Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1885-01-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Ian. I7,h, 1884.

said to have now begun, for the Decem-
Der term was as barred Of legislation as
ever, in spite Of brave promises. There
are now about fifty working days left,
and it is not too much to say that, ig-
noring all private and special legisla-
ton, there are at least fifty important
matters of common concern awaiting
action. OF the time left, half will be
necessarily occupied over appropriation
bills, so that Congress cannot afford to
waste an hour. But it will waste a good
many; and the fifty important matters
season that never comes.
The Administration is undergoing
sharp questioning in reference to some
of its doings in the development of
new American foreign policy. Last
week two notable resolutions Of inquiry
were introduced in the House of Rep
resentatives, one by Mr.. Herbert, of
Alabama, the other by Mr.. Belmont, Of
New York. The inquiry in substance
was the same in both. They requested
the President to inform Congress if he
| accredited DIR. KaSsen, Minister to Ber.
lin, and Mr.. Sanford, who was once
Minister to Belgium, delegates to repre-
sent the United States at Prince Bis
marck's Congo Conference; what was
his purpose in doing SO, if he did ac-
credit them; what the exact nature of
their authority was, and in fact, what
business OF interest the America Repub.
lie had any way in an European congress
the avowed purpose Of which was TO
create new STATE under continental
government on the African Continent TO
be ruled by king.
The inquiry IN the House is timely.
| The American people want TO know
what they are being let in FOR. What
with the Mexican, The Dominican,
Spanish, and The N,cafasuan Treaty We
are in danger Of biting etf more than
we can chew. W. had better see
where we are likely 10 bring up in all
this reaching forth fof foreign compiica-
tols. wiki Navy that ; The laugl :
ing stock OF The world, We are in a NICE
tx to he stepping on peoples coat-talls
and hunting up a hght. France mas
planted $4,000 men on the lsthmus,
who Capt. bedford PIN, Of her Majes-
ty's Navy, who is now in Washington,
is reported TO say could be mobl!ized
into Two armys corps in a fortnight 5
time. Germany is growing omlnously
at our friend and ally, Spain. England
is seriously thinking OF The feasibility Of
trying TO cut the ground from under our
feet IN the canal scheme by entering in
to an arrangement with Nicaragua which
will be pecuniarIly better for certain
enterprising and ingenious gentlemen Of
that republic than ours is. Some day a
real emergency will be upon US, and
then the rural idiot who believes that
the American flag on pole hois,ed
above TWO logs tied together and set
afoai is enough to make the eD'efe mon
arches tremble, will be calling on the
rocks and mountains to fall on him and
hide him from the wrath and scorn of
the people Of the great Republic.
Aprop05 Of the Nicaraguan question,
the Senate is giving Capt, Eads a great
deal 0! unnecessary trouble; they have
compelled him to shift his quarters and
his $40, 600 model of the gigantic ship
railway from the room of the committee
on naval affairs to the Butler building,
opposite the Capitol, which has been
rented for use as Senate committee
rooms, etc. 1t is true that Senate EN-.
ployes were made TO do the work Of
taking down his model Of the 1ehuan.
tepec ship railway, conveying it over to
the other building and putting it up
again. But sill it was putting the
gallant captain to a great deal of incon.
venlence, and was a piece of mere
thoughtlessness.
This generosity towards this particu,
lar Eads scheme opens up a perfectly
dazzling prospect TO The gentlemen Of
the vestibule OF the genus lobbyist.
No more cooling ot heels with the com
mon herd ont in the corridors! No
more rebufls from busy Congressman
who will not receive cards during the
session! No! Each and every scheme
for getting money out of the treasury
will be provided by Congress with fine
room, elegantly appointed and equipped
with a clerk or so, and a messenger or
two with laborers galore TO do the
heavy work, and all paid for out of the
public treasury No one who is not an
absolute porker could ask anything bet
ter than that.
From now till Lent there will be no
rest for society. The President an.
nounces his series of official receptions,
and fashionable people are following in
his footsteps with every species OF SO
cial gatherings. The President himself
is accepting one or two invitations out
to dinner each week, and General
Sheridan and Senator Hale have already
entertained him. In less than two