St. Landry democrat., 1886-07-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, July 10, 1868.

of adjournment as the lUth OF AuRusG.
But it is understood that there will be
no agreement as to fixed time OF ad-
iournment until the actual day, the rea-
son of this being that when resolution
declaring certain day for adjournment
is agreed to in advance, the last SIX
days of the session are made suspen-
sion n-of-rule days. At such times some
Of the worst 'jobs' ever known IN the
history of Congress have been passed.
The "iobs" are anxiously awaiting this
harvest time. Every Job that has been
knocking at the doors of Congress this
session has fastened it's hopes upon this
annual period wheu the unlocking OF
the treasury vaults is declared.
Messrs. Randall and Morrison are
credited with this plan to prevent JOBS
getting through in the hurry OF the last
days of the session. If they succeed,
think of the disappointments and
blasted hopes that will fall at the heels
Of the Forty ninth Congress. Even
should this session be marked in no
other way than with defense OF the
National Treasury, it would have an
honored place in the nations history.
But there are other waysin which the
Dresent session is remarkable. Ii the
House itself has not completed all the
legislation that was hoped for, the COM
naittees have done more work by far
than the committees of any previous
House, They have considered and re-
ported to the House over 3.1OO bills, du-
ring this first session. In both sessions
of the Forty eighth Congress, only
2.6g6 bills were thus acted on. Inc
flood of bills that has been poured upon
the present Congress is also unprece-
tlented, over 10000 having been intro
sluced into the House alone.
After repeated attempts and failures,
the House has succeeded in passing one
little private pension bill over the
Presidents Veto Speaking of adjourn
Enent, it is probable that the last days
of the session will be involved i'll
heated political debate at the Senate
end of the Capitol. The Senate is ex-
pected to pass resolution for the
printing of Presidential veto messages
from the organization of Congress to
the present day They will probably
be in the hands of Senators within
week, This is the prelude to fight.
Referring to the prospects for ad-
iournment, Representative Bland, the
,f N:oonnri 1aafarna that
the Senate was moving even more slow
" than the House in furnishing pros
Dective "veto MATERIAL for as such he
characterized the River aud Harhor bill.
The length of time the Senate con-
sumed in pottering over this measure
made him think the Senate seemed
more anxious for the grab than the
House. "Now," continued he, if the
President sees fit to veto the measure.
no power can prevail upon Congress to
pass the bill over his opposition" Rep
resentative Hatch, also of Missouri, and
one of OleOmargarine's bitterest foes,
has said that he strained conscience in
voting for the River and Harbor bill
when it first passed the House, and that
he will not do 1T second time.
Congress has voted to reduce the
mileage of army officers from 8 cents
to cents mile. That is about twice
what it costs them to travel. But the
allowance of Congressman is still 20
cents mile, the same as in the stage
coach era. The clamor On what basis
of right or reason is this p has failed SO
far, in impressing Congress with the
necessity of doing something for itself
in this respect, For short distances, 20
cents mile does not amount to much,
. but on long distances, it counts up to
almost criminal extravaganza.
Take, for instance, the trip to the Pa
cific. The entire expense both ways
for one person need not exceed $500 m
Guiding the best of everything. Yet
the Government allows Congressman
$4,000 and upwards. and thus he is al
lowed to make from 5000 to 81 900 on a
two weeks run. The New York MEM
bers are allowed S46 each to come here
and go home from Washington, and the
Chicago Congressman get $17O each
way, and travel on passes.
The gayest legislator at the Capital,
if asked to present a bill for his person
all expenses when not travelling official
ly, would not dare to run the figures up
s. III r