Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-08-11
Adjournment of Congress.


The 59th Congress adjourned last Thurs
day. AS the Senate was Republican the
Democrats were prevented from doing as
much business as they would have done
otherwise, AS the Bait. Sun says, ''the
past session has shown that for the present
at least the country must look to the House
rather than to the Senate for discretion and
economy. The presidential succession bill,
passed early in the session, was followed
later, among others, by the oleomargarine
bill, the Fitz-John Porter bill, a bill in-
creasing pensions, bills FORGETTING 90, 81, $3.50
acres of land granted to the Atlantic and
Pacific Railroad and I, 1000, 900 acres granted
to various Southern roads, bill reducing
the fee on money orders for small amounts,
and an extraordinary number of private
pension bills, many of which the President
felt compelled to veto. This list, contain
ing few important measures, was apprecia-
bly, heightened in the last days Of the ses-
sion by the passage of bill authorizing i'm
portant additions to the navy at cost of
So, 500, 600; the river and harbor bill, and
the several others Of less import The
character of Democratic administrations for
moderation in their expenditures will be sus-
tanned by an inspection of the regular ap-
preparation bills Excluding from the ag-
gregate the items for Eivers and harbors,
81 4, 473, 90o; for increase Of the navy, 49,
500, 900; for Alabams awards, $5,769, Obs;
increased pension payments, S16,0o0,000
and an increased allowance Of about So
600, 600 for deficiencies the total of the reg
! ular appropriations for 1887 is s21G, 040, 664,
or So, 554,619 less than for 1886, in which
year. it may be remembered, there was no
provision for the improvement Of rivers and
harbns. Even if the $4,000, 900 Of the in
crease for eficencies-which should have
been provided for in last years appropria-
| tions be added, the increased regular ex-
penditure for 1887 is but So, 800, 900, which,
| in view of growth of population and in
| creased demands upon the government, is
not an immoderate increment. That the
total, without deductions for unusual ex-
penditures, is 1864, 7S3, $40 is largely due
| to tho extravaganza and obstinacy of the
Senate, which raised the amounts of bills,
and in conference committee stood firmly to
| the increases it had made. 1t may be
added in a survey of the session. now that
and the Senate have fallen short Of public
expectation, President Cleveland, by his
| recommendations of needed legislation, his
patient scrutiny Of bills and his courageous
exercise of the veto power upon bad meas
ures, has gained largely in popularity with
the people in all quarters of the land"
! DR.. VIM. G. DABNEY ELECTED TO THE
CHAIR OF MEDICINE AND OBSTETRICS
On last Wednesday, DR.. VIM. G. Dabney of
Charlottesville was elected to the chair OF
practice of Medicine, Obstetrics, and Med
ical Jurisprudence in the University Of Vir-
ginia, lately made vacant by the resignation
of Professor James F. Harrison. There
were a number of distinguished applicants
for the position.
DR.. Dabney is now the president Of the
Medical Examining Board of Virginia, and
was one of the most active workers to inau-
gurate this important measure to elevate the
standard Of the medical profession in the
State. DR.. DaDney is only about forty
years old. A few years ago he was offered
a professorship in the Southern Medical
College in Atlanta. He is one of the most
liberal and progressive medical men in the
! State, and keeps fully abreast of every ad
vance in medical science. The Board Of
Visitors are to be congratulated upon theil
selection, as DR.. Dabney cannot fail te
strengthen greatly the medical department
of the University and enlarge its sphere Of
usefulness.