The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-07-23
WASHINGTON LETTER
tFrom our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, ID. c., July 90, Is

NAshiNuioNs ~ Va uuly ~, lCCu.
Congress is lingering long this sum.
mer. Those who know best fix the
date of adjournment as the 10th Of
August. But it is understood that
there will he no agreement as to a fix
ed time of adjournment until the actual
day the reason of this being that when
resolution declaring a certain day for
adjournment is agreed to in advance,
the last six days of the session are
made suspenslon-of-rule days. AT such
times some of the worst "jobs" ever
known in the history of Congress have
been passed. The ''jobs" are anxious.
ly awaiting this harvest time. Every
job that has been knocking at the doors
of Congress this session has fastened
its hope upon this annual period when
the unlocking of the Treasury vaults is
declared.
Messrs. Randall and Morrison are
credited with this plan to prevent
"jobs" getting through in the hurry Of
the last days of the session. If they
succeed, think of the disappointments
and blasted hopes that will fall at the
heels of the Forty-Ninth Congress.
Even should this session be marked in
no other way than with a defense of
the National Treasury, it would have
an honored place in the nations his,
tory.
But there are other ways in which
the present session is remarkable. Ii
the House itself has not completed all
the legislation that was hoped for. the
committees have done more work by
far than the committees of any previous
House. They have considered and re-
ported to the House over 3,lOO bills,
during this first session. In both
sessions of the Forty-Eighth Congress,
only 1906 bills We're thus acted on
The flood of bills that has been pour.
ed upon the present Congress is also
unprecedented, over 10000 having
been introduced into the House alone
After repeated attempts and failures
the House has succeeded in passing one
little private pension bill over the
Presidents veto. Speaking of adjourn
ment, it is probable that the last days
of the session will be involved in 6
heated political debate at the Senate
end Of the Capitol. The Senate is ex.
pected to pass resolution for the
printing of Presidential veto messages
from the organization of Congress tc
the present day. They will probably
be in the hands of Senators within a
week. This is the prelude to a fight.
referring to the prospects for ad
journment, Representative Bland, the
silver man of Missouri, declared that
the Senate was moving even more
slowly than the House in furnishing
prospective "veto material" for as
such he characterized the River and
Harbor bill. The length of time the
Seuate consumed in pottering over
this measure made him think the SEN
ate seemed more anxious for the grail
than the House. "Now," continued
he, ''if the President sees fit 10 veto the
measure, no power can prevail upon
Congress to pass the bill over his
opposition" Representative Hatch
also of Missouri, and one of Oleomar,
garine's bitterest foes, has said that
he strained his conscience in voting for
the River and Harbor bill when it frs
passed the House, and that he will not
do it second time.
Congress has voted to reduce the
mileage of army officers from cent.
to 4 cents a mile. That is abou,
twice what it costs them TO travel. But
the allowance of Congressman is still
20 cents mile, the same as in the
stage coach era. The clamor "Qn wha,
basis of right or reason is this 7" has
failed, SO far, in imprcssing Congress
with the necessity of doing something
for itself in this respect. For shorl
distances, 20 cents mile does moi
amount to much, but on long distances
it counts up to almost criminal extrav
agance.
Take, for instance, the trip to the
Pacific slope. The entire expense both
ways for one person need not exceed
$500, including the best of everything
Yet the Government allows Congress
man $1,000 and upwards, and thus he
is allowed to make from 5000 to 81 200
on two weeks run. The New York
members are allowed SAC each to come
here aud GO home from Washington,
aud the Chicago Congressman get $40
each way, and travel on passes.
The gayest legislator at the Capital,
II asked to present bill for his per
sonal expenses, when not travelling
officially, would not dare to run the
figures up to the present legal allow
ance. If he should, it would be likely
TO cost him his seat in Congress as
soon as the people of his district learn
ed the fact. A fair mileage rate, ac.
tual necessary expenses, would prob
ably not be objected to from any
quarter but the 20 cent rate is all in
excusable extravaganza. Democratic
economy is permeating every branch
OF the Governments service, however,
with slow, but sure and steady pur-
pose. Sooner or later it will reach and
remove this outgrowth of long period