The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-04-25
RANDOM NOTES.

Democratic senator, VINO is thoroughly posted
as to the condition OF business In Congress. and the
probable course OF events In that body, said TO me
yesterday: Everything seems settling down to q
prolonged session OF Congress- 1t Ia true that mem.
bers OF the House, and especially Democrats, talk
about getting away the latter part OF June. But this
is simply impossible In the nrst place the lesisla-
ton that Is absolutely necessafyI mean the appro.
priatlon bills~-is not in forward state. Besides
there Will be considerable discussion on some OF
the appropriation bills In the House, and you may
rest assured that the Senate will take its time to
consider the important appropriation bills and not
hurry itself as Il used TO do, when the Republican
majority there hastily considered them, following
the lead OF the Senate Appropriation Committee In
Increasing the expenditures, and being upheld In
this by friendly Administration"
"When do You think Congress will adjourn - |
asked.
81 do not think we viii get away before the mid
die of August. You see we have more 10 do this
session than we have had for many years. There Is
the question OF building up our Navy. It is im-
portant question, and one IN which there IL dl
vision OF opinion, not as to the necessity OF increas
ing the Navy, but as TO the details. Then we have
to settle upon comprehensive plan OF coast defense,
and make start in the construction OF heavy ord
nance. The debate on the tariff will consume con-
The River and Ilarbor bill is likely to consume some
time. Then there will be discussion upon the report
of the commission that has Investigated the scien.
nc bureaus, and above ALL that the consideration OF
the perp.eSing labor question will help TO spin ont
the session. No. sir, said the Senator, 1--WE snail pe
lucky II we get away by the middle OF August"
"what do you think" asked, "of having earlier
meetings Of Congress,"
81 am hearty in favor OF It, Congress should NEE,
moi hal q ratt n
october In the short session. And the life OF each
Congress should begin and end In April, instead OF
March. This would give plenty OF time to consider
Legislation, and would give the best season OF the
year In this climate"
as 1t true" asked one OF the most enthusiastic
revenue rcformers OF the House, "that the President
has insimatcd 10 obstructlng Democrats tina, there
ought to be an effort made to reform the tariff"
"Yes," he replied, "lt Is undoubtedly true. have
1t from unquesionable authority that the President
has said that the Democrats ought 10 carry out their
campaign pledges in favor OF tariff REFORM"
"Will this in,ima,lon OF the President have any
marked efect9" asked
III VIII have some effect, know, because one
southern member who has been disposed to antag-
onize tariff legislation has told me within the past
few days that he is seriously considering the oues
tion OF abandoning opposition to tariff legislation
II Will have no effect, however, upon Mr.. Randall
HIS views are fixed, and believe honestly fixed,
IN favor OF protection. He will fight tariff reduction
with every weapon that comes to his hand. do not
believe, however, that he can rally as many Demo.
Gratis TO his support he did In the last Congress
Not that his personal influence is the wane, but
because tariff reform is more popular and better
understood than II was"
l went down to the Washington Navy Yard last
week with party OF members of Congress, who
wished TO see for themselves what was going on
there. AS they did not care to be considered as
making an Official Inspection, We did not call upon
the olcers In charge Of the several bureaus of the
yard, but wandered through the machine shops and
examined pretty thoroughly the work being done
there. one and all were impressed with the thor
ough and efficient way in which the work was car.
ried on and expressed the belief that the work OF
constructing big guns should be mostly done at the
yard.
The unwsdom of Mr.. Perry Belmont's appoint.
ment TO the craftsmanship of the Committee on For.
eign Relations crops out afresh whenever the oppor.
tuny arises. His latest fad is his opposition to the
contemplated "Congress of Republics" in this city
next fall, "a Congress which would probably resul,
In developing our trade relations with Central and
South America, and pave the way to an outlet fol
our manufactures. MIR. Belmont bases this sense.
less opposition to the holding Of this Congress here
30 soon as next fall upon the necessity OF first revis
ing our tariG before opening negotiations for In
creased facilities for intercourse with our Southern
neghbors. "1f we wait until the tariff Is re
vised," said Pennsylvania member of Congress tc
me on Tuesday last, "before providing Southern
markets for cur manufacturers, we will have to wal
long time. There is, in my opinion said he, "nt
earthly show of tariff revisionby this Congress. WI
should by all means have tine proposed Congress o.
Republics here as soon as practicable, and we shoult
make generous appropriation for it,
The Bell Telephone people have not succeeded IL
getting any information out Of the Pan Electric In
vestgation that will be of use to them in the Govern
ment suit at Columbus. This Is no fault, however
OF Mr. Ranney, who has pursued the inquiry int
the private affairs Of the rival telephone companIe
with tenacity OF purpose worthy OF well-feed at
| torney. Mr.. Ranney, however. has not succeeded IL
| finding out much. was greatly amused the othe
day at the ignorance he displayed when he was cross
examining Gen. Bradley johnson. Somebody ha,
| whispered into Mr.. Ranneys ear that gentleman
by the name OF German was one of Gen. Johnson'
| associates In the telephone business. or course Il
| would have been nuts to Mr.. Ranuey to show thai
another distinguished Democrat was promoting tn,
Pan Electric. With a sardonic smile and softl,
sweet tone OF voice Mr.. Ranney inquired:
"Gen. johnson, there was, believe, a gentleman
by the name OF German associated with you In thu
telephone business" or words to that effect. "wa
this A. p. Gorman?"
Gen. johnson replied, "No."
Now, every child in Maryland from the Eastern
shore to the Aleghanies-or "twiXt the Tuxent an,
the 'Tomac'-knows that between Senator Gormal
and Gen. Bradley johnson there is about as arden
an affection as between one OF Cromwell's importe,
Protestant lrlshmen and the native Catholic Hiber
nan. Take 1t all in all, the Pan Electric investga
| tion has been a dull and dreary performance, ,
farce, In fact-lackinR, however, In the element
| fun that makes a farce an entertainment for "th
general" The amount of money already spent II
this uncalledfor investigation Is large, and the re
| suits are-nothng.
understand that there Is very little hope o
| Father McGuire's recovery, and perhaps ere tn
HERALD goes to press the announcement may hay
! come OF his decease. AS pulpit orator he had fey
superiors In eloquence In the Society OF JESUS an
as priest he was untiring In his pastoral labors.
| have known OF many, not Catholics, who have gon
to st. Aloysius Church to hear him preach, and VIII
were personally devoted to him and charmed wit
| his entertaining and instructive conversation. ha
the pleasure for short time OF being under his In
sfructon when he was President OF Georgetown
! College. In common with many other Of the stu
dents there thought he held too tight rein upo
| the boys, but when came in contact with him q
once fell under the spell OF his personal influence
anu ever afterwards had an aHectlOn, admiration
and respect for him that has not diminished In tn
| score OF years that since have passed away. w
were pretty mischievous lot Of boys, some OF Us
and the writer perhaps not the least unruly. Will
he treated US with rmness, yet ne treated us kindly
and where the fault reproyed had nothing In 1t OF
vicious or dishonorable nature he could readil
forgive. Just why he was relieved from the pres
| dency oflhe College has always been a mystery /
me, for his high culture fitted him In an eminent de
| gree for the head Of that classic institution.
Gen. Jackson and Nal Dow ming.
correspondent, III. H." In last Sundays HEN
| AID assumes that In my communication on tn
"Winter OF lss3 etc, In the HERALD OF April II,
have ''confounded" Charles A. Davis, of New York
with Seba Smith, OF Portland. Iwould az soon "con