Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-03-28

Cor. PosT-IxrELLroKycEs.


WASHINGTON, March II, 1884
The galleries paid Senator Logan a
high compliment by waiting three hours
10 the mephitic air Of the Senate cham
Der 10 hear his speech on the Porter bill.
IL was the first time this session that
the Senate assumed that TOP heavy sp-
pesrance 70 common during the exciting
political controversies Of few years
ago, when such orators as Blaine, Conk
ling. Carpenter, Edmunds and Hosr
were contendinQ with sucn worthy foe
men as Thurman, Beck and Ben Hill.
There WAS something almost pathetic in
the last charge Of Gen. Logan on Fitz
John Porter; and rs be at in gloomy
sleEce listening to thu final roll-cail.
which, after twenty years, was " revers-
Jag history the stalxart Senator had
the sympathy Of many who did not share
bis views. When the vote by whIca tie
bill passed was announced, the CALLER J.
vented its feeling IN mingled appis uss
and hlsses- The bill has gone To- toe
House for it, concurrence in the Senate
amendment, bat under the rules It -
readily accessible, ana II IL expected BY
some members that II will be taken mp
from the SPEAKER table during the first
part If this week, under the head Of
bills retained to the House from the
senate with amendments. No doubt
President Arthur would be very we'll
pleased If IT would hang fire between
the two Houses of Congress until the
end Of the session, for it will be dis
turbinR ton days GUST at the White
House when 10 gets there.
Nothing better illustrates the deca
dence in the % er of that mysterious
influence called the lobby" than Ger
tain transactions in the present Con
gress, notably the passage OF tue acts
returning the land grants Of a dozen or
more Of the great railroad corporations
~ the public domain. The lobby Was
mustered in great force and every appli-
ance known 10 1t was brought to bear
on n smbers of Congress against the re-
peal of the grants. but for all this the
country is richer bv about thirty million
| acres of the best laad in the Union.
There IL less lobbying At the capital
have been in Congress" said Al old
member of the House to INC some DAYS
ago. The proposed whisky legislation
seemed to open up big field for lobby
lists, and they set IN to do some big work,
bat they were disappointed. There
| seems to be a determination on the part
| of the friends of important measures 10
keep clear Of the Lobby sharks. Nothing
would kill measure quicker than for II
10 become mouthed about that it was
being lobbied."
Apropos OF whisky legislation, it is
claimed by its supporters that the fight
is not ended, and that the bonded extern.
sion bill is not dead by any means
They say that it came up at an unfortu.
nate time, when many of its friends
were absent, but that it will pass when
they get to it properly. On the othel
hand, the opponents of the bill in the
| House ridicule the claims Of its frieuls
that It has any chance of passing. How
| ever, now that the whisky bill has beer
| defeated, II il discovered that no cata
| oiysm Of trade is impending, after all
| There weIe suspicious to that effect all
along for predictions Of ruin are the
oommonest of arguments when any in
terest finds itself threatened by the at
titUde Of Congress-. The distillers nat
orally enough, are disappointed anC
vexed, but even the whisky men now ad
init that the failure of the bill, while i,
| will cause some inconvenience, will briul
no disaster.
| The Lasker- Ochiltree- Bismarck Incl
dent is again rife. The action of ou
Government in the business, as disclosed
in the diplomatic correspondence and b,
the language Of the resolution which
Mr.. Hiscock offered upon the transmits
sion of the returned resolution to tn.
House, is marked by temperance ans
dignity, and will be commended by tn.
country. While a friendly tone is main
tanned throughout a refreshing firmnes
marks the attitude Of the State Depart
ment, and Mr.. HIscock's resolution is
in its way, AS satisfactory. The Who'll,
matter has gone to the Foreign Affairs
Conmittee, where it was warmly dis
cussed. 1t is understood that the sub
committee will report r solution toda,
which will be In the relation Of a com
promise between the extreme views OF
members.
The President Invested another liberia
slice Of his salary IN u dinner to Sena
tors and members of Congress on Wed
nesday evening. His efforts to hav,
| them all as his guests this year will cost
him not less than 5000 Ia tenth of hi.
annual salary. There will be still one
more large Congressional dinner at the
White House, although 1t WAS supposed
that last Wednesdays dinner was ths
last Of the series. After Lent there will
| be large public reception. There has
been of late some complaint at the ho-
tells and about town that opportunities
to visit the White House are not 81 fire.
auently offered to the general public as
formerly. The President 10 aware OF
this, and TO the coming reception every
body will be invited. He has now both
Of his sisters with him IA guests
LENox.