The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.

EDITOR CLARION: Enlogies of Vice
President Hendricks, debates over the
cumming commonwealth, Dakota, and
Executive Sessions have consumed most Of
the lime in the Senate this week
An opportunity to do some much
needed scolding was also taken adj
vantage of by several aggrieved 81 nators.
One OF them lecured the Senate for adj
iourning over from Thursday to Monday,
has been Its habit OF late, when there
was so much important business on aand.
He supplemented his remarks with a res
olution providing that hereafter the yeas
and nays shall be called ON motions to
adjourn over a legislative day, thus put
thug the peoples representatives sqHarely
on record when they vote to waste time.
Another Senator scolded the engraving
clerks of the House of Representatives for
sending over to the Senate, bills made up
of bad spelling. II was an ofenSe, an
insult to the latter august body that could
not be forgiven. He congratulated the
Senate upon the good spelling of It's en-
ployees and the affair was kind of love-
feast at the expense of the House.
The debate that has been inaugurated
in the Senate over the admission of Dakota,
promises to DE long and interesting. The
question has become party one, and the
bill will pass the Senate by the Republi
can vote The Democrats count upon
ca ing the bill in the House. They claim
not to base their opposition upon denial
of the right of Dakota to Statehood They
admit that In population, wealth, etc, the
Territory is entitled to become State but
they assert that the people OF Dakota have
not complied with the legal preliminaries.
l. is probable compromise will be pro
posed in the Senate looking to the admis-
zion of Montana, which is a Democratic
territory, along with Oak ia. One plan
suggested il TO admit Dakota, Montana and
Washington Territories. Dakota is Re
publican, Montana Democratic. and Wash
ington is doubtful politically.
The proceedings Of the lower House Of
Congress so far, this week, have not been
marked by any legislation of importance,
nor by any important debates. Routine
business and petty wrangles have filled its
record.
The demands upon the time of Congress
men, made by their Constitute hts, are such
that most of them are under the necessity
of employing clerks. The duties OF III -se
clerks are, mainly, to look after pension
aud other claims. 1t Is now proposed to
employ 325 extra pension clerks, There are
assigned to the business OF each Congress.
sional district, under the direction Of the
Representative of that district. Many
members do not favor this plan, however,
and prefer TO deal with the matter in the
old way.
Congressman's lot is not perfectly
easy one, will be seen by some samples
OF information they are expected TO furnish
their constituents. A Western member re-
marked, holding some freshly opened let
ters in his hand, .'lf here is ANYTHING i'm
the world that my people do not write to
Congressman about, | would like TO know
what it is. Here is letter from a citizen
IN my district, who requests me TO write TO
the American Minister at Rome to send
him an Italian quet bee. Here is another
iron a woman whose husband left her
seven years ago, and she has not heard
from him since. She axis that | find out
his present address at the census office and
send il 10 her.
The question Of abolishing secret session
has again been up in the Senate, and again
met with opposition. The opinion outside
OF the Senate is that very little business is
transacted there in secret that might not
as well be considered and acted upon in the
presence OF full galleries. A minor, but
not trivial consideration, is the convent
ence that open executive sessions would af-
ford to the thousands of people from all
parts OF the United States who come 10
Washington to see Congress. Hundreds
OF them at time, aggregatiug hundreds
oil thousands In the eour,e of year, are
hustled out OF the Senate galleries every
day because Senator desires to stop legis-
latlye business, in order that his friend
Jones, perhaps, may be confirmed as post
master at Jonesville. The people feel dis
appointed, OF course, and Senators them
selves acknowledge that there is a great
deal OF unnecessary interference with the
comfort and convenience of visitors. for
very inadequate reasons. Business seldom
comes up that could not be attended to be-
tore all the world, without injury to public
or private interests. Cas-.