The Press., 1884-03-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.

mess of the session is in a dlscredltable state of backwardness. It lags-it stands still. There is lack of unanimity, want oi cohesion, and general appearance of hes itating uncertainty in the ranks of the ma jority. Time IS wasted in frivolous talk and disgressions are made from the leglt innate subject on every possible occasion This disposition has been markedly no ticeable during the past few days, which have been devoted to the discussion of the bill for sbureau of animal industry" te prevent the spread of contagious diseases among cattle. Members have been di verted in various directions some, by very circultous paths into fields of partisan at tack, while others have indulged in per sonal discourtesies or an interchange o1 pleasantries.
 One of the first moves made in the sen- ate this week was to appropriate $1OO, ,O0O for the relief of the sufferers by the recent tornado in the southern states Senators Ransom, Brown, and Pugh thought 1t a case clearly calling for the interpretation of congress, but Senator Harris sad he would not vote dollar out of the treasury for any such purpose, as he believed he had no constitutional power to do so, upon which Senator Brown inquired If there was any distinction between this case and
 
 The senate committee on appropriations IS considering the matter now. The senate passed the McPherson banking bill and has begun the debate on the proposed re- construction of the navy. The bill author izes the construction of eleven steel cruis- CTS, rams and torpedo boats. The neces- sity for an improvement in the navy was ably shown by Senators Butler and Hale, who presented the inefficient character of our naval power when compared with the formidable establishments of other great nations. Others are ready to oppose the bill on the ground that American con- merce needs no protection and that while a.navy would be an ornamental attach ment to the government, 1t would be use- less farther than to float the stars and stripes in foreign waters and give naval officers opportunities for European travel
 Among new measures offered in the house this week was one for the establish ment of preparatory school at West Point for candidates seeking admission to the military academy. These are to be known as provisional cadets, and are to be given such instruction and military train ing as will qualify them to fill vacancies occurring in the corps of cadets. Another bill provides for the relief of women who gave their services in military hospitals during the late war. And one proposes a constitutional amendment making the presidential term six years, and rendering the president ineligible to reelection for the next succeeding term. It provides for direct vote for president in each state, abolishes the electoral college, aud fixes the term of representatives i'll con- gress at three years. The chairman of the ways and means committee reported res- olution which was adopted directing the secretary of the treasury to inform the house how much money is now in the treasury of the United States, under what provisions of law 1t is retained there, and how much can at this tune be applied to the liquidation of that part of the national debt now payable without embarrassing the department. The senate passed the house bill repeating the test oath, after modifying 1t by an amendment that 50 person who held commission in the U. s. army before the war, and was after wards engaged in he service of the so called confederate states, shall be appoint ed to any position in the army or navy of the United States.
 The next convention to be held in this city will be by the lively association of wo- man suffragists and will begin on the fourth of March. The delegates and | speakers who have already begun to make tneir appearance, say they expect to do little something with congress, and think the senate committees on suffrage will make q report favorable to them. The great leader of the suffragists, Susan B. Anthony who has spent the winter in Washington, says they expect to have very enthusias- tic convention, and will at least accomplish a great deal in the way of agitation and ed ucation,