San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-01-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Oar Regular Correspondent. !
WAsnINaroN, Jam. 22, 1854.

WAhhisdfOsi Jun -, 1901
The annals Of Congress during the
past week have not been exciting, but
important work has been accomplish
cd in both houses and in committee,
According to custom, a large number
OF new or renewed bills were present
ed on Monday, The Fitz John Por'
ter bill is again the subject OF debate
and oratorical drivel in both houses,
It is great pity that this question
cannot have final extra-legislative
and extra political settlement. Con
gress is entirely too expensive a trib'
unal to try the grievances, whether
they be just or fictitious Of the little
general. Besides a politico-legisla'
lative body is not from a common
sense point Of view n competent
court to Judge question that seems
to be Of purely military and tactical
character. Gen. Logan is expected
to make tho greatest effort CT his life
on the Fitz John Porter bill this
week. When he last spoke on this
subject he drew q sublime picture Of
the ship of state tossed on the pillows
Of treason, but steady and firm be-
cause supported by the pillars of lib
erty. Logan is immense as q word
painter, and consistency of metaphor
troubles him no more than correct
ness Of grammar.
The Temperance question was dis
cussed in a side issue way in the Sen
ate last week. There are two immense
restaurants in the basement of the
Capitol, one under the Senate, the
other under the House. To these
restaurants Senators, Representatives
and hundreds of visitors about the
Capitol go for refreshments. The
rules say no intoxicating liquors shall
be sold in these restaurants, but the
rule has been evaded and the initial
ed have been able to get what they
wanted in tea-cups under the fiction
of tea. During the discussion of the
new rules Senator Frye from Maine,
told aghastly story to the effect that
he had seen a common laborer in
blouse, with brooches in boots, drink
ing bad whiskey out of q common
crockery cup ut one of the Capitol
restaurants. This what no doubt an
appalling picture and enough to make
the bronze Goddess of Liberty shud-
der, but close analysis of the invec-
tive of the dude minded young Sena-
tor, will show that the scandal and
the crime was chiefly in the blouse,
the breaches, and the boots OF the
poor workman. The lobbyists and
and pimps, the male Panders, and
female Pandoras who have been sup
ported about the Capitol by Sen
ator Fryes party until they own it,
dress better than the worlmen, but
they are infinitely worse and more
hideous than blouse, breeches boots
and bad whiskey.
The new rules of the Senate go into
force this morning, and Democratic
Senators are determined to take ad-
vantage of every means in their pow
er to secure the enforcement of the
the provisions respecting the order
OF business. If rigidly adhered to
the new rules promise to shorten the
work of the Senate considerably and
make it's action more dependent upon
the merits of a measure than upon
the persistence of the Senator who
has it in charge.
The Mexican treaty overshadows
in Importance all other matters now
before the Senate, and if its friends
choose to attempt reconsideration OF
the vote of last Friday, the week in
whole or in part may be given up to
it. There are no measures of great
upon the calendar of the
Senate at present. Mr.. Cullom's bill
for the reorganization of the legisla-
tive power of Utah, some discussion
of which has already taken place,
will doubtless be reached early in the |
week. but the only question about it
will be with regard to its reference.
The measure, involving as it does the
reorganization of the entire govern
mental machinery Of Utah, would ma
turally go to the Committee on Terri
tories. Among the measures which
may be reported from committees
during the week is the bill introduc-
ed by Mr.. Sherman authorizing the
issue of circulating notes to National
banks proportioned in amount to the
market value of their bonds; Mr.. Ed
munds civil rights bill and the ship