The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
From Washington.
IRON our Regular Corrcspondcut)

| IL would seem that the spirit Oh inquiry
were raging here now.
On the contrary, all Of 'hese affairs are
dismal farces. No sensations have been
evolved from the Telephone business, and
public interest in it Is rapidly subsiding.
Hon. Casey Young has contradicted the
imputations against the Attorney General,
and in seeking letters for publication as
testimony, out Of 2l2 five were from Mr.
Garland, none Of which bear on the sub
ject under investigation.
Gen. Black l. we'll fortified with proof OF
his allegations against ex-Commissioner
Dudley's Republican Pension Machine.
He has submitted cases Of gross irregulari
", showing that claims were advanced and
allowed as partisan rewards, and he has
hundreds Of atiidayits In reserve.
As TO the Senate's fight for papers, none
but the blindest of partisans can see any
other outcome Of the Republican situation
than "A surrender. There is desire on the
part Of most Of the Senators who have fol
lowed Mr. Edmunds' lead TO drop the con.
test as soon as possible and 10 say as little
AS possible about it. The debate has in
yolved so many Senators in contradictions
and Inconsistencies that It has clearly
strengthened the President in his position.
1t has also served to direct attention 10 the
evils Of secret sessions so intently that their
very existence Is strongly threatened
The weakest point Of the Republican pc
sition is that they have called for this in
formation to be used in Star Chamber ses-
sions If the Senate considered the Presi.
dents appointments in open session, there
would be much more excuse for these at
tacks upon him for his secrcsy
Senator Edmunds is sorely cut 10y the re-
volt Of the Finance Committee. Its resolve
to report the nominations of Isternal Rev.
enue Collectors referred 10 it in spite Of the
caucus was square back down from tie
Republican position. And the present
week Is likely to witness similar action on
the part Of the Indian Affairs Committee,
and other committees which are weary Of
the useless contest
There was never any genuineness or co
hesion in the movement and il required
little political keenness TO see what would
certainly happen The obstruction was q
political blunder and there was SO little
interest in it that the public did not even
charge its mind with the task of keeping
up with the debate, The indignation which
was pumped up WAS false and labored, and
there has been no timp when the Rcpubii.
can Senators in a body have not regretted
the course into which they were dragoOned
by the rasplng seltishuess from Vermont
As an experimental issue it has been dis.
NAL failure, and 1t is only astonishing that
the pretense was kept up as long as II was
Much was expected by the majority Sen.
ators from their colleague, Mr., Spooner,
the new Senator from Wisconsin. He oCCu.
pied the floor part Of two days, bat failed
utterly to cover himself with glory. He
started out quite hrayely, but in winding
up he got lost, CROPPED around for an hom
poin,lessly in search Of a suitable finale,
repeated himself half "A dozen times, and
closed quite tamely.
Senator Colquitt, Of Georgia, will be
heard in long speech today on the Dem
ocratic side, and Senator ingalls,, of Kan.
sus, will follow next in behalf of the Re,
publicans. lie is one of their ablest men,
and has a carefully prepared speech.
The bill to pension the widow Of Gener.
al Hancock has been before the House,
and was eloquently supported by Repre-
sentative Bingham, Of Pennsylvania. Rep
resentatiye Price, of Wisconsin, opposed it.
He said the country had paid General
Hancock brilliant, brave, generous, in all
his proportiOns-the sum Of $4,000 dur
ing the last twenty years. "lle helped to
save your country" suggested Mr. Bing,
ham And there are hundred Of thous-
ands as good he was who helped to save
the country, who are starving" replied Alr
Price The pension will be $4,000 year,
There are many members who would be
glad To make il $4,000, but the widows of
Gen. Thomas and Admiral Farragut re-
ceiye $4,000, and precedents in such mat
tera are difficult to Cverc' me.
W H. Calvin, of your city has obtained
"A patent ON bob sleigh. ).
The question eff street railway In Otta-
VA IS being vigorously agitated, and parties
interested in the city railway matters are