The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-12-17
Jasper Courier corsespondencs.l
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
wAsH,soros. D. G., Dec. 10, 1886.

WAsHik0TON, u. T., Dec. ~, 1880.
Congress opened Monday at noon IL
ne usual way. There was . good
,eprcsentation Of both Senators and
N Members, and crowds Of people hocked
% the Capitol 20 see the beginning Of
he new sessi0n. When the forth-ninth
met last December, IL found
Ihc Capitol draped IN mourning for the
death OF Vice. President Hendricks. This
ear Il reassemblcs TO fimd the building
~ washed ia black for Ex-President Ar
thur.
After tho gavels fell Monday Ia tho
senate aud House, and roIl-calls fol-
10 we'd. and new Senators and Represen-
natives were then sworn 10. Work Is
now in.order. hut the programme can
not now be outlined, for convenience
must decide 10 what business each
branch OF Congress will first give atten-
tion.
Among the most interesting annual re-
porte evoked BY the assembling Of Con-
gress was that OF Secretary Whitney,
because II deals largely with the recon
strucion Of the Navy. Speaking OF the
Of previous sdministra-
ltions, the Secretary shows that there are
now twenty million dollars worth Of
stores and supplies on hand, supposed
Ito be new. but much Of them ruined by
decay and rust, or entirely obsolete.
There are 25OOO augers which have been
living for years il disused yards, and
HUNDREDS Of thousands Of other imple-
nents similarly going to destruction
An officer reports passing through
ward where the men were short OF cot
mails. and turning aside he found ware
room filed from floor 10 ceiling with
barrels on barrels Of the needed nails
Ill is estimated that these nails will still
last the Navy Department fifty years
The absurdity OF the effort among Re
Ipublicsn papers to create the belief that
there is some scandal involving the
president In the purchase OF real estate
here for speculative purposes u reail!
amusing. Neither partisan malice no
persoaai animosity can fix upon Cleve
land any taiut Of completely IN real g
tate ring transactions or scsndalous po
lice spying 10 Washington.
Even those who criiicise the Prcsi
dents public and political policy &C
that personally and pecuni
larily. he is one OF the most honest me-
who ever occupied the White House
lie might be imposed upon in some Va
lby nvsricious nen, but President Cleve
land himself u totally free from greco
iThis sudden spasm Of outraged virtue I
1.-THE Republican party. which stood b
president Grant when he backed up Boz
1lSbephcrd. Landaulct Wiiliams and u
! members Of the whisky ring. and b
Blaine in his venezuels speculation
ibecause certain real estate dealers sougl
; Ito profit by Mr.. CleveIand's purchase
IL home. 10 highly interesting.
The name OF the Presidents littl
lcouulry place is still undergoing chang
les. Originally il wac "Preity Prospect
/, then Il WAS vulgarly called "Red Top
latter which tile owner named u "Os
ilView." Now those who have made q
l,noSt carncet effort TO connect the Pres
sldent with the syndicate aim TO stigm
tize It with the title OF "Poison Ol
View \.
| tis becoming quite common TO al
Tribute pictures Of the hne Wasnsngss
residences Of wealthy Congressnen,
Ian influence upon the horny handed =
tier. and pu',lic men have found "a
downing large houses here is very dctr
InnentaI 10 their popularity at home. No
THAN one has been defeated by the circ
Ilstion OF : photograph Of his Washin
lion residence among his constituents.
Twas only few days since, that ~ II
Inois Congressman, seeing came
lleveled AZ HE mansion, rushed out q
Tried TO drive the photographer away.
Ex-senator Window, Of Minneso
~. vas said to have lost hie seat In the 81
4 ale through the scattering Of pictures
uplhis handsome house on Scott circle, >
+ liz i said one reason Mr.. Blaine rent
.lhis elegant house here and lived Ia
!|mo,e simple fashion was from
lsear OF the political use that might
made OF his living at the Capitol
!. lprincely style.
7 The character Of thesc city homes
- sometimes exaggerated, however, as
THAT Of Senator Vest Recently he p
|chssed . modest little house on +. str'
land picking up western paper
: ldsys after, he was astonished 70 see
statement that he had bought On eleg
residence IN the fashionable locality
4 lMr. Blaine's palatial mansion.
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