Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1886-06-17
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, June IA, 1S

WASHINGTON, June IA, 1886.
During the debate last week on the
Legislative, executive, and judicial ap
preparation bill, there were some very
strong expressions of opinion both for
and against the civil service law. 1t is
evident that the Democrats are anxious
to do away with il, as it's faithful OBJ
servance will effectually debar them
from office. Still, it is conceded by all
that the strongest hold President
Cleveland has upon the country comes
from his apparent observance of the
provisions of the law, and if the Demo
Gratis succeed in repeating it they will
seal the doom of their party.
The President on Saturday received
from the Committees on Enrolled Bills
of the Senate and House, one hundred
and thirty-four bills that were passed
by Congress while he was away on his
all within the next ten days. As two
Sundays intervene, and it must be as
sumed that the President of the United
States observes the commandments.
he will have breathing spells, but will
have to do up at least thirteen bills
and four-tenths per day in order to get
through with them. Nearly all are
pension bills, but he is in the habit of
examining these as closely as any other,
and will probably veto several of them,
as they are open to the same objection
that he has raised to others Among
the measures now in his hand are bills
granting pensions to the widows of the
late General Godfrey Weitzel, and Col.
Farquhar, of the Engineer Corps. Mrs.
Farquhar is the daughter of the late
General Alpheus Williams, at one time
a member of Congress from Detroit.
This promises to an eventful week
in Congress. Each branch of the
National Legislature will be called
upon to decide the momentous ques-
tion-the Senate whether it really
means to forfeit some of the valuable
land grants, and the House whether
the tariff shall be debated. The pro-
ceeding in the House will attract most
attention.
Personal and political debates, as
lively as those which characterized the
proceeding of the House last week, an
incidental effect of which will be to
secure increased attendance of mem
af
vealed the absence of $40 members, but
strong efforts are being made to secure
| full House when Mr. Morrison moves
to take up the tariff bill.
In the Senate the Northern Pacific
forfeiture bill is the unfinished business
and is to be taken up to-day. When it
is disposed of, the bill to repeal the
timber culture and desert land acts will
be taken up Following that it is ex-
pected that a subsidy debate will take
place upon the report of the disagree
ment of conferees upon the post office
appropriation bill. The committee on
appropriations expect to report the
pension and military academy bills
early in the week, but may not press
them to consideration at once.
Five of the annual appropriation
bills, namely, the District of Columbia,
post office, consular and diplomatic,
agriculture, and army have passed
both Houses, and await the action of
conference committee: three, the pen
sions, military academy, and river and
harbor, are in the hands of the Senate
Committee; and five, the legislative,
naval sundry civil, Notifications, and
general deficiency have not yet been
passed by the House. Only one, the
Indian bill, has reached the President
As a matter of great interest to
many, attention has been called to
a movement likely to be made to create
bureau for the purchase of supplies
of general character which are alike
needed by all the departments and
bureaus of the Government. AT pres
ent these supplies are purchased as
needed by the several bureaus or de-
partments for their own use, and are
largely furnished by District bidders.
| The advocates of the change in the
present method say that if all the sup
plies-such as coal, wood, ice, sta
tionery, carpets, furniture, and the
hundreds of other articles required by
the GOvernIuent-Were purchased by
one bureau of supplies, they could be
purchased more cheaply, because OF
the large quantities aggregated IN one
/ bid. They also say that in case all
supplies were purchased by one bu-
reau, bids would be more largely
made by producers and manufacturers,
and that the cost would be less, be-
cause the profit of the middlemen
would be chopped off.
There is special committee of Dem
ocrats of the House to arrange pro-
Nf n