San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-05-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
FROM THE LIGHTS REGULAR COR
RESPONDENT.
The Experience OF Bills The Presidents
Prospective Marriage-Ar-
thurs Health.

WASHINGTON, May Z, lSS6.-Alresdl
this session there have been over son
bills introduced in the House ant
printed-a number exceeding by severs
hundred the whole number introduced
during both terms OF the last Congress
The experience of bill in the House Ii
varied. Some Of them have come to ser
vice by long experience. They have
served through many Congresses, and
had varied experiences. Some OF them
have been there SO long that they have
| become sallowed and shriveled with age.
A bill that has never been in Congress
before, and is fresh and new, has gener-
ally come in the pocket Of a member az
fresh and new and crisp as itself, or has
been written by some mild, insinuating
person outside, and introduced by re-
| quest. The average member of Con-
gress, though he delights in introducing
as many bills as possible, does not like to
write them. He will frequently take a
bill that has done service in many differ.
ent causes, and will chop and slash and
interline it, and patch it together as a
new bill. Many of the private bills have
done service through many Congresses
and many persons, merely the name in
it being changed every time it was in
troduced. 1t has been suggested as a
means of preventing the House being
flooded with so many bills, that every
bill introduced must be in the hand
writing of the man who offers IL.
After bill is introduced it is read by
title ut the clerks desk. 1t then has
numerous hieroglyphics put in blue
pencil upon its back to show where II is
to be consigned. Then 1t is numbered
and registered in book and printed.
1, 1T. Of tuf Ia
being printed. If it has a full run 1t is
printed six times. 1t is printed when
first introduced, when ii is reported from
the committee it is printed, when it is
nassed by the House, IL 1t ever is, 1t is
again printed. Then the Senate prints
it. When it is reported by the Senate
committee 1t is again printed, and again
when 1t becomes a law. After that 1t
has to be printed in the statute books.
Meanwhile 1t has been slowed away in
the document room and on the calendar
of the committee, has been discussed,
and probably abused and cut to pieces;
has been objected to and threatened In
the House, and solemnly sat upon in the
Senate.
This Is the experience of the simplest
and most unimportant bill. The APP
preparation bills suffer more at the hands
of the printer than this. They are first
printed as estimates, then as unofficial
forms of the bills, then the bill as adop-
ted by the committee is printed. When
it passes the House it is printed, and
again as it reaches the Senate. Whenit
comes out of oonference-if it goes to
conference-it is printed as an act, and
after 1t Is printed in the statute books.
The President, accompanied by Sec
rotary Endicott, Mrs. Endicott and
Colonel Casey, visited the top Of the
Washington Monument on Friday after
noon. Mr.. Cleveland was much inter-
ested In the visit and IN seeing the in
terror OF the monument. He was invited
by Colonel Casey to make the last
trip on the elevator previous to
the. dismanteling Of the present
machinery for running 1t. A new
engine and boiler-hOuse is being
erected seven hundred feet dis
tant from the monument and the power
for running the elevator is to be con-
Yeyed in an underground channel that
is now being constructed. No more
visitors, therefore, will be able to make
the trip to the top of the monument at
present.
The Presidents prospective marriage
continues to be leading topic of con-
versation in all circles. Very few peO-
pie venture to breach the subject at the
White House, although heard of one
old gentleman from the country who
went up and made the President quite
an address the other day, telling him it
was good thing for him to enter the
state of matrimOny, and congratulated
him on his wisdom in picking out fresh
and beautiful woman rather than a
more mature and possibly less attract
i've companion. The President listened
and said nothing. Miss FolsOm's rela-
tives have certainly done good deal of
talking and MIR. Cleveland is doubtless
gradually developing the sort Of feeling
that Artemus Ward entertained toward
Ibis wife's relations"
Last Thursday morning the President,
the newspapers in regard to ex-Presi-
handsome basket Of the finest flowers
from the White House conservatory. He
was very much gratified at receiving
yesterday from Mr.. Arthur letter of
thanks written in his own hand. Mr..
Arthur seems to be in just that state Of
mind and body when the one thing need
full Is that he should not be constantly
reminded of his weak condition. The
newspapers, however, will have it that
he is rapidly sinking, and, indeed, liable
to die any day. l am glad to see that
Rev. DR.. Leonard, who was incorrectly
reported as having been called to New
York to visit him, states that Mr.. Arthur
is by no means in dangerous condition.
LENox.