Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-12-24
OF Il WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Dee. III, 1856.

WASHINGTON, Dec. III, 1856.
Congress, i'll less than Il week from
its rc-opcning. has settled down {,
the serious consideration OF business
The rcasscmbling of both the Senate
and House Were accompanied by
scenes customary on such occasions.
There were the usual crowds nf spec
| taturs in the galleries who looked down
upon the same tlImultuouS disordcrly
crowd on the floor of the House, all
talking at once and at the top uf their
voices, and upon the quiet sluw-movi NJ
men on the floor of the Senate cham
her, who began the new session with
as little furry as on any day of the
| old one There were the usual hand
Shakings and exchange of greetings,
flower bcdcckcd desks, the Democratic
side being the most favored ilorallv,
which caused some Republicans to re-
mark that the change OF flowers
showed the change of the Administra-
ton. TO the victors belong the flow
ers.
Representatives A. :. Cox and Alb
ram Hewitt were the lions of the open
ing day. When they entered the hall
arm iii arm, they were greeted by Il
round of applause. Mr.. Hewitt re-
ccivcd congratulations upon his cleo
tion to the Mayoralitv, and express
slonS of regret upon his retirement
from Congress. Those who had served
in former Congresses with Mr.. Cox
gathered round him cordially, and
those who did not know him
sought introductions. Representative
Saycrs of Texas, who occupied, last
session, the seat so long used by Mr..
| Cox, gracefully surrendered ii to its
| former occupant and took the one va
Gated by Mr. Pulitzer
Mr.. Cox has already added to his
record by introducing bill to prevent
Representatives from receiving two
salaries at the same time. He thus
manifests his intention to decline the
Congressional salary which has ac-
crucd since Mr.. Pulitzcr's resignation.
Republican papers gleeiully distorted
Il recent statement to make it appear
that Mr. Cox had applied for and was
trying TO get two salarit s-onc as Min
lister to Constantinoplc and one as
| Congressman. As II matter of fact, he
inquired of the Comptroller of the
Treasury rs to the exact money due
him under the law SO that he could
act intclligcntly concerning it. Comp
trollcr Durham told him he was en-
titled to back pay since Mr. Pulitzer
resigned, and this bill just introduced
shows what Mr.. Cox intended at the
| time to do about it.
| While the Presidents message takes
one all over Europe, to the Samoan
Islands, Siberia, the Spanish Antilles
to Mexico, over South America, and
into Canada and Alaska, the five topics
which excite the strongest interest
here are the tariff, the currency, the
labor question, civil service, and Dis.
trict Of Columbia affairs. The tariff
rcformcrs are all pleased and some OF
them are enthusiastic. The protec.
tionists say the message is conservative
enough for them, the ultra silver men
make complaints as was expected, and
the Republicans criticize the docu.
ment as Il whole, and from force OF
habit.
Some of the most sluggish members
of Congress predict that little can be
done during the session beyond the
passage of the Appropriation bills
Others equally wise say there is more
chance for work during Il short than a
long session, and they expect to be
very active from now until the fourth
of March In fact, there is little tenn
tation to dcmagogism, and talking
for votes now and then is no reason
why this Congress should not d,
more in January than in all the pre-
vious months of its life. The mem
bers are all either elected or defeated
for the Fiftieth Congress, and more
partisan mancuvers will not affect
them. Then by the committee work
having been done last session, bills arc
ready for action, and legislation is in
excellent position to be pushed to
completion.
| Congressman Anderson of Kansas
comes back this winter pronounced
enemy of railroads, and gives II de-
scription Of how public men are Great.
ed and owned in his section bv JAY
Gould's purse. Gould is trying to
control the Legislatures and the Rep
rescntatives in Congress from the
States through which his roads pass
Mr.. Anderson says in his own district
not less than one hundred Thousand
dollars We're distributed to defeat him.
He estimates that the Missouri Pacific
Railroad alone spent $2,O00OO0 in
attempting to send the friends OF rail
roads to Congress from the State OF
Kansas. Mr. Anderson was formerly