The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-02-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
PROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, Feb'y. II. 1885.

L
WASHINGTON, Feb'y. II, 1885.
Congress for the past week has been
the football of obstructive, dilatory and
mischievous cranks. Appropriation
bills and other important if not ndis-
pensable legislation have been delayed
and an extra session seems very proba-
BILE. Well, who cares Let an extra
session be called. A member of Con-
gress is paid $4,000 year and whether
he legislates in Washington or vege-
tates in his rural home, he draws lis
pay all the same. We pay Congress
to make laws. 1t is desperately diff
cult to keep them down to their work.
They are wretched shirks; they seldom
pull together except on motion to ad
journ, but since they are paid so much
per year let their alleged work be con-
tinuous 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 bis wife. II these
wholesome rules were enforced there
would be less absenteeism, less skip
ping around the corner, less solitary
and informal adjournment to the res
taurants in the basement of the Capt.
tol. The fact is, that the people are
too easy and lenient with those who,
with vaunting hypocriey, call them
selves "public servants. These depu-
tized legislative employees, to speak it
mildly, are many of them bummers and
loafers, interested chiefly in their pri-
vate ambitions and pleasures, and ut
terly Indifferent to, or ignorant of, the
needs of the great interests which
they are sent to represent. Congress-
is not up with the times. 1t is not at
all progressive. So far as l know par
liamentary methods and procedure are
not much better now than when Rome
was Republic 1000 years ago. A
plan has been devised to call the roll
by electricity, and thus register instan-
taneously the vote of every member,
but 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 extra
session on political grounds, but appre-
tensions are perhaps exaggerated, and
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 broadest and
highest expediency.
1t will be remembered that eight
years ago the petty Michigan accident
who occupied the Vice Presidents seat
la the Senate, assumed that he was the
proper person to declare who was Pres
ident of the United States. Worked
by Zach Chandler, John Sherman,
Morton, and other desperate conspira-
tors, this puppet had much to do in
making the deplorable makeshift of the
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
Presidents recent much discussed an
nouncemeDt of the appearance" of the
returns is political denial of the au-
thority claimed by all republicans, Mr.
Edmunds among them, then in 1876
Mr.. Edmunds was ready, by any means,
as he afterward showed, when mem
Der of the court which made Hayes
President, to perpetuate the rule of his
party. This man is profound and
able lawyer, but he is as conscience
less 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 urg.
ed by influential democrats throughout
the country. Senator Pen lleton does
not want Cabinet portfolio, but asks
that Mr.. Thurman may be appointed.
The objection has been made that he is
100 old, but he is younger than Glad
'tone, Bismarck or Moltke.
He is the ablest among the able. No
man is better equipped for the portfo-
los of State, Finance, Justice or the
Interior. 1t is nc disparagement of
others to say that he is the most pro
'ound lawyer that has been in public
ife since the war he is thoroughly
,osted in home and foreign questions.
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