Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-03-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.


change from gay to penitential in the
social world is complete. The weary
belle and her equally weary chaperone
90 TO church Of mornings, and retire at
midnight, if they feel so inclined. 1t
is not likely that the present stagnation
in social circles viii continue during
the whole forty days Of Lent, but the
+ high pressure under which fashionable
life has existed for the past few weeks,
will not be reached again this spring.
Mrs. Whitney, who entertained like a
/ princess during the winter, az an ez-
/ pense Of $1,000 q week, has gone to
Florida for q few weeks.
The very beginning Of the season just
closed was draped in mourning, and
the closing days found IN u. S. Sena-
tor lying dead in the city. Notwith-
standing the Vice Presidents death and
the sad bereavement in the family of
the Secretary Of State, entertainments
at the White House have been on a
scale Of magnifcence not exceeded by
( General Arthur, who was said to have
a genius for elegant hospitality.
/ There have been many elaborate and
and notable events outside the prsideu-
/ tial and cabinet entertainments. There
/ have been hundreds of teas, scores Of
/ dinners Of exquisite success and the af-
/ fernoon receptions haYe simply been
/ legion in number. The Attorney Cen
eraI, who viii not wear a swolloW tail
coat, is the only cabinet officer who
/ has held aloof from social friVolities.
/ The tendencies Of social life in Wash
ington have long been Of q character to
make thoughtful and pious people
/ grieve. Wealth has brought display
and the transient, cosmopolitan charac-
ter Of the population has a pernicious
influence on the general morality. A
large proportion of those who sojOurn
in this city are in a certain sense free
from moral restraint. They have not
I the conservative, religious influence Of
home and in a greater or less degree
exhibit in their lives the free and easy
instability Of morals peculiar to al
nomads.
It has occurred to your correspond
ent that these and other features of so
cial life at the fountain of political life
should not be ignored, but known and
studied by the very large and powerful
class Of Christian voters throughout the
land. These have it in their power to
purify by their ballots, not only the
sources Of legislation and administration
but, through these, the society, which,
to q certain extent, is giving tone and
color to our hole social system. 1t is
estimated that the expense OF transport
ing Senator NIiler's body to California
on a special train, and sending with it
n committee who viii return by the
same method, viii be $4,000. some
capital gossipers think it is strange
that only one Senator could be prevail
ed upon to 90 to San Franci=co to at
tend Senator Ailler's funeral 1t is
thought that the political fight with the
President kept the Senators here. The
Democrats cannot possibly be spared,
and the Republicans are thinking that
they may need all their forces before
the fight is over.
As soon as the death Of Senator Mil
Ter was announced, his colleague, Sen
at)r Stanford, undertook to assist the
Sergeant at Arms Of the Senate in get
ting up a Senatorial committee to cs-
eOrt the remains to California. At first
Senator Stanford had no difficulty in
finding a sufficient number of his asso-
ciates who were willing to serve, but
later on they came to him one by one
and submitted numerous reasons why
they could not leave Washington at
this time. For two or three days Mr..
Stanford labored industriously to make
mp the committee, but finally gave it
up, leaving the matter in hands of the
sergeant at arms. Almost the same
difficulty was encountered in makingup
The House committee. There were
several members who were exceeding
~ anxious to make the trip to Califor-
MA but speaker Carlisle did not seem
disposed to grant theirrequests. There
is a general opinion among congress
men that the custom Of sending com
mittees to escort the remains. Of deceas.
ed members to their last resting place
should be abolished.
The Senate is INDUCING IN that great,
long heraided question, s'Whar are Of
fetal papers?" and how to get hold of
them. The senators on both sides OF
the chamber are making some good
speeches, but all they say is really Of
little consequence to the country.
In the House of Representatives, o
lew days since, Congressman Weaver,
of Nebraska, offered the following PFC
amble and resolution which was greet
ed with applause:
Whereas nearly every Congress en-
braces at least one crank; and whereas
the present Congress is no exception to
this rule; and whereas it should not be
in the power Of an idiot, insane man or
crank to prevent the consideration Of
any measure, therefore
Resolved, that the rules Of the House
be so amended thar it shall require at
least two members to object to the con-
sideration of bill. The resolution was
opposed on the ground tina it was dis
respectful to the House.
Last December Postmaster General