The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-01-13
Washington Letter.

The recently scattered Congress
is together again. Tie organiza
tionofthe House has been compile.
led by tbe announcement Of the
Standing committees. and both
branches have settled down 70 a
solid six months session
The speakerof the House ii at
last throughswith his delicate and
difficult wofkofc onmiLlee making.
lie has been subjected to very
heavy pressure, aud has had quite
q hard uncover some ofthe pnpu.
lar places The pressure has been
much worse thanit.aas two years
ago, some ofthenow members being
particularly unreasonable in their
demands. Almost every one call.
ed for a cbairnanship, and certain
new members asked that old and
experienced Congressman be made
10 stand aside for them.
Speaker Carlisle l6oks pale and
care worm and The strain 81 his re.
cent task has left other physical
marks upon him. Many questions
important audgraye 10 the people
Of the United States win beconsid.
cred by The. COMMITTEES be has just
arranged. He nude them up after
mature elaboration solely With .rs.
gard to theinterests ofthe country,
and with References 20 maturing
Legislation andsecaring a favorable
hearing on the floor Of the House.
Certain members are disappointed
with the assignments they have
received, Of course, but their irrita.
ton will subside as The session
progresses. Mr.. oarlisle's work
commends itself az q whole TO those
who realize his difficulties in try.
ing to please three hundred men
whose abilities and opinions differ
widely on many questions, and
whose egotism and ambition are
unparalleled. Possibly he has
made some mistakes but even his
political enemies concede that his
judgment is excellent, and that
his motives are pure. One thing,
at least, is certain. Nooommittee
has been made for any ignoble pur.
pose, as has been the case often in
the last quarter of a century. Nor
will there be that trading Chair.
manships, for personal interests,
that there has been in the past.
The unusual Importance attach.
ed to the formatioa Of the commit.
tees this year greatly increased the
Speakers work and added TO his
trying perplexiLies, he worked
day and night while Congress was
enjoying The holidays. Indeed Mr..
Carlisle has as much industry as
President Cleveland, and he is
equally uuremitting in giving his
attention whollytobusiness. Like
the President too he is rarely seen
out in society.
Secretary Manning is another
hard worker. No one unfamiliar
with the details Of the Treasury
Department can have any idea of
the immense amount Of mere rou.
tine work he takes upon himself,
Most of this work he could intrust
to subordinate as his predecessors
did, but he prefers to look after his
own responsibilities. Unlike the
President and Speaker of the
House, Mr.. Manning likes society,
especially dinner parties, and he
expects 10 entertain extensively
this winter.
Under the new regime there is a
much stricter enforcement Of De.
partment rules. Clerks are requir.
ed to be at their desks now by nine
O'clock in the morning, and they
are not permitted to leave them
until the clock strikes four in the
afternoon. In the Treasury De
partment note is made Of any vic,
lation Of these rules, and tardy
clerks are required to report the
tune Of their arrival to the Chief
Clerk. Consequently Treasury em-
ployes are kept in a state of per.
turbation from the time they awake
every morning until they get into
the department safely on time.-
The Government gets a good deal
@ore work for the money it pays
them, When these rules went into
Effect The daily average of tardy
clerks at the Treasury Wasoyer two
hundred, Now, out Of about two.
thousand employees, the average Of
delinqnents is from six to ten
though occasionally the record is
entirely clear
There ia a steady ramovo, ooino