Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-13
WASHINGTON.
WHAT is GOING ON IN AND ABOUT
CONGRESS.
A Severe Blow TO the Blair Bill-Hcpes
Of Its .Friends-Workingmen
and Tariff.
From Our Regular Correspondent

From Our Regular Correspondeni.I
WASHINGTON, ID. c., March a.
The education bill met a severe defeat
at the meeting Of the Committee on
Education. The opponents Of the bill!
occupied two hours in talking against
proposition to hasten the bill into the
House, and finally carried. by a vote OF
seven to four, motion to postpone
consideration Of the bill until the third
Friday in April. This proposition
was recognized by all as hostile
to the bill, but the only members who
voted against it were Willis OF Ken
lucky, Whiting Of Massachusetts,,
O'Donnell Of Michigan, and Taylor OF
Ohio. All Of these are Republicans
except Mr.. Willis. After the meeting
Of the committee 0'Donnell said he
was very much discouraged, but the
friends of the bill hoped to get it be-
fore the House in spite Of the hostility
Of the committee.
WHAT TIE LABORING MEN SAY.
The laboring men from the rolling
mills Of Pittsburg, Cleveland, YOuugs-
town, and other points, who appeared
before the Ways and Means Committee
to-day, earnestly protested against the
portion of the Hewitt Morrison tariff
bill that affects the iron and coal inter-
ests. Some Of them were very good talk
ors, and all OF them spoke with direct
ness and bluntness that seemed to sur
prise the committee. They said they had
no fav0rs to ask, but come to demand
that the interests Of the wOrking-people
be treated with some consideration by
Congress. "Congressmen were sent
here to legislate for the greatest good
TO the greatest number, and we are
the greatest number" said one OF
the speakers. They waived the
theoretical questions asked by free
trade members Of the committee, say
ing they knew nothing about that -
they only knew what they learned
by their surroundings and experiences
as wOrkingmen, and that was that every
time du,ie, were lowered orders began
10 fall Of and their wages had to be cut
down. This was the line Of thought
presented by all Of those big-tisted
men, not always expressed in the best
English, but put very forcibly and with
illustrations from their personal cx-
pericnce.
TIE PRESIDENT THROWS \ BONE.
The action Of the President in veto.
ing the bill to quiet the titles Of settlers
on the Des-Moines-riyer lands receives
great deal of bitter comment among
members Of both parties. This matter
has been before Congress for many
ycArs, and has been reported 'ayorably
70 every Congress but one, when Sen,-
tor Garland made an adverse report.
The questions involved are tech
meal and legal. and the oppo-
sition to the bill has been main
taiaod from year to year by certain
wealthy New Workers whose claims 70
The lands in question wonld be affected
by an act to quiet the titles Of the set
tiers thereon. The bill was supported
in this Congress, as it always has been,
Ly tie " hole Iowa delegation without
regard TO party, and passed both
branches Of Congress with not more
than ten negative votes in either
horse. The Iowa Democrats are in-
tcDsely Disguised with the veto, and say
it will lose their party thousands of
votes in that State next fall. OF course
the Republicans will make the most Of
the veto. They say the President has
sacrificed the interests Of thousands Of
poor people in the Des-Mones-riyer
valley at the dictation Of New York
capitalists.
The fact is the President heard what
lie New Workers had to say, then sent
ior the gentlemen who had charge Of the
bill in the Senate and House and went
over the case with them, Then he took
two or three days to consider what he
should 10. The question now asitating
The minds &c Western men is whether
the bill, after receiving suchan immense
majority in each House, can be passed
ever the veto.
The name of the post-oilce at West
hampton, Henrico county, is changed
20 Rio Vista, John LennoX. postmas-
ter. New posi-oil.ces are established at
CIumpler, Ashe county, y. c., Lula
Plummer. postmaster; and Rakes.
lloyd county, Va, Samuel p. Rakes,
postmaster.