neither of these two could
be elected if nominated Considering the
Importance of Ohio to the republicans,
John Sherman has lately gathered new
impetus to his old boom. Some pretend
to believe John will make it, but he won't
The leaders of the party are looking for
some very rich man who will buy his way
through. That is their only chance
Speaking of the lobbyists and the
methods Of securing legislation, reminds
me that there are some queer things For
instance. year after year the Sundry Civil
Appropriation bill has contained clause
preventing competition in contracts for
photo -lithographic work to be done for
the Patent Office A Mr. Peters, who has
an establishment for doing that kind of
work here, makes profit of from SIS 900
to 800, 900 year on work done for the
government. Under the terms of the law
the work must be awarded to a Washing
ton bidder if he is as low in his proposals
as an outside bidder. The way the De-
partment of the Interior interprets this is
as follows: They advertise for proposals
If any foreign establishment is lower than
Peters, he is asked if he will do it at the
figures of the lowest bidder, and he, of
course, says he will The contract is then
made with him for a certain amount of
work of certain kind. For all other
kinds of work and for all work OF the
specified kind over and above what his
contract calls for he charges his own
price result, big profits. He keeps a
yacht, and entertains Congressman hand
somely, makes expensive presents to their
wives and daughters, and always has
friends on the appropriations committee
of both houses.
DR.. Joseph M. Toner, of this city,
known by his generous gift of books to
library of congress, has turned his atten
ton to complication which seems to be
novel-that of the biographies and
obituaries published by the daily press
on the death of noted characters. These
are often full and valuable, and it takes
some time for them to find their
way into biographical dictionaries
or similar works. With the assist