The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-08-01
AT THE CAPITAL.
The Herald's Regular Core
spOndence Therefrom.
A VERY DILATORY CONGRESS-.
The Mexican Pension BIll-The Laird
Cobb FiEh'-AbOut Powers
The Adjournment
sRY DILATORY CONGRESS-.

A
very little purpose. Things that ought
TO have been done have been left IN
done. Much needed legislation has
been pushed to one side. and matters OF
individual interest have been taken up
instead. For two solid weeks the Senate
mas been considering the river and
harbor bill. Ind ed. this grave and
reverend body have discussed with
gr at care every item this ponderous
bill confirms, and finally voted that the
sum appropriated by the bill be reduced
some 25 per cent. A river and harbor
bill Is always looked upon with suspic-
ION. Ii Is taken for granted thatit con
tsins many Jobs This year this
impression seems TO be more prevalen.
than ever. and the general opinion is
that Presi lent Cleveland will as surely
veto the bill as the sun will rise to-
morrow. Unless he can approve OF
every item in the bill-and nobody
believes he can-he must return IL 10
Congress with his veto. He has no
other option. He cannot expunge
certain items aud approve others. He
must approve the whole bill or nothing.
This would appear to be q ststs of things
that ought 70 be changed. Nobody for
one moment doubts but that the bill
contains MANY items that ought to be
passed. but. on the other hand. there
are so macy questionable items that no
president. no matter TO what shade OF
y Ilitics he may belong. would ever
think OF approving them. The country
has learned of late what kind Of stuff
Mr.. Cleveland Is made of. He is no
Slouch. He may not have been q sol
der; he may not be considered q po,iti-
clan: but no one can accuse him of being
afraid Of work. On the contrary he
revelS N work at all hours of the day
and night. One would think that with
this tremendous exertion he would
not only wear himself out. but all the
assistants by whom he is surrounded
Col. Lamont. his priva:e secretary,
never leaves the White House before
midnight, and be is never last in getting
there in the morning. The President
gives personal attention 10 the smallest
matters. Even private pension bills are
not beneath his notice, The VetoinR of
4 great many Of these, so far as the
amount of money saved to the county,
Is concerned. does not amount to a |
great deal; utwhen IL comes to the river 4
and harbor bill-a bill that has always |
ION noted ? the ''jobs" il contained
the eagle eye OF the President is sure 10 /
be wide open, and veto will be the /
result.
The row between COugressmen Laird
Of Nebraska, and Cobb. OF Indiana. was 4
Il very unfortunate affair. II was the |
result OF bad bl cd which has existed
between the two men for some me
Mr Cobb Is chairman of the public
lands committee, and the difficulty
grew out Of a land case in which Mr..
LAIRD is indirectly interested. A
younger brother Of the Nebraska Con-
gresham, in conjunction with several
friends, had located tract of land. He
was killed IN New Mexico a few months
ago. and the Representative has been
closing up the estate aud in this way
became closely connected with tn case.
IL was charged before fhe committee
that Congressman Laird was engaged in
land swindling and he and Chairman
Cobb came near a kuock-cown on the
toOr OF the House several weeks ago.
The quarrel came to 3 head on Friday
last. An alteration. in q subdued tone,
took place on the floor of the House.
and the matter eliminated at the west
OF the House lobby by Laird
striking Cobb IN the mouth drawing
blood very freely. For the moment I
there was great excitement, and the 4,
friends OF both men felt ashamed that !
any such exhibition should have taken
place. especially in the halls OF the nat
Onal legislature AS the row did not :
come under the Speakers eve, no Off
,ial notice can be taken of the affair
which, perhaps, Is a fortunate thing. |
Both men are well Liked, but the fierce /
ceiling that has existed for weeks be- {
tween them had 70 come to a climax. I
After the occurrence Laird cried Ike a I
,hlld and be would give anything IL the I
thing mad not happened, but Cobb had
lOunded and insulted him so frequently s
hat he could stand the business no
Onger without resentment. IL Is 10 be
hoped the country has heard the last Of
he quarrel.
Mexican pension bill. The House .upon
his subj ct, some months ago, passed
! very good bill, and many OF the vet
rams in that old camp 2igD-including
he survives Of the Mormon Battalion
Thought that justice had reached
hem At last. Delegate Game was sur .
cited with letters from all parts Of the !
Territory OF Utah-from men who had
ierved in the Mexican war, and who !
we're entitled to q pension If any pen
non were TO be had. l have watched
ne career OF the Mexican pension biz s
With interest. never expected that '
INV measure upon the subject E0ui re.
give serious consideration. was
therefore,, surprised, the other dsv
wen / learned that the Senate bsa
1assed-really passed-a Mexican pen
ion bill have known for long enough
he opposition such bill had to meet I
L must be understood that the Nexi-
an war was q war fought By southern
men. The Republicsn=eSpecialIy H.
he Senate-hsve always shown the d.
'ositfOn that no sOutherner should rean
my benefit from The governments. and I
hence. IN years gone By. the refusal 10 7
lass any oil com: ensafing the Mexican
A bill to meet this question
vas introduced in the Forty-eighth
congress; IL was passed By the House
md went over 70 the Senate. vhe-e c
hey so loaded down the biz with 7
amendments that when IL came back 10 Il
he House Its own promoters hardly c
ecognized II. In the present instance
s very much the same thing. Like
ha nF