San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-01-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(frcm Our Regular Correspondent
yV,suusaroS Ian. q. 1893.

| WAhhlNuTON' Ouu' q, iooo'
At the close OF the year II is prob
ably the proper thing to briefly re
view the Governments financia
condition. During the month o
December, tho receipts from al
sources were S29,325,25s, and thu
disbursements were S10,400,Gs2,
net gain OF nearly nineteen millions
out OF which amount about three
and half millions Of interest upor
the public debt must BIO paid, leaving
the total surplus for December nearly
fifteen millions and half; during
that month tho national debt was re-
ducod fifteen and quarter millions
and for tho whole year it was decreas
ed little more than one hundred
and and seventeen million dollars
tho largest reduction being made
in June and November.
Many OF the Congressman who
visited their homes during the re-
cess have returned, and others are
daily arriving-all looking with i'm
patience to the reassembling of Con
gross, when the committees will be
announced and the work of the SOS
sion will begin in earnest. 1t is I'm.
derstood that Speaker Carlisle has
finished his most tedious and trouble
some interchangeable OF making
out his committee lists, and with his
great experience, it is confidently be-
lieved that his work will be accept
nble, although many mem bers will be
disappointed at their assignments.
Those not familiar with the workings
of Congressional ambition, cannot
conceive of the jealousies and bicker-
ings of aspiring statesmen in such
matters. II q members name does
not appear first on a committee, he
would like to be o second or third /;
every Congressman has q settled
aversion to appearing last on COM
mittee.
The Democratic Senators are very
pronounced in favor of tariff reform,
and they have appointed committee
of which Mr.. Kenna, is chairman, to
confer with the party leaders in the
House on the issue of tax reduction,
as such bill must necessarily origi-
nate in that body. Mr.. Kennas sell
ectlon is significant, as his views on
the question of tariff Legislation are
known to be conservative, and it is
therefore thought that he is inclined
to favor compromise measure.
Both parties realize that the tariff
must be revised, and they ore accord
ingly making preparations with
the view Of accomplishing that
object and at the same time
preserving partisan Arguments. 1t
remains to be seen whether such a
difficult feat in political gymnastics
can be executed successfully.
The report of the Pacific Railroad
will be one of the most
measures brought to the
of Congress, and it is hop
ed that this giant corporation will be
to fulfil it's contract with
with the Government whose forbear-
ance it has exhausted. Elk, Govern
or's Pattisons minority report is q
most severe but just arraignment in
which Republican and millionaire
United States Senator Stanford and
his bonanza associates are handled in
o manner truly refreshing and con-
and it is to be hoped that
his views will direct the policy of
Of Congress.
Among the Presidents Christmas
presents were frozen watermelon
and Il live golden eagle. 1t is sup
posed that the melon was disposed
of at the White House, but Mr.. Cleve-
land having no place about the man
sion for the proud bird of liberty,
presented him to the 400" at the
National Museum, to keep company
with the bear, deer, prairie dog,
wolves, andred foxes recently arrived
from the West, and which it is be-
lieved will form the nucleus of
largo collection of American wild
and fowls.