Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1885-12-18
Our Washington Letter.
WAslIlNGTcN. Dee. ID.

already pushing hS Postal Telegraph
THAT is. he has @iNeu notice that it
shall lot be smothered iii committee.
1t has never been customary to do much
work in the way of legislation before the
holidays. and this year is no exception.
The lluar Presidential Succession bill is
about the only thing that has GOT IA good
start. This OF course comes from the
vivid reminder that the country might
he left without Il head, winch contin-
gcncy WAS so tolciby impressed on
people 10y the death of Y ice President
Hendricks. The bill provides that the
succession. in case of the death of both
President. sllall fall ON members OF the
cabinet III order. thus providing that the
control of political affairs shall remain
III the hands of the dominant party
Talking With Il Western Senator to-day
he said that the bill would he one of the
first measures to pass the Senate. but he
feared from indications that il would get
lost in the House, as WAS the case last
session.
The Senate is already overwhelmed
with business, and will be till the APP
pointmcnts made 10y the President dul-
ing vacation are disposed of. Most of
the business of continuation is OF col,rce
formal. but as several Republican Soma
tors have their war paint on. no one can
tell how long the business will last.
The first caucus ON the subject revealed
considerable difference of opinion us To
what course to pursue, but as every
| Republican Senator has some personal
case of his own to he taken care of. a
common feeling exist. There can not
be amy Legislation i'm the House till tina,
body fixes on it's rules. This preliminary
| struggle will determine the whole course
of work for the rest of the session. \
wager of battle was Joined to-day ON the
report of Mr.. Carlisc's $ committee, made
after IL two days truce. in which the
ground has been well fought over. l
shall not try to predict the result.
Threefouitlls of the members are loaded
~.
When the debate has run along that far,
it may he possible to guess what the
outcome will be- or course most OF the
Congressman are guided With an eye
single to their own chances. BY spread
ing out tie work of the Committee on
Appropriations the Importance of other
committees will he increased Mean
time. Speaker Carlisle. by virtue of his
position, holds ,he Whip hand. and he
tavorS the changes.
We are going to laea decision which
will decide what Commissioner Sparks
decisions mean. They have been inter-
prctrd every way. and if the land office
really know what is meant it keeps that
information to itself. The western
congressman daily receive letters from
their constituents asking to be enligIlt-
ellcd, and they are taking measures to
get an ;ltthorltive expression from the
proper sources.
Congressman Jerry Murphy. of the
Davenport. Ia, district. better known
as ''Ilennepin" Murphy, is on the war-
path. Some of the people down east
think the llcnnerin canal is only a joke
and not to he considered seriously. AT
least they thought so up to a few days
ago. Now they don't as much as they
did. IN the jangle over house rules
and committee cllallmanships. they have
fonnd that the IIennepinners are COM
pactly organized and mean business
There was hint of their pulling togeth-
er to-day. which a few OF the insiders
saw. NO IIenncpin no River and IIar-
Dor appropriations is die war cry, and
the changes on it are rung with vigor
The latest survey made by the govern
ment engineers has just been received,
and as the route it marks out is some
millions Of dollars cheaper than any 9TH
ers heretofore surveyed, 1t will demand
attention.
The Dakota admission and division is
only worked up asyet by interested par
ties. but it is expected that the ''boom-
ers" will make very determined effort
to bring about some action in behalf Of
their d; siles. and if tl,ev are not too
much split up by local factions at home |
will be able to accomplish something of
Importance. TELEGRAPH.
Washington Notes.
The legislature of Virginia elected