Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1888-02-01
For the Smyrna Times.
Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9Oth, 1888.
Both branches of Congress took a
day off last week. Neither the Senate
nor House of Representatives were in
session on Saturday. This act was
not necessarily the result of laziness
however. The real work of Congress
Is done in the committee rooms YOU
know, and the Congressional Commit
tees, are always at work, whether Con-
greSs Is IN session or taking q holiday.
L will give you a resume of what has
been done during the week by men
tlonlng the subject of bills which the
committees have had under considera-
ton. They include the bill appropria-
ting money for the relief of the Union
National Bank of Louisiana; the SEN
ate bill for bridge over the Missouri
River at st. Charles, and the House
bill for bridge over the same river at
Jefferson City the Dunn Free Shin
bill j; Indian bills; Pacific Railroad
matters; the bill to repair the war shin
Hartford by an appropriation of $175'-
UOO; the bill accepting the invitation
from the French Republic to partici-
pate In the Paris celebration: a def.
cheney bill in behalf of the signal SER
vice; civil service reform suggestions.
and last because most important. the
long expected tariff measure.
When the tariff gets to the House
the fun of the session will begin. The
action of the President on the subject
and the position taken by the tariff for
revenue only element of the Demo-
cratic party, reused all the pugnacitv
that exists in the souls of the Repub.
licans. From all indications there is
to be war to the knife between the two
parties, and each will gain every point
IL CAT between now and the nominating
conventions.
The Republicans opened pretentious
headquarters here, and they paw about
$500 month for their rooms. Thew
took the house formerly occupied bv
the Chinese Legation, and they have
plastered its walls with photographs
and portraits of their most noted lead
ers. The Democrats are doing no less
work, and the wires were long since
laid which reach to the uttermost
parts of the United States.
1t is understood now that the Senate
District Committee will report the bill
for prohibition in this District. At
first it was supposed that the bill
would be allowed to remain Enacted
upon, but owing to the recent agitation
1t has been deemed best to give the
Senate an opportunity to act on the
question, although a majority of the
Committee is adverse to such legis-
lation.
President Cleveland has now been
In Washington nearly three years, and
during all that time, so far as is known
he has taken but one walk on the
street-a stroll, in company with Sec
rotary Fairchild, one evening last
week, from the White House to West
Westinghouse old Georgetown is now
called and return. This event, from
its rareness, was OfsO much Importance
that the city press gave it conspicuous
mention. Presidents Grant, HAYES.
Garfield and Arthur were pedestrians.
and often walked the principal streets
of the Capital, their figures being ia
miliar to the public, but President
Cleveland, with the above solitary
exception, has not been seen outside of
the White House grounds except in his
carriage. Whether this seclusion on
the part of the Chief Magistrate of
sixty million Americans is due to a
desire to avoid contact with the COM
mon people, or whether it is for some
personal reason, your correspondent is
unable to tell.
The present House of Representa-
tives is very much given to filibuster-
ing, it already having been resorted to
on three OccasiOns-the last time un-
der the lead of Mr.. Randall, who
consumed the time of that body in friv-
olOus motions to prevent the passage
of a resolution reported by the Chair
man of the Committee on public build
ings and grounds, to set apart day
for the introduction of the bills of his
committee. In the House there ap-
pears to be a general desire to make
liberal appropriations for the erection
of public buildings in all portions OF
| the country. After an interesting dis
cussiOn, the bill giving the widow OF
General John A. Logan a pension oil
$4,000 a year passed the Senate by a
vote of 55 to l, and the bill increasing
the pension of the widow of General
Frank p. Blair to the same amount
was also passed by the same vote.
Senator MandersOn's Grand Army
pension bill, which has been shaped So
as to avoid the Objectionable features
of the dependent pensions bill, vetoed
| by the President, has beed unanimous.
ly approved by the Senate COMMITTEE
on pensions, and there is every indica.
ton that it will pass both Houses.