Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-03-27
wAsH1NcroN r
Funeral Ponies = Inauguration
Day-Phe .Psapers" Question.

nAV-tU0 VuSoG4OAs
snocial Co,fespondenccof the ISrEE-ocr.I,l
WASHINGTON March l9.-Witlin a
week congress had two opportunities to
s,,pprcss a custom that has been criti-
ciscd by the whole country. I refer to
the custom of junkcting funeral xcur-
sions whenever o senator Or representa-.
tive happens TO die. 1t is ono against
which public sentiment has long. mani.
tested itself. Yet the junketing goes
on. 1t is estimated that the expense of
transporting the remains of Senator
Miller to California by special train and
sending with it a congressional commit
tee, which will return in the same way,
will be $4,000. The expense of the fu.
neral train and committee that have
gone with the deceased Representative
Hahn to New Orleans, will cost at least
half that amount. One member of con.
gress has had the courage to declare
himself against lis scnsclcss way of
spending the peoples money. 1t was
Mr.. Oates, u one armed Democrat from
Alabama. lie offered a resolution to
amend the house rules so as to prohibit
the appointment of funeral committees
to accompany the dead bodies of men,
bers beyond the limits Of Washington
city. Iii should be adopted then the
proposed plan Of combining the delivery
of eulogies over the deceased members
to special Sunday sessions would be the
noxt in order. Its carrying the matter
further than either duty or good
taste demands to lay aside the nations
business for a whole day when a men,
ber's death is announced, and for an
other whole day to honor his memory
with p%anegyric oratory. No patriotic
member OF either house of congress
would wish to have his demise stop pub.
lie business or desire ajunkcting expe.
dition to celebrate it.
Death has been busy in the Forty.
ninth congress, having taken already
two Republican and two Democratic
members from the lower house, and
from the senate, II Republican senator
and a Democratic vice-president. The
sudden death of Ex-Governor Hahn. OF
Louisiana, a prominent Republican con-
gresham from that state, was ascribed
to the bursting Of u blood vessel from
violent coughing. In his private parlor
at Wizards hotel he was found out.
stretched on the floor. l~ifeless, attired
inhis night robe and covered with blood.
Among other changes proposed in con
gress is n substituting the 18th of
April for Inauguration day in place Of
the 4,h Of March. 1t is held that the
latter day, which was selected by the
continental congress for the installation
of the new government, now causes pub:
lie Inconvenience by curtailing and linn
iting the second session OF every con-
gress.. The first president was %inaugur,
ated on the 18th Of April and it is pro-
posed that the Tooth anniversary of the
Inauguration of George Washington be
commemoratcd by the Inauguration Of
his successor in 1889 upon the same day
and that this shall be :hc day hereafter
for the beginning of successive admins.
trations.
Interest in the senate debate on the
"papcrs" question had tagged this week
until II sharp tilt occurred between Sen
ators Beck, Of Kentucky, and Edmunds,
Of Vermont, which gave new life TO it.
Mr.. Edmunis accused Mr.. Beck Of be-
trayins senate secrets by alluding to the
Duskin case in open session, and a qucs.
ton Of honor wa finally raised between
these two senators. Even the Washing.
ton idlcrs had begun to consider the de.
bate a bore, and the senate galleries
We're comparatively empty on Tuesday
when Senator Collum took the floor to
reinforce Mr.. Edlnunds. The Illinois
senator read his speech from beginning
to end, and received but little interested
attention. No new points were brought
out, the line of argument followed being
that hitherto presented by Mr.. Ed
munds. Senator Maxey, Of Texas, who
followed on the Democratic side, held
that the object of the present fight wa
to keep Republican office holders in
possession Of their places, even agains,
the will Of the administration and of the
people who nut the administration ir
power.
The president affords but little mater
ial for GOSSIP in his ceascless application
to his duties. lie continues TO find
time, however, to come down into the
east oom for a few minutes three times
4 week and shake hands with the people
who have gathered there for that pur-
pose. Among the cards left at the white
house today was the following: 81. T.
Newman. I have been voting for Dem.
ocratic presidents for forty-eight years.
l would like to see one before l die
lie was accorded a special interview.
Tho president continues to dine con
gress in sections. Last evening forty
one senators were invited. They were
seated at the tablesin the alternate orde,
ofDemocrat and Republican. The state
parlors were brilliantly lighted, but there
were no blowers, no music,and no women