The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-12-25
washington letter.
rrom anr regnlar eorrospondsnt.l
wAsHlxeroN, Dec. 18th. 1889.


WAsHINGToN, Dee 18th, 1885.
Washington has already assumed hol-
iday appearance. The stores and shop
windows never presented more attractive
displays and on the business streets
crowds of promenaders and shoppers make
a scene full of color and spirit. Christmas
purchases occupy the minds and take much
of the time of a large portion of the COM
munity. Many people are wise enough to
follow the advice of the merchants in buy
ing early, thus avoiding the great rush and
having at the same time the benefit of
selection from complete assortmcnts. This
activity will 60 on and increase, until it
reaches its climax the night before Christ
mas.
Capitol Hill, too, has been made lively
during the week by the peoples Reprcsen-
tativcs, although the Senate has given it
self to little else than temperance debate
and the Presidential succession bill, which
it passed. while the house has been confined
to the seemingly dun subject Of a new code
of rules. Startling revelations were made
regarding whisky in the Senate committee
rooms. however. and in the House, Mr..
Randall The Chairman of the powerful
appropriations committee was sharply at
tackled because Of his unwilingncss to
have his own wings clipped
As | have probably mentioned before,
all the less fortunate members of Congress
are more or less cnvious of the fifteen men
who compose the Committee on Appropri-
atoms. All Congressman are anxious to
make appropriations, and large majority
| of them favor that feature of the new code
of rules which distributes the Appropria-
ton bills among different committees.
Mr. Randall holds that such Il DISPOSE
ton OF his bills would lead to unparalleled
corruption and extravaganza, something
that las never been charged upon his com
mittee. But members talk about the pros
porous growth Of the country, and argue
that the appropriations should keep pace
with it, They also talk about individual
honesty and capacity. They say, why
should fifteen men assume all the honesty
and economy in the House %
This discussion of the rules will most
| likely consume the entire week, if not a
longer time, and, though the new code
may not pass in its present shape, it will
probably be adopted with amendments.
| Those who want to get on the several
| 4 ions anpaT1ittaaS will vptn f'o,
| it: those W ho favor some other propositions
involved in ii, viii vote for it: those who
want to beat Mr.. Randall will vote for it,
and those who want some change and don't
know just what it is. Will vote for it. This
category includes majority of the House.
During this discussion Mr. Randall has
received some very hard personal thrusts
regarding his official course and the man
agement of the peoples money. On more
than one occasion he was tempted to lose
his temper, than which there is nothing
statesman can so i'll afford to be without.
In debate, he mentioned that notwith-
standing the fact that President Arthur
had declared in his message against it, the
Committee on Rivers and IIarbors in the
Forty-sevcnth Congress had large appro-
priation made An excited Republican
member sprang TO his feet at this point,
and declared that ii was the most iniudi-
cious and uncallod for act of eX-Presidcnt
Arthur's administration. My four Re
publican colleagues and myself, said he,
voted for that appropriation, and we came
back to the House. ''Wcll, replied
Mr. Randall Il voted against it, and be-
lievc l. too, came back t" this House.
IN the Senate, Prohibition was sprung
| oy the proposition to prohibit the sale, eN-
hlbHlon. or use OF liquors III the Capitol
restaurants. 1t led to an animated and
rather iarcical discussion oi temperance,
i9c' H"Aea' '''"lN"'lIE' h"hdersoh anu