The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-07-21
LETTER.
Frosn on ReeuIar corre.pondent
w,snnnnr-n q July q. lsse.

WAsmNSToS- d. G., July IL 1856
When the Fory-Ninth Congress convened,
the knowing ones predicted that it would
not do any seriou harm except 10 the party
in r.ower. II was to be a lively session and
an ENJOYABLE one to the Republicans The
country was told it might look for eight
months OF talking with very little work.
These prophesies have been fulfilled literally.
Peopie often ask. = Why Is il that Congress
aocomplishes 80 litfle2" The disagreement
in the Democratic family have, of course.
been the clii.f source of the trouble OF late.
There is scarcely any question of public
POLICY over which the party has moi split in
Ia discordani factions and become actively
t,elligerent on slight %provocaiion throughout
the entire session. The Tariff. Civil Service
Reform. and Silver are the principal grounds
upon which they cannot meet without battle
and there are many others.
But aside from this, there are other reasons
why Congress accomplished 80 little work.
An enormou amount Of private legislation
l. asked of il. and then It's great size and the
absence of any personal responsibility on the
part Of members should he taken into consid-
Grafton. With a body composed of four
hundred members, it il difficult for the aver
age member TO feel amy sense of personal re-
sponsibility especially when he finds a dis
position 10 oppose the measures that lac may
attempt to put into practical operation.
With more than le.oOo bills pressing and
every member scrambling for his own pet
measure and trying 10 knock everybody else
out, 50 that he can have a chance himself,
there j. little show for anybody. More bills
have been introduced in Congress during the
present session than were ever introduced
during both sessions of any other Congress,
and more bills have passed this session than
ever before in one session, but most of them
have been ola private character. None ofthe
important public measures have become
laws. The Educational bin, the Bankruptcy
bill. the increase of the Navy. the Tariff. the
silver question, the Mormon question, oleo-
margarine, and several other such matters
are waiting for final action and are likely TO
wait. They cannot be considered this ses-
sion. and as for next session, there Is 80 little
of it that what could not be accomplished in
eight months, Is not Likely 10 be comprised
in three.
As the River and Harbor bill approaches a
vote in the Senate considerable interest Is
manifested in it, fate. Senator Miller Of New
York favored the bill a. ii came from the
L. II. IA ,..+ tI;pl- tho .t,rrlus man
ey in the Treasury could be better used h
in the manner proposed in this bill. Con
grcss was not going to increase the Army or
Navy or to make large expenditures for coast
deienscs. The money appropriated in this
bin would be paid for labor-would he put
into circulation. He mentioned the threat
of an Executive veto ii the bin Swelled be-
vond a certain point. Mr.. Miller did not
care to discuss that danger He was here to
do his duty rs he understood ii. Congress
had been in session over seven months and
had lone nothing to start afresh the wheels
of commerce, 10 set in motion the mills that
were ROW standing idle. The labor troubles
would cease when labor was employed at re-
muneratiye prices. He thought Congress
ought to make an appropriation for rivers
and harbors of not less than twenty-five or
thirty million dollars. He expected that
a shout of job - and s. ~logrolling - and 9th
cr such terms would he poured upontie sen
ale. hut they had no effect upon him.
The extraordinary order issued by Presi-
dent Cleveland to all heads of Governments,
warning them and their s~ubordinates against
emphasizing themselyesa Us offensive partisans
during the coming campaign, was the chief
topic Of conversation al the Capitol ON Thurs
day, and great diversity Of opinions were ex-
pressed in regard to such a policy. The adj
mimistration Is best ON making a great SEN
%sational show Of reform. though of course
nothing i expected to come Of these new de
parturcs. The new rulers have various new
methods of perpetrating fraud, and many
dark ways that are gradually coming to
light.
The Republican Government employees
here are losing their places rapidly enough
now to satisfy the most rampant Democrats.
Thirty were dismissed from the Patent Office
Yesterday, one hundred are To go from the
Treasury, and the COMMISSIONS Of Pensions
Is doing the best lac knows how for the
spoilsmcn. The number of Democrats who
have gotten in under the Civil Service law
during the past six months, i astonishing.
out of seventy-five appointments made by
Gen. Black to positions in the Pensiop Office,
se%yenty-two were Democrats. As General
average.