The Arizona champion., 1888-02-18
Washington Letter.


 things that have been done in Con gress this week 1 will mention that the Senate, unanimously and without debate, voted to substitute the goth, of April for the 4th of March as Inauguration day. They also voted that the term of office of the Pres. ident and of tine Fiilieth Congress shall continue until the goth day oi April, 1889, at noon; that the Sena' tors whose existing term would cx' plre on the 4,h of March, 1889 (and thereaftcrJ, shali continue in office until the s,th of April succeeding such expiration, and that the goth o April shall thereafter be substituted for the 4,h oi March as the com mencement and termination ol the official term of the President, Vice : President, Senators and Representa- tives in Congress.
 In the House end of the Capitu there is on the calendar another . Constitutional amendment awaiting a vote. It fixes the day for ths meeting of Congress on the hrsr Monday in January, and the time o i final adjournment at noon on the 3Ist of December. This, you see would practically make continuous session for the two years term. in terrupted by only such recesses as both Houses should agree to.
 The Senate has agreed to give . ST, 200, 900 public building 10 Ne br aSka's thriving city of Omaha, and the House has voted to favor with public buildings Greenville 5. C. Portsmouth, Ohio, Asheville, N. C.. Springfield, Mo-, aud Monroe, La. , Prohibition bills memorials and petitions continue 10 pour in upon both Houses. Ore of the latest and 1 strongest Is the result of the yearly meeting of the Society of Friends in Baltimore, which shows the Friends do not believe In half way measures. The petition calls for Constitutions amendment prohibiting the inanu' tacture, exp0rtation, importation, transportation, and sale of liquors in the United States. Petitions continue to bc presented, also, in favor of the proposed Constitution CuntenniaI cele brailon 10 be held in this city.
 To give you an idea Of the de mands made by constituents and other callers upon the time of oul lawmakers which should be spent during the daily session al least, in attention to public .business, l will mention that the doorkcepcrs at the various enhances 10 the floor of the House kept tally on last Thursday o the cards sent III to members during the day. Owing 10 thc bad weather there happened 10 be fewer people at the Capitol that day than usua yet I, 700 cards were sent in. Thl, did not include those sent in frou the ladies reception room, whiCl would have nulubercd several hun dred more.
 There was little contest in tn, Senate over the one cent poStag, bill. In presenting the Senatorla Post. Office Committed adverse re port upon the dainty measure, Chair man Sawyer stated that the Post Ofh'e Department was not selisup porting yet, and therefoIe 1t WA not tune to attempt any further re duCtlon on letter postage. Senator: Beck, Hoar, Platt and others eaci believed in penny postage. They argued that the people wanted ant demanded better and cheaper mai scrvlce, that they had never asked that the Post Office Departmen should be self sustaining, nor hae they ever complaincl of extrova gance in that branch of the Govern ment.
 Members of the House general favor the reduction of postage, oI drop letters, at least, to one cent There are other bills on the subj eC besides the ore snubbed by tn Senate committee. and others ar being prepared which will be intro duced at an early day. During tn one cent discussion Senator Bee said he could not understand ho' the Government could afford to carr bonnets, harness and all kinds merchandise over the country for cent an ounce and not be al'ie carry the intelligence of the Peop| at the samc rate.
 It is said that the forth-comin tariff bill, which IS being frame with such care that it is expected please the whole country. IS not Of radical character. The revenue r formers who are Clanoring for reduction on the necessaries Of hi will be pleased, IL IS thought, wit the disposition made of wool, woole goods, cotton goods, and suga The Randall Democrats will placated with the duties of tobact , cut some Sao, 900 .ooo, while u . whiskey tax will not be touched.