San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-03-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHINaToN, Fob. 20, 1856.


Der day or so ago, exclaimed wit
surprise upon tho changes in th
personnel that had occurred since hi
retirement. OF the men who 50
with Thurman in the senate sewers
years ago, 46 have gone either to th
grave or into other walks of life
NTessrs. Anthony, Burnside, Ran
dolph, Matt, Carpenter, Bon. Hill ant
Sharon, are dead. Surveying th
chamber, and missing Blaine, Conk
ling, Hamlin, Wallace, and numerou
Others whom he was won't daily tt
see, the ex-senator exclaimed: "Ii
this the place where 1 spent twelv,
years Of my ifeT But among tho
successors to his old senatorial asso
ciates Mr.. Thurman recognized many
old acquaintances, and some warn
friends. For an hour or so he held
a regular levee on tho democratic
side of the chamber, republicans as
we'll as democrats pressing forward
to do him honor.
The vote in the coinage committee,
at their two meetings, indicates that
the members favor negative silver
policy. They first voted, nine to
four, against resolution to suspend
coinage; then, by tie vote, Mr.. Eel
ton, q silver man, being absent, res
olution to report silver suspension
bill adversely was defeated, and finally
Mr.. BANDS bill for free coinage was
voted down, seven to five. This shows
that majority of the committee pre-
fer that there should be no change
in the present law.
Under the old rules, such a con-
clusion would effectually block legis-
Flation in the house, but in the greater
latitude now allowed, the whole silver
question may come up at an early
day for debate and action. Mr.. Bland
can bring the house to test vote on
his free coinage bill when the coin
age committees turn comes in the
morning hour, and he will undoubt-
edly avail himself of his privilege.
Hence, the more aggressive and ex-
treme of th) silver men do not take
their de'eat in committee much to
heaat.
Commissioner Of patents Mont
gomery, in his annual report, renews
the recommendation Of his predeces-
sor that additional room be provided
for the patent office. He says that
every room in the interior department
building could be advantageously
used by the patent office. A labra-
tory is an imperative necessity of the
office, for the testing of electrical ap-
paratus. The commissioner says the
examining corps is wholly insufficient
to perform it's important duties, and
an increase of the number of EN-.
ployes is recommended, as well as
general increase in the other divi-
sions. The allowances for salaries
of assistant examiners are said to be
inadequate.
In it's forecast of the week in con-
gress the Associated Press says that
6 the business of the senate is in al
most the same condition it was one
week ago." If this retrospective fore
cast had been enlarged SO as to read
that "the business of both houses is
in almost the same condition it was
ten weeks ago." it would have sized
up the record of congress pretty well.
1t cannot be said that the South
ern senators are giving their section
The benefit of the doubt, on the Blair
educational bill. The strongest OPP
position to the measure comes from
that section, though it would receive
5he bulk of the money. l..