The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-05-21
Our Washington Letter
From Our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, May II, 1886.

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Although the week at the Capital has
been quiet one, both Houses of Congress
have made fair progress in business. The
Senate invariably takes holiday on Satur-
day, but the House of personalities as
Invariably works six days in the week, and
frequently holds a Saturday night session
that is protracted to so late an hour as to
trench close upon Sunday morning.
Appropriation bills are taking precedence
of everything else, as the session is
drawing toward its close. One after anoth-
er the House is disposing of them. The
Army has been provided for, also our con-
su,s and diplomats, and now the general
Pension bill is under discussion, The
number of persons added to the pension roll
under it is about 100000, and the amount
of money involved will be about $25, 5000, 900
And then they have been tryin g to make
nsw Cabinet officeI Representative Nc
Creary, of Kentucky, came to the hearty
support Of the measurs for charging the
powers and duties of the Department Of
Agriculture. He argued that the United
States, the grand Agricultural empire of
the world, should elevate the departments
of the Government. 1t was time there was
a Secretary of Agriculture to look after the
great questions that might arise for the ben
eft of the farmers ofthe country.
Mr.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, opposed
the bill. Coming from an agricultural
state, he would do anything he could to
aid the agricultural interest, but
the more he examined the bill,
the more it appeared to him that it
would do no good. He protested against
any legislation that would place the farmers
in class by themselves. When the Secre-
tary of Agriculture came to sit at the Cab.
met table he would cease to be an agricult-
urist and would become politician. The
Secretary of War was not a soldier, the
Secretary of the Navy was not sailor, the
Secretary of the Interior was not an invent
or or pensioner, nor homesteader. These
gentlemen were politicians. They repre-
scented states, they represented influence, and
when the Secretary Of Agriculture sat in
the Cabinet he would be gentleman who
represented certain section. and who had
certain political influence and weight. 1t
was the heavy burden of taxation which
kept the agricultural industry from moving
on. This was the clog which kept it from
advancing. Agriculture did not need to be
crowned with Cabinet officer. Take off
this burden, remove this clog, and agrcult-
ure would be crowned by her own exertions
without asking favors from Presidents or
Cabinet officers. All agriculture wanted
was free, unrestricted, unburdened chance
in the great battle of life.
Mr.. Beckenbridge's remarks were re-
ceived with applause. and then Represent !
alive Weaver, of Iowa, arose to favor the
bill, holding that it would give labor stat
US it had not yet enjoyed. Labor, he said
was organizing for great civic contest with
monopoly, and it had right to be heard in
every council that might pass upon its con-
dition, and upon the need of power and re-
spect that must be given it.
During the week while large delegation
of New York editors were visiting Wash
ington, they called upon the President in a
body, as is the custom of almost every party
and every body that comes to the city. In
Guiding the ladies there were about two
hundred in the delegatio n, some of whom
were the Presidents old neighbors and knew
him we'll. One of them tried to venture
upon the matrimonial event in which Mr..
Cleveland is supposed to be interested. The
only answer ELECTED from the big, reserved
bachelor, was that he regretted the Presi-
dent of the United States did not have the
same rights and privileges as an ordinary
cisizen.
Mrs. Stanford, the wife of the millionaire
Senator from California, has just completed
arrangements for the erection of an aged
woman's home, which is to be located in
Albany near her old residence in that city.
The structure is to cost $3.50 900. 1t will
be generously endowed by Mrs. Stanford,
and is to be placed under the care of = re-
ligipus body. Senator Stanford probably
receives more reques Is for pecuniary
assistance than any man in Washington.
Indeed, he has been so much prosecuted by
people calling on him in order to recite to