Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-01-15

celcOfdtlOA VI AAc uoy' HoHio o"ASo
of the bill, which has for it's main obs
ject The prevention of unjust discrlmi-
mating by railroads in hauling freight,
are sharply criticised. Although the
Senate is now dealing with the same
subject, the bill is not expected to be-
come law this session.
1t is by no meals an uncomon thing
for either the Senate or the House Of
Representatives to make itself ridicu-
lous, but the Senate distinguished itself
in that way the other day. 1t decided
not to let the public have official nfor-
nation that it had received unoficially
several weeks before. 1t locked its
doors and had spirited quarrel about
keeping secret treaty already pub
ished. The secretive Senators were SO
closely pressed by their open-mouthed
friends that they rejoined in terms
suited only to the privacy of an execu-
tive session. The President of the Sem
ate, Mr.. Edmunds, was so badgered by
the advoctes Of open sessions, that he
was betrayed into utterances he prob
ably would have avoided in calmer
moments. When he admitted that the
country might not be ruined if COM
mercial treaties were discussed in pub
lie. his opponents felt that they had
scored success. The Senatorial de.
bate of the Nicaraguan treaty bids fair
to be very long one. Every Senator
will want to make one speech, and
some will insist on talking half doz.
en- times. AS so many measues must be
disposed OF before the 4th Of March, the
treaty is likely to go over to the Forty
Ninth Congress.
The private secretary of President
elect Cleveland has been in the city
this week. lie came to secure house
for himself and to make some inquiries
about the White House for the gentle
man who is to occupy it in March. He
was presented to President Arthur,
whom he met during the exciting Sen.
atoral contest of 1881 at Albany, was
shown about the Mansion, and intro
duced to the clerks of the Executive
Office. The latter had been awaiting
his arrival with restrained concern.
In his travels through the city he en-
joyed the pleasure of being unknown,
and so was not stopped by office-seek-
ers, friends or interviewers Speaking
of the Inauguration he remarked that
while Gov. Cleveland was averse to os-
tentatious parade, he also realized that
studied simplicity might appear like
afectation. Therefore the Diet ais Ct
the ceremonies were left entirely to
the judgment of the committee.
The winters session Of Congress
may be said to have now begun, for
the December term was as barren 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, ignoring all private
and special legislation, there are at
least fifty important matters of CON-
mon concern awaiting action. Orthe
time lett, half will be necessarily oc-
cupied over appropriation bills, SO that
Congress cannot afford to waste an
hour. But it will waste good many
and the fifty important matters will
have to wait for a convenient season
that never comes
The Administration is undergoing
sharp questionin & reference to some Of
its doings in the development of new
American foreign policy. Last week
two notable resolutions ofinqulry were
introduced in the House of Represent
atives, 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 ac-
credited Mr.. Kasson, Minister to Ber
lin, and Mr.. Sanford who was once
Minister to Belgium, delegates to rep
resent the United States at Prince Bis
marck' Congo Conference; what was
his purpose in doing SO, if he did
accredit them; what the exact
nature of their authority was, and in