St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-11-03
WASHINGTON LETTER,
From our Regular Correspondent.


From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 90, 1888
Speaker Carlisle, as he dropped the
gavcl which declared the House adj
jnurned sine die, wore a smile of triumph
that spoke louder than word to his Dem
ocratlc colleagues; it told them of the
victory which the House had won oyer
the Senate, in compelling the latter hody
to take the initiatory in passing resp
luiion for adjournment after it's Reuub-
lcan members had repeatedly stated
that unless the HOnse started 1T there
would be no adjournment at ALL 1t has
been a long sessinn-the longest by IS
days in our hisfNry-bnt the Democrats
have Il right to feel proud of the work
they have accomplished 10 the House.
The Mills tariff bill of itself is we'll
worth all the time that this long session
has consumed. Members of the Senate,
particularly of its majority cannot feel
pride in the work accomplished by that
body it produced an alleged substitute
for the Mills bill, which it did not dare.
to pass. although the opportunity was
accorded them on the day it was first
reported by the Democratic Senators.
who proposed that the debate should be
limited to ten days. The Republicans
refused to allow the the debate to be
limited. Why's Because they did not
wish the monstrosiFy they had reported,
&, pass ii was like the tin torch and
painted transparency, only gotten up
for campaign purposes.
The quietness with which the adjourn
ment Was accomplished waa unusual.
There was not score of members in
either House when the gavel fell, and
the only notable occurrence was the
singing of the Doxology in the press
gallery of the House, by the tired news
paper men, immediately after Speaker
Carlisle announced the Adjournment
This action was not intended to be ire
weren't. but was rather in the nature of
q spontaneous rendering of sincere
thanks for mach needed rest after
eleven months of continuous work.
Senator Blackburn, just before the
Senate adjourned, presented the minor
1ty report of the committee appointed
to investigate the alleged violations of
tile civil service law. The report de-
clares that al effort had persistently
been made by the majority against the
protest of the minority, to limit the time
covered by the present administration,
and that all efforts to bring ont the facts
as to the operation of the law under
previous Republican administrations,
WCiC lBN lduiy Ut IL StEICL UaE-
ty vote. Despite the efforts of the ma
jority, it was clearly shown by the testi-
m0ny of several of their witnesses, that
all the evils and abuses complained of
to-day, came down to this administers
tion as an inheritance. The levying of
assessments upon Government officials
for partisan purposes, was in general, if
not universal, practice prior to March, |
1885, and discrimination in the matter
of appointments because of political
views was by no means a novel feature,
nor one which has been introduced by |
the present administration. The report |
devotes more than fifty pages to care
full analysis of the testimony taken,
which shows the majority of the com
mittee up in manuer that will not add |
to their reputation IA statesmen.
The last bill introduced in Congress
was one providing for a Constitutional
amendment, requiring United States
Senators to be elected by Il direct vote
OF the people.
Mr.. Cleveland has consented TO go to
New York city and review the NAM
moth business mems Cleveland, Thur
man and Hill parade next Saturday eve
ming. This action should put quietus
upon all the absurd rumOrs as To- the
President not being in sympathy with
the reelection OF Governor Hill. They
are both Democrats, and good ones too.
And they will both he elected.
The sixty Sioux Chiefs who have been
here, have rejected every proposition
made to them by the Government. They
insist on being paid S. 25 au acre for all
their lands. which Secretary Villas
thinks ia prepOsterous. The Indians
have started back to their reservation.
Speaker Carlisle is booked for one
sneech in Ohio and half dozen in In
diana.
Uunsual efforts are being made here
to send every Democratic voter in the
doubtful States, who ia Temporarily re-
siding in Washington. home to vote.
Those who cannot afford to purchase
railroad tickets are furnished free trans
portatioD.
The annual report of the General SUI
Of the Railway Mail Ser
vice, shows that the service is in opera
tinn upon 143.713 miles of railroad, and
5,972 miles of inland steamboat routes.
The total number of clerks in the SER
vice il 1904.
An analysis of the Senate tariff bill
Just completed, shows that if enacted
into law, it wonld reduce the revenues
0f the Government on the dutiable list
less than $15,00O.O00