San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-07-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
WARRINGTON. July 10, 1886,

summer. Those who know best fix
tho date OF adjournment ms the 10th
OF August But II is understood
that there will be nc agreement as TO
fixed time OF adjournment until the
actual day, the reason OF this being
that when n resolution declaring a
certain day for adjournment is agreed
10 in advance, the last six days OF th o
session are made suspension of-rule
days. At such times some OF the
worst "jobs" over known in the his
tory Of Congress have been passed
Tho "jobs" arc anxiously awaiting
this harvest time. Every job that
has been knocking at the doors OF
Congress this session has fastened
it's 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 tho last days OF the session. II
they succeed, think Of the disap-
pointments and blasted hopes that
will fall Mt the heels Of the Forty.
Ninth Congress. Even should this
session be marked in no other way
than with n defense of the National
Treasury, it would have an honored
place in the nations history.
But there are other ways in which
tho present session is remarkable.
II tho 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 consid.
cred and reported to the House over
300 bills during this first session.
In both sessions of the Forty Eighth
Congress only 2,G96 bills were thus
acted on. The food of bills that has
been poured upon the present Con-
gress is also unprecedented, over
10000 having been introduced into
the House alone
After repeated attempts and fail
ures, the House has succeeded in
passing one little private pension bill
over the Presidents veto Speaking
of adjournment, it is probable that
the last days of the session will be
involved'in a heated political debate
at the Senate end of the Capitol. The
Senate is expected to pass resolu
ton for the printing OF Presidential
veto messages from the organization
of Congress to the present duy.
They will probably be in the hands
of Senators within week. This is
tee prelude to 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
"veto material" for rs
such he characterized the River and
Harbor bill. The length of time the
Senate consumed in pottering over
this measure made him think the Sen
ate seemed more anxious for the grab
than the House. snow" continued
he, 'if the President secs fit to veto
the measure, no power can prevail
upon Congress to pass the bill over
his opposition" Representative
Hatch. also of Missouri, and one of
Oleomargarine's bitterest foes, has
said that he strained his conscience
in voting for the River and Harbor
bill when it first passed the House,
and that lie will not do it a second
time.
Congress has voted to reduce the
mileage of army officers from 8 cents
to 4 cents a mile. That is about
twice what it costs them to travel.
But the allowance of congressman is
still 20 cents q mile, the same as in
the stage coach era. The clamor "On
what basis of right or reason is this?"
has failed, so far, in impressing Con-
gress with the necessity of doing
something for itself in this respect.
For short distances 20 cents mile
does not amount to much, but on
long distances it counts up to almost
criminal extravaganza.
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 al
lows Congressman $1,000 and up
wards, and thus he is allowed to make
from 5000 to $1,000 on a two weeks
run. The New York members are
allowed SAG each to come here and
go home from Washington, and the
Chicago Congressman get S170 each
way and travel on passes.
The gayest legislator at the Capt.
tol, if asked to present q bill for his
personal expenses, when not travel
ing officially, would not dare to run
the figures up to the present legal al
lowance. If he should it would be
likely to cost him his seat in Congress
as soon as the people of his district
learned the fact. A fair mileage rate,
actual necessary expenses, would
probably not be objected to from any
quarter; but the 20 cent rate is an in
excusable extravaganza. Democratic
economy is permeating every branch
of the Governments service, how
ver,with q slow, but sure and steady,
purpose. Sooner or later it will
reach and remove this outgrowth of
4. 1 e