New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-01-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Congressswill take the world easy
until the ffth.of January, when it re-
convenes. Senators and Representa-
tives scattered far and wide for the
holidays. Some went tot their homes,
| others ran down to New Orleans for
a few days, and many remained here.
Some were kept by anxiety to know
where they would be assigned by
Speaker Carlisle on the House Com
mittees which he is busy arranging.
AS to holiday politics, l may say
Senator Beck's attack upon the finan.
cial policy OF the Administration just
before the Christmas recess has been
more discussed than any other SUBJ
ject. The Democratic friends of the
standard silver dollar were unwilling
to wait until after the holidays without
taking issue with the President on this
question. Senator Beck fired the first
gun, significant Of an impending battle
that is likely to have a powerful int1u-
ence over the fortunes of the Admins.
tration and the future of parties. The
Democratic party is badly divided on
the silver questions. and there is no
telling what the outcome may be.
Representative Reagan, Of Texas, a
Democrat of long service in the House,
says he fears his party will go to
pieces. Congress is expected to be:
come involved in this contest soon af-
ter it reassembles.
The Democrats are badly in need ct
leader in the Senate. Senator Beck
was supposed to be the man, but his
last performance has bewlldered his
political brethren. Senator Voorhees,
is said to be sulking because he has not
been given all the patronage ne wants.
Senator Harris, of Tennessee, cannot
speak for the President on the Silver
question, because he comes from that
part Of the country favorable to silver.
In their dilemma Senator Vest has
come to the front as the man best fitted
to be the mouthpiece of the Admins
tratlon. He has been considered some
thing Of an orator by the Democrats,
and he is, perhaps, the best impromptu
talker on their side of the Chamber.
He has little to show, however, against
such an array of talent as may be found
on the Republican side Of the ;sisle,
where are such men as Logan, Ed
munds, Sherman, Hoar, ingalls,, Frye,
Evarts, Teller, Hawley, Dawes, Ali
son, Morrill,, and others.
til significant fact that the Demo
cratic Senators are fighting their rresi-
dent, when Congress is yet only two
weeks old. Senator Eustis of Louisi.
ana declared against him long ago, as
WILDE remembered, and others are a
waiting to oppose some of his nomina-
tons in secret session.
Speaking of the Presidents nominal
tions that have to go before the Senate
for confirmation, a Republican Senator
remarked that the five committees
charged with reporting on these APP
lpointments had an unusually hard task
before them in the way Of work. a
task that will keep them busy for
weeks. About 5000 appointees have
to be considered. No general policy
has been adopted to govern commits
tees in their action upon these nomina..
tons, but they are overwhelmed with
petitions. protests, charges, and de-
lenses that would have TO be Investigate
Z ed if there was no partisan consideraa
ton in the case. The charges against
new appointees include almost eyeTy
Imaginable ofense. Charges in regard
to personal fitness and integrity have
been filed in hundreds of cases, and
Members Of the Senate Committees
are besieged at their houses nv delega-
lions accusing or efending new APP.
Ipointees.
"A RIDICULOUS blunder was recently
made 9b the appointment to an office
tbg Treasury Department of young
NsI6rth Carolina lawyer. He had never
sthdied book keeping, but he readily
SECURED the support Of his State dele
tgate on, and was appointed by the Sec
Irets}l Chief Of the division Of receipts
land expcnd itures, The duties Of this
lIofficie deal entirely with bookkeeping
y,and fndinsgs himself entirely at sea in
This Is lsiness he resigned. Instances Of
81 ss IA made laey on the part Of new
dppoir utees are. common enough but
they al 8 not have the honesty or moral
couraa e 20 ackn dye their un6tness
by ole, 10 their resign alton.
Sofa a1,004 bslls have been ntroduc
ed in q congress, and the roll-call 0.
States d as only Reached Maine. Al
usual a number ST important bill
5whish ERE not considered at the las
session b ave been re-introdu The
total and punt Of money called for by