The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-01-21
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1885.

Congress has been persistently irrel-
evant this week. Both Senators aud
Representatives have shown an ire
sistibls inclination to ignore business
deliver speeches on pet subjects. On
one day the Senate listened to three
orations on totally dissimilar meas
ures, Silver, Art and the Army. Sem
stor Mandergon csIlsd attention to mis-
bill for building up the Army, sena-
tor Blair asked that Monamsnts be
erected to Lincoln and Grant, and
Senators Pugh and Vance advocated
continued coinage Of the silver dollars.
Ex.Gov. Curtin's resignation of fthe
Craftsmanship of the Banking and
Currency Committee, and Senator In
CALLS resolution are the pEominen
financial features of the week at the
Capitol. Mr.. Curtin's action was an
ticipatsd, and brings an extreme silver
man, Representative Miller of Texas,
to the head of this Committee, and the
Senator from Kansas proposes to con.
tinue the present coinage of silver
until limit has been reached of $780,
900, 900. At the present rate of coinage
$2e, 200, 600 month, it would take fif-
teen years from date to reach this
amount. In declining the position to
which he was assigned, Mr.. Curtin
said he was not lacking ia apprecia-
ton of the honor conferred upon him
by the Speaker. but that he could not
escape the conviction that the tastes
and experiences of his public life were
not such as fitted him to serve in that
position with satisfaction to himself or
with usefulness to the House.
The silver men have established
their headquarters here, and their
work Is apparent in the halls of Con
gress. Scarcely day passes without
Congressman introducing petition
against the retirement of silver. Ag-
itation of the silver question will
probably continue through the entire
session. "But," remarked Senator
Colquit of Georgia, it will be only
agitation, for no legislation will be
accomplished" The opinion is fair
reflex of the views of majority of the
Senators from the South and West,
and party lines would be quickly OBJ
liberated on a vote for the demonetiz
ton of silver. Senator Pugh, of Ala.
bama, in a good natured reference to
the Administration silver policy said
that on this subject, both parties al
lowad differences of opinion within
their ranks. On next Monday the
silver question will be formally pre-.
sented in the Senate for consideration
and then talk on silver, which has
been given out so freely of late, will
be relevant in that end of the Capitol
at least.
A Democratic Representative was
speaking of the tardiness of the House
in getting down to business, and OF
the tendency of Members to speak in
season and out upon their favoriIe
measures. Said he, "This House is
like glass Of beer, there is lot OF
froth to be blown of before you can
get down to the substance. Scores ol
Members have speeches prepared Oh
various subjects, and they had just a.
veil be blown of now when the Houst
has nothing else to do. They are sure
to waste time hereafter, when the
House gets fairly to business. They
are the froth that has to be got rid o
before any real work can be DONE"
The House has shown commendablt
alacrity IN regard to the Presidentia
succession bill, which has already pass
ed the committee and been reported te
| the House without amendment. Some
he embers are disposed to object to Ger
tain provisions OF the bill, but it i:
probable that it will pass substantially
as it came from the Senate. The fea
ture in the bill most criticised is tha
which creates a Cabinet interregnun
till the expiration of the full Presi
Dental term. But the contingency il
so remote that this objection is rather
= fanciful one, it being altogether un
| likely that both President and Vice
| President will ever die at the begin
ming of the term.
The Senate, in secret session, hal
been confirming the Presidents nom
nations, many of them almost as fas
/ ha On nar,16 bn rao6
the first were the new Civil Servic,
| Commissioners. When Mr.. Eaton'
name came up Senator Logan mad,
the point that he was mugwump,
and that the spirit of the civil service
law required that one of the commits
sioners be Republican. Several Re
publican Senators vouched fer MI
Eaton's politics, and the Commission
Is now certified to the country as eli
sible for its duties. Very few of tn
nominations will be objected to-no
more than one per cent. of them. >Th
Presidents position in regard to then
Is one from which the Republican
Senators find it very hard to extrac
any grievance. He did not withhold
any Of his recess appointments, bu
sent them all in as Democrats whom
he believed to be personally henest
worthy, and efficient. If he has beel
deceived in some of them, he leave
the responsibility with the Senate.
|
some Republican Frauds.
Since the discovery of oyerwhelm