The Press., 1886-01-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Washington ID. C., Jan, lb, lssA.
 In congress the week may be sad 10 have progressed with some show of busi- ness intentions. The senate ns usual, is we'll in advance of the house with work, out the latter is now fairly organized, committees are daily reporting measures, and 1t is to be hoped that under tho iuflu- ence of it's new rules, the lower branch will retrieve its lost reputation for indus try.
 Although congress met six weeks ago, the house has done little else SO far, than to meet and adjourn for recesses. The senate, which has for years past been the buslness end of the capitol, has enacted several important measures, the anti polygamy bull being lhe latest and has oent them over to the house, officially approved and stamped.
 The silver question has been the main feature in both the senate and house dur ing the week, although considerable elo. quence has been expended on other sub cts, such as army reform md monu- nents. Senator Manderson of Nebraska is much in earnest about increasing ihe tficiency of the infantry branch of the army. He addressed the senate, saving, our army had never brought the bush of shame to the cheeks of the AmerIoan people, but, to the disgrace of congress-, no war like emergency that had ever arisen had found us prepared. After cltlng several instances of this fact, he said the lethargy of congress in placing tue army, navy and cna-t drfeuces in proper condition was inexplicable to him, especially m view of the repeated recom- mendatlons of the president aud other executive officers.
 Senator Blair of New Hampshire, who IS one of the purists of the sena,e aud who IS always found advocating something moral or patriotic, brought up his bill for the erection of a monument here to Abraham Lincoln and another to General Grant. Lincoln aud Graut, he said, were, ike Washington, saviors of the ,uutry, and appropriate monuments should be erected to their memory in the capital of the nation. Individual efforts would never undertake to erect monumeuts be- comiug the greatness of the men aud the principles 70 be commemorated in these instances, and the government should therefore undertake the task, now that it has completed the monument to Wash ington.
 The latest antagonists to the presidents silver policy were senators Pugh of Ala. bama, Coke of Texas, Brown of Georgla, Vauce of North Carolina and Representa- tive Reagan of Texas, all of whom are democrats. Mir. Reagan is considered one of the best informed and abe,t de- lenders of the silver dollar. He de- nounced the proposition tO suspend cJiu- age as a cunning and wicked scheme of robbery, conceded by moneyed mon to make the rich rIcuer and the poor poorer by raising the value of Investments. Sen ator Pugh criticised the arguments of the | s.F iha against silver, and Senator Vauca, who has very direct, blunt manner, expressed views diametrically opposed 10 those of the administration. He ridiculed the idea that the silver agitation wat favor. able to labor, aud d clar d 1t Was in the interest of those who speculated in money.
 The silver question Is the main one on which there will be an open, serious split between the administration and wing of the democrats in the capitol The silver men are implacable, and they have the advantage of favorng the existing stat utes. Possession is nine points of the law, especially where tho machinery of obstruction is SO perfect as in congress-. The congressman from Mir. Cleveland's district is quoted as opposed to his anti. silver policy, and there are other anti silver men in the house, New York dele gation.
 In it's daily, secret sessions, the senate gives attention to the presidents nomina- tions. General Rosecraus made n narrow escape from rejection as reglster of the treasury, but was finally allowed to pass. Senate committees have been talking about demanding of the cabinet reasons for the removal of certain federal officials during the recess of congress, aud the cabinet has been talking about how It had better proceed to answer such puzzling questions. -H
 Representative Curtin, the old'wa gov ernor of Pennsylvania, made httle sen sation in. the house on Wednesday. He arose and refused to aocppt the chairman ship of tue banking and currency commit. tee to which he was assigned by Speaker Carlisle The removal of G,,v. Curtin from the head of the foreign affairs com mittee to make place for Perry Belmont of New York is considered Mir. Carllsle's greatest blunder in committee making, and most mal-apropos selection.
 
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