New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-02-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, Feb. 5, 1886.

Washington, Feb. ., 1886.
The week in Congress has been an
interesting one though not marked by
any important legislation. Among its
salient features were debates in the
Senate on the admission of Dakota to
Statehood, obituary eloquence in both
houses. and wrangle in the lower
branch over the DETACHMENT of monu-
ments in the Norfolk Navy Yard.
The Hendricks obituaries developed
lanother orator in the Senate. It was
the new Republican Senator from Wis
consin, Mr.. Spooner. He is not at all
prepossessing in appearance, being un-
dersized and insignificant looking coun-
tenance, with angular features, di-
! sheveled hair, and sallow complexion.
But he is fluent, easy, and natural, and
possesses in marked degree all that
goes to make up the modern orator.
He made his maiden effort in the Senate
with the hardest of all subjects,an eulo-
gy. He skillfully threaded his way
past the pits of platitude and exagger-
| alton of ecomium, and he spoke with
| out embarrassment, dealing with his
| commonplace theme in common sense
! wav that charmed the entire Senate.
Half dozen other Senators paid tri-
butes to the late President, sever
al of whom eulogized him for his par
tisanship as if it were a virtue. 1t is
quite entertaining to hear U. S. Sena-
tors read funeral orations. On politi-
cal questions one knows pretty much
what each Senator will say, and on the
floor of the Senate one hears repeated.
though often in bad English and with
faulty elocution, the same arguments
that one has read again and again il,
the papers. But funeral Grafton is
out of the usual line. It is no easy
transition from finance, or internal i'm
| provements, or the Electoral Count
question, to elegiac oratory. Some
Senators, powerful in debate, and ready
in repartee, appear fiat and common
place in this unfamiliar role.
The Pan-Electric sensation continues
to grow. No publication has been
made for years which has attracted so
much attention or which has created
such wide spread comment. And it is
difficult to understand how the tele-
phone scandal can pass away without
compelling reconstruction of the Ca
binet, because Mr.. Garland, the Attor-
ney General, and Mr.. Lamar, the Sec
rotary of the Interior, are implicated
in it. It is one Of the greatest scandals
by which any member of any Presi-
dents Cabinet has ever been affected.
Since the President refuses the Sc
Mates late request for documents bear.
ing upon the official character of GER
tain removed Republicans, it is thought
that for some time, at least, no action
will be taken upon his nominations in
cases where persons succeed suspended
officials. RepublicanSenators concede the
right OF the President to remove whom.
soever he pleases, but they hold thatMr.
! Cleveland in his letter to Dorman B.
Eaton, and in his inaugural address,
gave up that right. He. stated that
public Office was public trust, and that
no one should be removed by him ex-
cept for cause. Republican Senators
who have had personal friends removed
on insufficient grounds could not be ex-
pected to vote for the confirmation of
their successors.
Congress is disposed to help the red
man along in the path towards self sup
port by liberal legislation. Nearly all
of the comprehensive Indian bills of
the present session aim to assign land
in severalty, and to empower the
Government to buy the surplus lands
Of the Indians at a generous price and
to invest the proceeds so that the vari-
GUS tribes will have large annual in
come from this source.
Senator Teller, of Colorado, remark
ed to the Senate a few days ago, that il
the Secretary of the Interior had been
empowered to take Indian boys and
girls and put them into manuel labor
schools, whether their parents were
willing or not, those children would
have constituted hostages, and would
have prevented further Indian wars.
he thought fifty Apache children plac.
ed in such schools would save the nation
millions Of dollars.
Senator Logan took this occasion tc
recall a proposition of his own make te
the Senate ten years ago, saying if the
Senate had agreed to it, there woulo
have been no Indian wars after thai