Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-07-23
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

riOus harm except to the party in
power. Ii was 10 he a lively sos
sion and an enjoyable one 10 the
Republicans. The country was
told it might look for eight months
talking with very little work. These
phrophesies have been fulfilled
literally. People often ask "Wby
is it that Congress accomplisheS so
little p The disagreements IN the
Democratic family have, Of course,
been the chief source Of the trouble
of late.
There is scarcely any question Of
public policy over which the party
has not split into discOrdant fac
tons and become actively bclligcr-
ent on slight provocation through.
out the entire session. The Tariff,
Civil Service Reform, and Silver
are the principal grounds upon
which they cannot meet without
battle and there are many Others.
But aside from this, there other
reasons why Congress accomplishes
so little work. An enormous amount
Of private legislation is asked Of it,
and then its great size ana the
absence of any personal RESPONSE
biiity on the part Of members
should be taken into consideration.
With a body composed Of four
hundred members, it IS difficult for
the average member to feel any
sense Of personal responsibility 4:
especially when he finds DISPOSE.
ton TO oppose the measures that he
may attempt to put into practical
operation.
With more than 10000 bills
pressing and every member scram-
bling for his own pet measure, and
trying to knock every body else out,
so that he can have a chance him
self, there is little show tor any
body. More bills have been intro.
duced in Congress during the pres
ent session than were ever intro
duced during both sessions Of any
other Congress, and more bills
have passed this session than ever
before in one session, but most OF
them have been Of n private
character. None of the important
public measures have beco &c laws.
The Educational bill, the Bank
ruptcy bill, the increase Of the
Navy, the Tariff, the silver ques-
ton, the Mormon question, Olco-
margarine, and several other such
matters are waiting fer final action
and are likely to wait. They can
not be considered this session, and
as for next session, there is so little
of it, that what could not be ac-
complished in eight months, is not
likely to be compassed in three.
AS the River ana lIarbor bill ap-
proaches a vote in the Senate con
siderable interest is manifested IN
| its fate. Senator Miller Of New
York favored the bill as 1t came
from the House. lie did not think
the surplus money in the Treasury
could be better used than in the
manner proposed IN this bill. Con-
gress was not going to increase the
Army or the Navy or 70 make
large expenditures for coast de-
lenses. The money appropriated
in this hill would be paid for labor
would be put into circulation.
lie mentioned the threat OF an
Executive veto if the mll swellcd
beyond certain point. Mr. Miller
did not care to discuss that danger.
lie was here to do his duty as hc
understood IT. Congress had been
in session over seven months and
had done nothing to start a'reSh
the wheels of commerce, 10 set IN
motion the mills that were now
standing idle. The labor tronblcs
would cease when labor was en-
ployed at remuncratiye prices. lie
thought Congress ought to make
an appropriation for rivers and
harbors of not less than twenty
five or thirty million dollars. lie
expected that shout Of cob and
wogrollingr and other such terms
would be poured upon the Senate,
but they had no effect upon him.
The extraordinary order issued
by President Cleveland to all heads
of Government, warning them and
their subordinates against empha-
sizing themselves as 'ollensivepartl-
sans" during the coming campaign,
was the chief topic of conversation
at the Capitol on Thursday, and
great diversity Of opinions were
expressed in regard TO such a
policy. The administration is best
on making a great sensational
show of reform, though OF course
nothing is expected to come OF
these new departures. The new
rulers have various new methods OF
pcrpetrating fraud, and many dark
ways that are gradually coming ia
light.
The Republican Government
employees here are losing their
places rapidly enough now to satisfy
the most rampant Democrats,
Thirty were dismissed from the
= Patent Office yesterday, one hun
q dred are to go from the Treasury,
and the Commissioner of Pensions
Is doing the best be knows how for
| Il l.. al