The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1888-01-05
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


Editor Herald:
The burden of conversation at the cap.
itol Since adjournment, has been the ap.
pointment of the house committees. The
speakers room is literally thronged
from morning till night by members who
are urging their own interest or that OF
a friend. To complicate affairs, it is said
that the president is assuming to indi-
cate to the speaker certain appointments
that the speaker don't want, and that
several members are quite wroth because
their merits are not more readily recog-
nized. All these things are a sad COM
ment on American politics, and ought to
disgust the people to that extent that
they will see to it that the next house is
republican. There is no question that
the important committees are being most
shamefully packed in certain interests,
and it is through these committees that
legislation must come, if we have any
regarding the great issues. As an illus
tration, the control of the "ways and
means" committee; the most important
at this time, is given to the non-manu-
featuring south, while the beehive of all
New England is only given one member,
and the great manufacturing state of
New Jersey, with its millions invested, is
left without a representative on the COM
mittee. This is only one of many instan-
ces showing how desperate the democracy
are in playing their lost game.
Ex-Speaker Randall of Pennsylvania,
will be appointed chairman of the appro-
priation committee, though neither the
president or speaker want him in that
position, but he carries too many guns to
be ignored, and is bent upon having it,
and will get it. Judge Holman of Indi-
ana, who has served many years on that
committee, is to be dropped and will be
made chairman of public lands, which
change does not suit him. General
Wheeler of Alabama, who was the chief
confederate cavalry leader, wants to be
chairman of military affairs, but Dick
Townsend of Illinois, is booked for that
place and Wheeler is mad.
General Herbert of Alabama, who was
another confederate leader, is to be chair
man of naval affairs. Culbertson of
Texas, prominent in the confederacy, is
to be chairman of the Judiciary, and Dib-
BILE Of South Carolina, another promi-
neat confederate, has the committee on
public buildings and grounds.
The invalid pensions committee was
made unusually prominent in the last
congress, by the president vetoing 100
bills that that committee reported and
passed. Col. Matson of Indiana, was
chairman, and was successful in passing
few bills over the veto. For that, the
president demands a new chairman, but
whether such petty vengeance will Sue
coed or not, is a matter of doubt up to
this writing,
The president sent to the pope as a
Christmas present, beautiful engraved
copy of the U. S. constitution, richly
bound in book form. There are fifteen
pages in the book, andeach page eighteen
inches square. The book rests in a gorge
Gus case of Tyrian purple, and will
doubtless be highly priced by the
pope.
The report of the geological survey
just published, shows that the produc-
ton of minerals in the United States,
reached last year the enormous value OF
$465, 100000, the largest yet recorded
in any country, and about $45, 600, 200
greater than the year previous.
1t is asserted this morning on good au-
thority that on the re-assembling of con-
gress the president will send in a special
message, recommending the repeal of the
tobacco tax. Such an act will reduce the
revenue about $50, 900, 900, and will not
be seriously antagonized.
We have had as visitors this week
about 800 school teachers from New
York and Brooklyn, who have made a
thorough tour Of the city and it's public
buildings, and express themselves as
highly pleased with the visit. Washing
ton is getting to be the most delightful
pleasure resort on the continent.
Congress meets again next Wednesday,
from and after which time, until July
at least, we may anticipate lively times.
Everything goes to show a fierce and
bitter contest between the two great
parties.