Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-27
WASHINGTON.
NEWS NOTES AND GOSSIP FROM THE
NATIONAL CAPITOL.
Rivers and Harbors- Relief Bills-A DEM
ocrst Who Takes Very
Gloomy View.

" AS1IINGTON, Apfh @Os--Mfs WI
lie. Who has the river-snd-harbor bill
In charge. expects vote on the measure
IN be reached tomorrow. He will
probably meet with disappointment,
however, as the Mississippi-ri,er app
preparation, from the present outlook,
will generate a great deal Of opposition,
and under the fye-minutes rule there
Is no end 10 opportunities for oratory.
Some members predict that the bill
will not be disposed Of until next week.
After ii is disposed Of the contested
election case Of Campbell rs. Weaver
will be taken up. The opinion is that
Mr.. Weaver, the sitting member, will
retain his seat. The majority report
Of the committee is IN his favor, and
this will be sustained by the House.
In the Senate to-day Senator Riddle
berger introduced bill to relieve the
beads Of the executive departments
from the operations Of section 162 Of
the Revised Statutes, which requires
the departments TO be open at least
eight hours a day for public business.
The bill proposes to amend the section
so as 10 allow them to close at ? p. NJ,
as they baye been doing for nearly three
years. The Senator also introduced a
bill 10 pay Rachel Dyer 1857 for pro-
petty taken by United States troops in
Fairfax county during the war.
In the House, under call Of States,
Hon. G. d. Wise. by request, intro
docsd bill to incorporate the United
States Fidelity Guarantee Company,
with capital stock not exceeding s5,-
OOO.000 in shares OF Sl00 each--the
principal offices to he located in this
city. Mr.. Daniel introduced q bill for
public building in Roanoke county to
be used as post-oflice and revenue Of
fees. The bill appropriates $4,000
for the purpose. Seth NJ. Barton, Of
Virginia, through Hon. Thomas Crox-
ton, asks for the removal OF his politi-
cal disabilities. Hon. Harry Libbey
introduced several relief bills,
the sums asked ranging from
$500 to $1,000. Hon. w. l..
Wilson introduced a bill relating
to the sale of United States lands at
IIaIper's Ferry. 1t provides for the
cancellation OF the contracts Of sale
made in 1869, and the resale Of the
same, together with the rights and title
held by the United States in all pro-
perty at Harper's Ferry. The beirs of
Jonathan Skinner are petitioners for
sl.2S5 for the destruction Of Jona-
than's house at Springfield. n. j., by
the British during the Revolutionary
war.
81 don't like the hopefaluess dis
PLAYED over yonder,' said prominent
western Democratic congressman, point
ing to the Republican side Of the cham
Der this morning before the House was
called TO order. "The amount Of it is
those fellows are thoroughly united and
arc going to give us atight pull for con-
troll Of this body in the Fiftieth Con-
gress. They arc perfectly disciplined,
and Tom Reed has only to crack his
party whip and they all come up
with solid front on every ques-
ton. In contrast with this, we
are united only on one point
Turn the rascals Out'--which the man
at the other end Of the avenue refuses
to do. On all other questions we are
split up into factions controlled by the
interests of the localities we represent.
So much so is this the fact that we dare
not 60 into caucus on any question for
fear Of an open breach. We haven't
held caucus this session for this very
reason. We haven't leader on our
side Of the House. Sam Randall is a
good man, but he is so handicapped by
the petty jealousy INDUCED by Bill
Morrison, who has very feeble presi-
Dental bee buzzing in his bonnet, that
be can do nothing. Morrison is a
much oyer-estimated man. He is
very poor speaker, worse debster,
and has no political sagacity whatever.
His constituents complain, hear, that
he deyotes too much time to nosing
about for petty Offices in the House,
which he portions out to people outside
his district. | understand the Repub-
licsDs expect to make a gain Of a mom-
Der in his district next fall, and If they
will only stop there they will do the
Democratic party a service. We must
give the people an issue from the
proceedings Of this body, or we
are gone at the next election. 1t can:
be done on the tariff, and the waste Of
time in the discussion Of the question
while great interests are suffering for
want Of legislation will only serve to
ALLEVIATE the people from the party. A
change Of twenty-three members will
take the majority over there. Six Ohio
districts, with the spring elections as
basis, have changed their political COM
plexion from Democratic to Republican.
There are twenty-four Democrats and
twenty Republicans holding seats in
the present House on majorities over
their Democratic or Republican oppo-
ntnts Of less than 200, with a third
and fourth party capable Of turning the
election either way.
"To show what slender thread the
politics Of the next House hangs on |
have gathered the following official
figures showing the relative status of
the two great parties in all districts in
which the majority over the other party
is less than 1000, based on the last
congressional election
Dan. Nej. Rep. Mai.
Henley. LIST Cal'a.l45i Wadsworth. 9th
Seymo our, attn KY. ..-.......~lO9
Conn .............l53 Reed. LIST Me BIB
Worthington, Burrows. I'd Mich. $3.50
10th II s-..-...~.. 17G Woodburn. New ...sl5
Niece. nth Ills. .-s27 Lehibaek, 9th y.
IREdes. leth Ills BIS J......................s44
Ward. eth lnd....-6 s Farquhar, 32d n.
Hall. LIST Iowa. ~ I.......... ............l67
Frederick 9th Ia-lSs Weber. SD y. I.-6Ol
Weaver, 9th Ia. e7 Romois 10th O..239
Woifoid. 18th ky.Slb brumm, 1911 Pa-plO
Cav 81 Ia ...... gp7 I.outtst, I'd Gala ll9