Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-07-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. July 10. 1886.


the party which PIRATES of economy
and reform, continue to draw thous-
ands of dollars for mileage, while
they point with pride to their votes
against pensions for soldiers. The
same men boast of their votes
against the time honored custom of
a months extra allowance to en-
ployes of the Capital. The latter
get no mileage, and have to pay
their way to and from home to work
aud vote for the election ofmembers
of Congress-.
/ am not advocating the months
extra pay, but why should these self
styled watch-dogs of the Treasury,
cut and slash at the little bonuses of
those around them, and reserve all
things for themselves. They have
recently voted to reduce the mileage
OF army officers from eight to four
cents mile, which is we'll enough,
for that is considerably more than
it cost them to travel. But the mile
age rate of Senators and Represen-
tatives remains at 20 cents a mile
and then again if the Holmans and
Reagans and Randalls of the House
of Representatives would exhibit the
same Roman virtue in regard to APP
preparations which affect their own
districts and their friends, they
would be more entitled to the re-
spect of observant people. The
same men who vote against every
thing which is not going to benefit
their own constituents or their own
pockets, have just voted to put in a
deficiency bill on appropriation for
the payment of Texas war claim.
1t is said that many virtuous Con.
gressmen, who draw mileage, travel
on free passes, and that some who
pose as economists get all their sta
tionery from the committee rooms,
and then draw in cash the 1926 al
lowed each member for stationery
during the session.
No one knows when Congress will
get through and go home, but no
one thinks it will be before the mid
die of August. 1t is the same old
story with regard to Appropriation
bills. They must be disposed of, and
they were held back and then rush
ed through the Senate and House,
to be acted upon finally by conferees.
Legislation by conference committee
has become part of our constitu.
tional system.
1t is thought the Presidents veto
messages will excite a prolonged dis
cussion before adjournment, and
there are q number of other ques-
tions that will consume time. The
Morrison Surplus Revenue Resolu.
ton will take up several days, Oleo.
margarine, and Land Grants forfeit
lures will be pressed for attention,
while something will be done to
reach the Mexican and the one arm
and one leg pension bills, as we'll as
that for the increase of the Naval es-
tablishment.
Incensed claimants and their
agents who have been hanging
around the halls of Congress doing
all in their power to have their pri.
vate schemes pushed through, are
disappointed and indignant now.
The Senate, they say, has treated
them fairly, but the House has en-
tirely neglected them. Having fail.
ed in an attempt to have a little of
the remaining time of the session al.
lotted to private bills, they decided
to hold an indignation meeting at
the National Hotel on Sunday morn
ing, to be repeated until Congress
will heed their cry. All the disap.
pointed claimants in Washington
we're invited to attend the meeting,
and it was worth going to see wheth.
er one had a "claimn or not. One
very indignant claimant said: eve
want to teach Congressman that
they are the servants and not the
masters of the people," "Let them
indignate" was Speaker Carlisle's
comment when he heard of the meet
ing.
White House annals are dull now.
and but little news need be looked
for from it until after the summer
vacation now impending. The old
Mansion is undergoing it's annual
overhaullng. The carpets and cur
tains on the lower floor have all
been removed, cleaned, aud stored
in the state dining room, the carpets
at cost of four cents "a yard. while
the work on the curtains was done
for fifty cents a window. White
mating has been placed on the par.
Tor floors, but the windows will re.
main without drapery during the
summer. The carpets have not yet
been taken up in the official part of
the house.