Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-05-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The HIstoryOf a Bill Before itBecomes
a Law--How Il is Treated--A
Checkered Life.
What Elizabeth Csdy stanton suggests
for the Entertainment OF Boys
on Sunday.
Personalities OF Senators Beek and Dolph-
Congressmen Grain ana Phelps
Grain the apollo.

IRON Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, May 20.--Already this
session there have been over eight thou
sand bills introduced in the houe, this
number exceeding by several hundred the
whole number introduced during both
terms Of the last congress. The life OF q
bill Is varied, some Of them become 70 be
old yeteraDs,and are hardened TO service
by long experience. Many Of them are
eallowcd and shriveled with age.
After bill Is introduced 1t Is read by
It's title at the clerks desk, It Is then
covered with hleroglyphcs in blue pen II
equaling any ON the obellsk In New York,
which shows its fate, that Is 10 what COM
mittee IL ~ as.lgre ]. Tits then numbered
and registered Ia the book and printed.
II II has full life II Is printed six times.
First when introduced; next when re-
ported from the committee; third when
passed by the house; next went II reaches
toe senate, then when reported from the
senate committee; then when IL becomes
a law, should It be so fortunate, and
finally when II Ia printed ia the statute
books. II probably passes through the
hands Of twenty-five people, and is abused |
and cut TO pieces, threatened In the house |
and SAT down upon 10 the senate. This is |
the experience OF a simple bill
The appropriation b lis suffer still more |
They are first printed as estimates, then
rs unoGlcill forms OF the bill for the use
Of the cOmmittee only, then the bill is
adopted by the committee, then as passed
by the house; again when IL reaches the
senate then ~ 10 comes from the senate
committee; then, when II passes the sem
ate, IL usually goes to conference, and
when II comes out OF conference and
passes both houses It Is printed In the
statute books II will thus be seen from
the above examples that bill has to run
the gauntlet ofscrutlny many times before
IL Is signed by the president. Many bills
often dis on the threshold Of the White
House, when their chance Tor existence
seemed really most secure. The life Of !
a bill is not happy one.
-. ,,
The most interesting man In the senate
10 Mr., Beck. lie talks straight To the !
point In simple language which is more G
forcible than all the rhetorical eloduence u
Of some Of his brother senator's He is u
always listened 10 with Difference. lie Is
chairman Ut the Democratic caucus com I
mttce lie is ilne-looking man Of =
splendid physique, with head betoken- n
Ing high degree Of Intelligence. Even v
now, IN bis sixty fourth year, he has d
prepossessing appearance, and would o
command attention anywhere.
- t
Senator Dolph u oregon Is said by p
many 10 be the handsomest man in the n
senate, He L. TALL aud broad shouldercd A
and his voice is unusually rich. His I,
chief claim TO admiration Is his magulh Il
cent Moving beard, which fails In waves p
to the middle Of his waisicoat. lie Is &
always ON hand when r7eGtd. u
No new member In the house has made al
more friends than Mr., Grain OF Texas, who NJ
succeeded Tom Ochiltree. His abilities b
are recognized as fully by his colleagues @
ln the foreign affairs committee az by Ia
those on tho committee ON labor. He pI
was educated Tor the Catholic priesthood,
and ls an accomplished scholar, but by n
10 mraus a pedant He Is very hand :"
lomH man, tall, with cear.cut features anu le
perfect profile. He is the Apollo OF the al
rouse, and his exceeding urbanity be
makes him popular with every body who 81
meets hun. He Is special friend to the m
newspaper man, aud II there Is anything ti'
,olns on that Grain knows, the reporter, oil
he goes about II In the right wly,is sure
o know IL too. He lives within stones Sc
brow of the capitol. ell
~.
Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton writes as
'bou, "0ur Boys on Sunday" in The IL
'orum, for April, and suggests that;
"it would be rational, TO say the least, di
or the city authorities to open the libra OF
les, pictures galleries, museums, men.
getrs, and concert halls; and TO multi
'ly the facilities OF transit to all points of
Interest," that those who can do so may Rs
get out Of the city one day In seven. Ii
sonld be an inestlmable blcssiug to the
more Intelligent workingmen IL our sn
and public halls could be ~
hroWn open for courses OF popular lee.
ures on the sciences or ON travels in the 'e'
lld world and the new, with pictured wa
representations of celebrated places and III
historic events aud OF the wonders OF the Il
natural world. The theatcr, too, should m,
&c made not only means Of entertain wI
neni but,with plays OF moral tendency, 81,
N agency Tor promoting the mental and 40,
moral welfare Of the people. AT all m
vents, until such plays are produced the no.
heater should be thrown open for read. OH
Dgsi recitations aud concerts, 90 furnish no
heap amusements. tlue baud of music IN,
the skating Kinks, afflrding free enter. IN,
Ainncnt 10 mnltitudes from the gloomy sn,
aucment houses, would be a sightworthy M
The llberaliiy and common sense II the do,
lneteenih century" FAX. ye,
-
Troy stenm LAUNDRY, ~