St. Landry democrat., 1885-02-28
WASHINGTON LETTBR.
FrOm Our Regular Correspondents
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 1885.

%GnS IOOb Dali Oh ODsGTucLlV6 QliaCOTy anu
mischievOus cranks.
Appropriation bills and other impor-
tant if not indispensable legislation
have been delayed and an extra session
seems very probable. Well, who cares 7
Let an extra session be called. A mem
Der of Congress is paid $4,000 year
and whether he legislates in Washing
ton or vegetables in his rural home, he
draws his pay all the same. We pay
Congress to make laws. It is des-
perately difficult to keep them down to
their work. They are wretched shirks;
they seldom pull together except on a
motion to adjourn, but since they are
paid so much per year let their alleged
work be continuous throughout the
year. 1t would be better to pay them
by the day and only when they are in
their seats. When member fails to
answer to his name on roll call dock his
wages. If he is tardy, require him to
bring a written excuse from his wife.
If these wholesome rules were enforced
there would be less absenteeism, less
skipping around the corner, less solitary
and informal adjournment to the res
taurants in the basement of the Capitol.
The fact is, that the people are too easy
and lenient with those who, with vaunt-
ing hypocrisy, call themselves public
servants.
These deputized legislative employees,
to speak it mildly, are many of them
bummers and loafers, interested chief
ly in their private ambitions and pleas
ures, and utterly Indifferent to, or igno-
rant of, the needs of the great interests
which they are sent to represent. Con-
gress is not up with the times. 1t is
not at all progressive. So far as know
parliamentary methods and procedure
are not much better now than when
Rome was republic 5000 years ago.
A plan has been devised to call the roll
by electricity, and thus register instan-
taneously the vote of every member,
bnt the old and tedious plan of calling
the ayes and nays is still followed, con-
suming a great portion of the session.
An extra session will probably be
called early in April. 1t is said that
the Democrats desire to avoid an extta
session on political grounds, but appre-
tensions are perhaps exaggerated, aud
it is time legislators should rise above
mere party expediency and do their
duty without fear. In the end this
would prove to be the broadcast and
highest expediency.
It will be remembered that eight
years ago the petty Michigan accident
who occupied the Vice Presidents seat
in the Senate, assumed that he was the
proper person to declare who was the
President of the United States.
Worked by Zach Chandler, John Sher-
man, Morton, and other desperate CON
spirators, this puppet had much to do
in making the deplorable makeshift of
she electoral commission possible. will
mention that his name was Ferry, for
perhaps the reader has forgotten his
name, as has the world his existence.
Senator Edmunds, the present Vice
q
nouncement Of the " appearance" of the
returns is political denial of the au-
thority claimed by all republicans, Mr..
Edmunds among them, Then, in 1875
Mr.. Edmunds was ready, by any means,
as he afterwards showed, when mem
Der of the court which made Hayes
President, to perpetuate the rule of his
party. This man is a profound and
able lawyer, but he is as conscienceless
and as cunning as James G. Blaine.
1t looks now as if Mr., Thurman will
be member of the Cabinet of Presi-
dent Cleveland. He>is earnestly urged
by influential Democrats throughout
the country. Senator PendletOn does
not want Cabinet portfolio, but asks
that Mr.. Thurman may be appointed.
The objection has been made that ne IS
too old, but he is younger than Giad-
stone, Bismarck, or Moltke.
He is abIest among the able. No man
is better equipped for the portfolios. OF
State, Finance, Justice or the Interior.
1t is no disparagement of others to say
that he is the most profound lawyer
that has been in public life since the
war he is thoroughly posted in home
and foreign questions. While mem-
ber of the Senate he exercised without
arrogance, and through voluntary
recognition of his superiority, the func-
,tions of leader and counselor to the
Democratic side. There were able
Democratic Senators around him, there
were Lamar, Beck, Vest, Mcdonald,
Pendleton, Vorhees, Hill, Morgan and
others who might have led, had they