The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-01-21
Washington Letter.
Washington d. C. Jan. 9th 1888.
70 the Editor of Messenger.

III tIlt VI MtSStuRtI.
Ever since the announcement Of the
Committees there have been many COM
planning members. Speaker Carlisle has
however done well, is the general verdict,
and from the make up Of the Committees
dispatch of business may be looked for
in the way Of early reports from the
Committees. The members of the present
Congress who served in the last Congress
have Jared we'll in the assignments and
in almost every instance stand high up
in their Committees. In order to give the
Committees an opportunity to organize
and have bills assigned to the individual
members an adjournment was taken i'm
mediately after the announcement on
Thursday until Monday. There is no
want of material in the way of bills to
act on, as there have been nearly 5000
already introduced, there being 902 in
trOduced the first day that the House
met after the holidays. Many of these
are bills that have been introduced every
Congress for years past and most of
them will share the same fate this year
that they have in the past-die in Com
mittee. Some few unjust bills of a
private character manage to escape the
close scruting usually given them and
are approved, but considering the num-
Der without merit that are introduced
very few pass. The Committee on Claims
this session however is composed of men
Of experience in these affairs, some Of
them having been on the same Committee
last Congress and they will see that no
bill savOring Of jobbery gets out Of the
Committee room. Lanham Of Texas is
the Chairman and as he is one Of the
most active and sterling members Of the
House. prOmptness, thOroughness, and
strict integrity are expected to charaete-
rise the word Of that very important
Committee.
In the Senate John Sherman made his
tariff speech as stated in a previous
letter he would probably do. 1t was
a strong argument Of its kind and
severely criticised the Presidents recon-
mendatiOns as contained In his message
but it received close dissection at the
hands of Senator Voorhees,. The closest
was given by all the Senators
present and by the crowded galleries,
and the verdict seemed to be that VOor-
hees reply added very much to his pros
poets for second place on the ticket |
The contest between the gladiatOrs has
just begun but they are fast warming
up to the Importance of the subject and
before long will be dealing telling blows
in behalf Of their respective sides.
\ strong effort will be made this ses-
sion to pass the Blair Educational bill.
The members. especially from tie South,
are receiving many letters urging them
to vote for il and the advocates 10 the bill
are claiming that unless the House will
pass it the States Of Virginia and North |
Carolina will both be lost to the DemOcr-
attic members however from these States
are not ready to admit that such is the |
case. What they are mostly interested
in is the repeal of the tobacco tax, and
they argue that tie failure to pass such |
q repeating act will more then anything
else draw from the parties strength in
those States. The advocates of the mea-
sure to repeal the tax are rapidly gaining
strength in the House and as many Re-
publicans favor such legislation, the
passage of the bill may be looked for.
No bills have been reported on as yet
by the Committee and although many
important measures have been introduced
still as they all are very much modified |
in Committee before being brought before
the House for action it is exceedingly diff
icult to give any reliable expresson Of the
sentiment that may exist concerning |
them. Certain it is that the whole Demo
cratic side of the House is willing to
make material changes in existing laws
favorable to the people generally. and the
say that they do not propose
to be overshadowed in that particular |
by their opponents.
The Southern Pacific Railroad has is
sued the following circular:
Rates from Bayou Teche points be-
tween St. Martinsville and Morgan City,
reached by boats, are fifty per cent less
than tariff. As outside boats themselves