Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-01-02
OUR WASHINGTON LRTTER.
Washington, d, c., Dec, "a.

Washington, d, G., Dec, "a.
Congress has laboted for three
weeks, and like the mountain, has
brought forth a mouse, the only
measure agreed upon aud receiving
the signature of the President being
the bill fixing the Inauguration. of
the Washington Monument on Sat
urlay, February 81, instead of Sun
day, the 22nd. An adjournment
has taken place until January 5,
so that it may be stated that FIVE
weeks have been spent for nothing.
There are many important meas
ures that demand attention, but the
Two Houses seem to prefer to fight
over those that will not, become
laws, than to act upon those that
there is a possibility and necessity
for passing. The Senate has wasted
nearly three weeks on the bill to
admit Dakota as a State, when it is
positively known that the House
will not pass it. The House has de-
voted three weeks to the Reagan
Interstate Commerce Bill, and is
still laboring over it, when it is e.
qually clear that the Senate will not
pass it. Both Houses are at dead
lock over the Naval Appropriation
Bill, the Senate Justly demanding
an increase of the Navy, and the
House refusing a dollar for that
purpose until after the Inaugural
ton of President-elect Cleveland.
While the two Houses are thus
antagonizing each other, every
branch of trade in the country is
langsishiag, labor is becoming fe-
verish and excited, while manufac-
tories are being closed, ard a gene
raj feeling of unrest is being mani
tested throughout the country.
The bitter fight commenced one
year ago on the railroads, that was
to restore hundreds of millions of
acres of land to the public domain,
has been Suddenly lost sight of, and
patriotic statesmen who pledged
their constituents to see that all de-
faulting roads should be made to
restore to the Government lands
not properly earned, seem now to
content themselves in having declar-
ed forfeited the lands granted to
roads that have never claimed them.
The Spanish Cuban treaty, that
has stagnsted the sugar and other
industries, lies Enacted upon, aud
the Nicaragua treaty.. that is to
open up to the world highway
from ocean to ocean, has not, been
ratified. Over this treaty England
and other European governments
are showing their teeth, and Con
gress knowing our utter inability
to cope with them upon the seas. or
even to dcfead our sea coast, fritters
away precious time, fighting over
virtual distractions We unveil
statues to oar departed great naval
heroes, and send other great naval
heroes down to the sea in tubs.
A nation of 10000, zoe people,
and sea coast of more than 10, 900
miles, we have not defcnces along
that ccast that could resist the at
tack of the armored vessels of either
England. France, Germany Or Italy,
nor Navy sufficient to overcome two
vessels that might be selected from
the Navy of either nation. The
tpeopls are crying, " How long, oh
Lord, how long. !" and Congress liz
crying Hold on."' How long the
people are to hold on their thigh
Mightincsses do not deign to say =;
but the demand has been made fol
the last fifteen years for the strength
ening of our coast defences and the
rebuilding of our Navy, and. with
S4oo, 100000 in the vaults, of tn,
Treasury virtually nothing has beer
done. ."' ~s
Washington is just now under
going all the rigors of an old fash
toned winter The streets are GOV
cred with snow, the side. walks Will
I ice and sleet, and the trees are re
splcndeAt with their icy hangings
The poor look cold, shivefing am
; respondent, while the plumbers pu
|, on look of ineffable scorn and tn,
r strut of millionairea. The rich rid
e by in sleds and eAaises while tn,