Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-02-02
WASHINGTON LErrEs.
From our regular eorrespondsat.l
WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1888.

WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1888.
The first two bills passed by the pres
ent Congress to become laws are,
the act in reference to printing and
writing on second. third and forth
class mail matter, and the one
which amends the law I'm relation
to the Commissioner of Fish and Fish
eries-the President having approved
both during the past week. During the
period in question, Congress did little
Of importance. The Senate passed the
bill to credit and pay to the several
States and Territories all moneys col
lected under the direct tax act, ap-
proved Aug. 5, 1861. But the great
work of the Senate during the past
week, was the confirmation of Mr..
Lamar, despite the treacherous opposi-
tiOn of the Republicans to that brilliant
and distinguished statesman. The Ex-
Secretary passed through the long con-
test unscathed and he wears his new and
crowning honor 18th becoming modes
ty and characteristic dignity. In ac-
cOrdancn with custom, the new Associ-
ate Justice was assigned seat on the
extreme left of his fellow justices.
The Senate had under consideration
the Blair Bill, but as usual, reached no
conclusion. Messrs. Blair and Reagan,
had rather q heated discussion over the
third question, i'm which the former
was decidedly worsted. Ex-Justice Of
the Supreme Court, expresses the opin-
ion that the bill is unconstitutional.
Senator Hoar has introduced service
pension bill, which is the most radical
measure of the kind yet presented, pro-
viding as it does that all officers and en-
listed men who served in the army,
navy, or marine corps, including regu-
lars and volunteers at any time during
the late civil war, shall be entitled to
pension of one cent for each days ser
vice, in addition to any pension granted
for disability. This, in face of the fact
that $75, ,000,0 900 will be spent on pen
sions this year, and the further fact,
that the House Committee calls for
$50, 900, 900 more for the same purpose
next year. Comment is unnecessary.
Both the Senate and the House have
passed the bill appropriating the sum
of S5S5,000 to established agricultural
colleges throughout the country.
Owing to the absence from sickness,
of Speaker Carlisle, and Mr.. Mills, who
has succeeded Mr.. Morrison as the
Democratic leader of the House, the
proceedings of that body were less in
teresting than usual the past week.
Half q day was consumed in Obstruct-
ing consideration of the bill introduced
by Mr.. Wilkins, of Ohio, to increase
National bank circulation, and the bal
ance of the same day was devoted to
speech making over the acceptance of
pictures of the three Speakers of the
House furnished by Massachusetts,;
whose counterfeit presentments have
been added to the historical portrait
gallery that graces the south wing ofthe
w. P. G. Breckinridge, of Kentucky,
and Ex-Gov. Long, Of Massachusetts,,
and great crowd packed the floor and
galleries to hear their eloquent utteran-
ances.
Another day of the valuable time of
the House was wasted over the consid
Grafton of the Carlisle-Thobe contest.
For some unknown reason, five Demo-
Gratis were absent in New York, and the
Republicans sullenly refused to vote,
thus blocking the wheels Of the House.
But Mr.. Crisp, chairman of the Com
mittee on Elections, announces his de-
not to permit the transac-
ton of other business until this contest
is settled.
The tariff reformers have won the
first preliminary skirmish in the Ways
and Means Committee. Mr.. McKin-
ley, of Ohio, who shares with Reed, of
Maine, the Republican leadership of
the House, moved to take up his bill to
repeal the tobacco tax, but the Demo-
cratic majority refused to discuss any
specific tax reduction bill, proposing to
that class of bills only in con-
nection with the general tariff reduc-
ton bill. This resolution was passed
by strict party votes to 4.
Report has it that Assistant Secreta-
ry Muldrow is to be made Commission
er of the General Land Office. This
would be Il promotion in one sense, but
not in another; the salary is five humid
red dollars less than that now received
by the Secretary, but he would have an
in dispensing patronage,
which he has not the power to do in
his present position.