Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-02-14
st e.f4lH
N


What Congress is Doing What OF
Beecher?
Special Correspondence Of the INTER-OcHAS.1 G;H%3
| WASHINGTON, Feb. .6.-Congress ia
nothing if not slow. 1t processes, and
no doubt with sincerity, its eagerness to
get to. business. It complains of the
multiplication Of perplexing problems
1t complains, and with justice too, OF
the matters to which certain ofits men,
hers insist on calling its attention. Still
it a be led into fllibustering all night
until two o'clock in the morning rather
than face a troublesome question. The
friends Of the bankruptcy bill were in
the majority the other day when the
matter was before the house and voted
down every motion to adjourn. The
attendance Of members was large al the
beginning Of the struggle, hut one men,
Der after another. stole quietly away un-
til only about one-third of the house
was present. Midnight came and still
there was no prospect Of adjournment.
The usual scenes attending a night ses-
sion were enacted, the time being
mostly occupied with roll calls follow
ing motions to adjourn, while the dila-
atory proceedings were diversified with
banter, fun and personalities. Mr..
Springer, of Illinois, asked to have the
rules suspended and a very little bill
passed for the benefit of his constitu.
ents. MI. White, of Kentucky, object:
ed ~ knew some. crank would object
to this" said Mr.. Springer, whereupon
Mr.. White went into a white rage. FIJI.
libustering continued upon various mo.
tons, and finally Mr.. Hiscock asked:
"What can we accomplish? You know
it is impossible to accomplish anything"
Mr.. Collins retorted that all things were
possible in a sensible assembly. An
other hour had dragged its slow length
along and the friends Of the bank
ruptcy bill succeeded, after many
efforts, in having a call for the house
ordered. The sergeant-at-arms sent his
deputies forth through the city in search
of truant congressman and first one
and then another. was brought in to give
an account of his absence. The same
threadbare excuses, which have done
duty on similar occasions for years, were
offered. They were as usual greeted
with bursts of derisive laughter, but
were in every case deemed satisfactory.
The new recruits voted, of course, for
the next motion to adjourn and car
ried it. e." - "v'''
1t cannot be denied that congress has
been worshipping the rising rather than
the setting sun in it's lido nothing pol.
ICY Not knowing Mr.. Cleveland's
views on certain important questions,
and fearful of embarrassing him by
action, the majority has sought safety
in inaction. There will be no further
s~eclusion or repose on Mr.. Cleveland's
part, however, and from this time on his
influence will be felt on legislation.
The Democratic pilgrimage to New
York commenced Wednesday evening,
quite a little party of congressman hav-
ing started to see the president elect.
A gentleman who has seen MI. Cleve-
land several times since his election
told me it was a great mistake to assume
that he does not know all about. prom
inent party men simply because he has
not been in positions which brought
him in contact with prominent Demo.
Gratis of the country. The gentleman
mentioned that Mr.. Cleveland was not
so much in need of advice as many
seemed to think. He has been an active
Democrat ever since he has been old
enough to have any part. in politics,
said he, and has taken deep interest in
the party and all its affairs. He can
today measure party men more accu.
rately than many others who have long
been in national public life.
It is said the civil service commission
will strongly recommend that naval
cadetship shall be acquired by civil SER
vice examinations instead of through
congressional selections. There is a
popular impression that relationship or
acquaintanceship with a legislator is not
the highest qualification for an embryo
navigator. It is thought possible that
among q dozen applicants in a district
the one who could pass the best exam.
ination might prove worthy Of the ap.
~pointment, more no than the one who
could bring the most pressure to bear
upon the member Of congress.
Owing to the part taken by the Rev,
Henry Ward Beecher in the late presi.
dental campaign, some curiosity was
felt to know what character ofaudience
would meet him at his lecture here on
Tuesday evening. 1t was q fair one as
to numbers, but not overlooking, and
there was a large number of Demo
cratic representatives and senators pres
ent. The subject of the lecture was
fsrNn -