Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-03-24
From our regular correspondent. ]

There is every indication that the Fail
Congressional campaign will be lively
one. The Republicans will use strong eff
forts to capture the next House of Repre-
sentatives, and the effort will be by no
means hopeless one. The presentD Demo-
cratic majority is 43-half of this was Sc
cured in districts in Michigan, Iowa, and
other Republican Stases by local causes and
combinations, which may no longer avail.
There are number of influences now
rife in the land. the effect of which the
wisest politician cannot foresee. The La
Dor organizations and troubles in nearly all
sections of the country, and Prohibition in
number Of States, will be powerful fac
tors in the next election. 1t is safe to say
that the advocates of these will hold the
balance of power. 1t is evident that the
members of the present House are fully
alive to these facts, and they are working
like beavers to take advantage of every
thing which may tend to further their in
terests in these directions.
At this time the number of speeches
printed and being distributed by members
is twice as large as in the Presidential year,
two years ago. 1t is no exaggeration to
say they are being sent out by the million
on all manner of subjects which are thought
to attract the attention of the sovereigns.-
By far the largest number of speeches so
far have been on the silver question. Next
in the House is the Fitz John Porter case;
then pension appropriations. The Senate
has monopoly of the subject of the con-
test with the President.
The truth is, the outlook for the Demo
Gratis is not at all assuring. Congress has
done nothing and gives little promise of do
ing anything. No one expects anything to
come of the Tariff Bill. The Blair School
Bill is an ugly question to the Democratic
House. They can't afford to pass it on &C
count of the bad influence it would have on
the party in the North and West, and they
cannot afford to not pass it, because it is pet
measure with many of the party in the
South. The fact is, that on leading meas
ures there is not unity of sentiment in Ell
Their of the parties sufficient for aggressive
action. Everything done is of negative
and dilatory character. Legislation is not
the easy, quick thing majority of people
think. 1t is not like passing resolution
at mass meeting. The process a bill has
to go through is a searching and compli
Gated one. After presentation to the House
where it originates, it goes to a committee
and has to await its turn with hundreds Of
others before it gets report, if at all. Then
it goe, on the calendar, where it has two
chances of being considered-one is, that it
is near enough the beginning to be reached
in order; and the other chance is that by
Unanimous consenG" it may be called out
of its order. Where there are 1000 or TO-
900 bills pending, and probably only 300 OR
AGO receive consideration during Congress,
you gee the first chance is small. As to the
other chance, there is always some fellow
with perverseness or innate meanness
enough to say, Il object, which kills it.
So your measure, whatever may be its mer-
its, stands about the same chance of pass
age that you would to draw prize in
Havana lottery
The papers have given you the spat be-
tween Senators Beck and Edmunds, in
which Beck ''talked out in SCHOOL, and
showed the true inwardness of the Republi-
can attack on the President. The general
opinion here is that the whole thing is
''much ado about nothing" and that it will
fizzle out before long.
Miss Cleveland, who, from her position
as lady of the White House. is in some sort
leader of fashions, has been appealed to in
regard to the style of the fashionable re-
ception aud ball dresses of the society la
dies. The trouble is not so much the dress,
but the scarcity of it, The following is
from her letter on the subject
81 approve of evening dress which shows
neck and arms. | do not approve of any
dress which shows the bust Between the
neck and bust there is line always to be
drawn, and it is as clear to the most frivo-
lous society women as TO the ANTAGONISTS.
This line need never be passed, and a fash
iOnable woman's low necked evening dress
need never be immodest. If it is SO, it is
because she prefers TO be So 1t is wholly
false, SO far as l have observed, that
shocking scarcity of waists and sleeves
mark the gowns of society women This
is sadly and painfully true of a few society
women and it is indeed shocking, nau-
seating, revolving, and deserving of the ut
most denunciation on the score of morality,
beauty, health, and every other considera-
ton which good men and women should
conspre to preserve and exact"
In the technical parlance of the toilet
they call the body of the dress "waist.''-
We unsophisticated barbarians have been
accustomed to regard the waist as that part
between the bust and the skirt, and it is
true that in the advanced evening dresses
this is about all there is-a waist and moth
ing more.
The showers and bright days have made
the grass and early flowers look Spring-like
around the city. There is great deal of
taste displayed here in the decoration of
private, as well as public, grounds, which
renders the city very attractive and pretty
during the Spring aud Summer months.
The will of the late Susan Sewall Bar
bour, wife of Hon. John s. Barbour, has
been recorded, She leaves to her husband