Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-05-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 4, 1886.


To THE SOUTH KENTUCKIAN
Washington is in the height of its
beauty just now. With its 70 miles
Of asphalt pavements kept clean as a
waxed floor by their nightly sweep
ings, and bordered with carefully
trimmed and nurtured trees now in
full leaf with all the freshness of
spring time, it presents attractions to
ba found at no other time and in no
other place. The people of our COM
mon country are beginning to realize
the fact that the spring time is the
season to make pilgrimage to Wash
ington, and hence it is that we are
having conventions here every spring,
more than at any other season of the
year. The Methodists had hardly aa-
journed their conference before we
had the pleasure ofmeeting our Con-
gregational brethren from New Jer-
seY. These good brethren have been
with us since last Monday, and left
for home OH Friday. Their conven-
ton was largely attended by the del
egates from here and from distance,
and ''The Church and the Labor Prob
lem" formed the subject of one days
discussion. The sentiment of the con-
vention was that the church should
emphasize from the pulpit the Chris
tian law of brotherly love and arbi-
tration as the equitable means for the
solution of the great problem now
causing such commotion throughout
the whole country.
The American Historical Associa-
ton is also holding daily sessions.
The foremost literary and learned
men Of our country composes its men,
bership, and they are here in large
numbers. The meeting was opened
with an eloquent and vigorous ad-
dress by the venerable historian Hon.
George Bancroft. Among the papers
read were "the early protection move
ment and the tariff of 1925" by DR..
Faussig, of Harvard University I;
Confederate and Federal Strategy in
the Pope campaign before Washing.
ton in 1862" by Col. William Allen,
of Baltimore 1.-THE value of Topo-
graphical knowledge in Battles and
Campaigns by Maj. Hotchkiss, of
Virginia; and the "Origin of States
Rights" by DR.. yelling, Presidentof
Columbia University of this city.
The American Surgical Association
is also in session at the Medical Mu-
scum. Many interesting and highly
instructive papers have been read and
discussed, and the surgeons have got
ten many new ideas from one anOth-
er, the value of which they will en-
deavor to test by experimenting up
on their patients tor the next year so
that at the next convention they will
be able to report how many they have
cured and how many more they have
killed by their experiments.
The competition in plans or the
statue of Lafayette to be erected UNI
der direction of Congress, is getting
interesting and intensely lively. A
number of models have already been
received at the State Department, and
are on exhibition there. One has
just been received from France, de-
signed by Mons. A. Falquiere, oil
Paris. Another and last model is ex.
pected shortly from France, and then
the selection will be made by the
commission appointed for the pur.
pose.
Congress has been working indus.
triously this week. The House Com,
lnittee has agreed to report resolu.
ton fixing IL o'clock as the hour o.
meeting instead of II o'clock. Tht
necessity for such rule has becom,
SO urgent that there will be no oppo
sition to it. Many of the appropria
tion bills have yet to come up foI
discussion, and the Tariff Bill is ais,
to be acted on. The latter will hard
ly be reached before the latter par
of May, and long discussion i
bound to follow its report. Anon!
the most important bills not yet re
ported from the committees are tn
sundry civil, the legislative, the gen
eral deficiency, and the Notifications
The naval bill over which a heate,
debate is expected will be reporte,
by the Naval Affairs Committee tn
latter part of the week.
1t looks as if Congress would nc
be able to adjourn before Angus
But the members don't like he
weather, and therefore it is probabl
that they will inaugurate night set
sions earlier than usual, with a vie,
of getting through with much of th
business before dog days" come. q
course when so much business
crowded into such short period it
but specifically considered an
hence 1t is that so much loose legis
lation is done in the last days of ey
cry session. Members and lobbyist
who have doubtful" claims or dc
schemes to work through hold Their
back till the. last with the hope c
getting them passed without til
close scrutiny that prevails in tn
first part of the session.
1t has recently been charged tha
some ex-members of Congress ava
themselves Of their privilege to ente
the floor Of the House, to influenC
legislation. The House has ordere
an investigation and it is found tn,
passes have been issued to more tina
~ ex-members to enter the foo
Some of these ex-members are Ell
gagged in law practice here, many
them having "big" cases before Coz
gress and the departments. 1t mu
not be assumed however that a
these members abuse the privile,
granted them, as such is not the cas-
Most Of them go OIL the floor mere
to converse with their "old chums
but as appears from the charges al
resolutions made some endeavor
wrongfully influence legislation.