Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-12-19
WASHINGTON LETTER..
WASHINGTON, Dec. la, 1885.


two others have been in session here
during the week. One was a Con-
gress of doctors, who came to the
Capitol to discuss sanitary science.
The other was the workingman's
Congress, a gathering Of represen-
tatiyes from both the United States
and Canada. Washington is the
favorite rendezvous now, for all kinds
of organizations. With the parade
and demonstratiye meetings of the
Tradesmen's Union, the learned es-
says and lectures of the doctors, and
the universal interest that is felt in
our new, but perennial U. S. Con-
gress, the Capitol has had no dearth
of interest.
Washington is in a 6ourishing
condition now, as the banks Of the
city show, and they furnish a cor
rect guage of its business. Prom
inent bankers say their number of
new accounts opened recently is
larger than in any previous season.
An unusual number of wealthy peo-
pie are coming in, and bringing mon
ey to invest. The result is that
there is more money on deposit than
ever before.
But Department clerks this year
will have no money for Christmas
presents. This is a disappointment
to both the clerks and merchants.
1t is in consequence of a decision
of the disbursing clerks in the a
ious departments not to pay clerks
the day before Christmas as of old.
1t would involve paying them seven
days in advance under the present
custom of semimonthy payments.
The financial arrangements of many
having been made with the expecta-
ton that the old custom would be
adhered to, there is considerable
discomfort.
The law terbids an employee re-
ceiving his salary before services
are rendered. though lii the past,
| Secretaries have often ordered such
payments.
The Forty Ninth Congress begins
it's second week of the session with
ready for discussion in the Senate.
In the House the absorbing question
still, is how tc changs the rules. The
Morrison code, which proposes a
distribution of the powers of the APP
preparations committee, has been
adopted in committee and was re.
ported to the House today. Debate
upon this plan will begin at once.
Mr.. Randall antagonized every
change to the old rules suggested in
committee and gave notice that he
would carry his opposition to the
House. He thought such important
changes should be considered by a
Democratic caucus, and asked that
one be called. Speaker Carlisle was
OF the opinion that it was not a party
question and ought not to be made
one, since there Is great diversity OF
opinion upon the subject in both
parties.
Senators are watching develop
ments with regard to IL change of
rules in the House with much inter
est. Many of them think the prop
osition to distribute the Appropri-
alton bills among several committees
an unwise step. and one likely to
lead to great extravaganza. The
members of the Senate committee
on Rules, all Of whom are exper-
fenced parliamentarians, and sever
al of whom had a training in the
Lower House, are unanimous in this
opinion.
Republican Senators considered
in aucus the general course Of act.
ion to be pursued In regard to Presi.
dent Cleveland's nominations. Their |
inclination is to treat the President
generously, but at the same time
they propose to exercise a wise dis
crlmlnatlon in reference to confirm
atoms. In some cases better reas-
ons fer displacing good officials will
be required before confirmation will
be granted to their successors.
Several Senators questioned in
the caucus the Presidents good faith
IN seeking adv ice from Republican
Senators concerning Objectionable
appointments. A certain Senator
related a visit of his own to the
White House for the purpose of pro-
testing against an appointment Mr..
Cleveland was about to make. He
showed hal the man who was named
for the place had been indicted and
found guilty of violating the reven-
ne laws. He said he showed tle
transcripts of the record in both
cases, but the man got the appoint
ment all the same.
Several hundred of tile Presidents
nominations have been sent to the