Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-06-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. MAY

IneIe Is prospect of apothar
deadlock in the House at an earIr
date, unless the democrats ioin tba
republicans in passing the bill no
moving the limitation from the ar.
rearage of pensions act, and il thew
join in passing that measure. tbey
thereby remove all necessity for
tariff bill, for there will then be No
surplus to reduce, and that of course
is the only possible excuse Tor sueb
IA bill as the Mills tariff bill. All.
ready the committee on rules have
been requested to report resolu.
ton designating time to consider
the arrears of pensions bill, and they
are in a quandary as to what to do
in the matter. On Saturday the re.
publican members of the House in
caucus assembled, unanimously pass.
ed resolution declaring it to be
the sense of the republicans of the
House, that the committee on rules
be instructed to report resolution
assigning days for the consideration
of all general pension bills, and that
the order be made continuing or
der. until all this class of business is
disposed of. Ii the committee ON
rules, majority OF which are demo
Gratis, refuses to report this reSolu
ton, there are a large number of re.
publicans who expressed their inten.
ton of filibustering against the Mills
tariff bill. That's the way the thing
stands at this writing.
Mr. Daniel Grosvenor, member
of the G. A. r. appointment commit.
tee, whose duty it is to look after
the welfare OF the old soldiers EN-.
ployed by the Government, gave his
testimony before the House printing
committee, which is engaged in in.
vestigating the Government printing
office, on Saturday, in regard to the
very unjust treatment the soldiers
received from Mr.. Benedict, the
democratic Public Printer.
Gen. Sheridan has been very near
deaths door for the past six days
During that time he has had three
distinct attacks each of which it was
feared would terminate fatally. For
six days doctor has been constant.
" at his side as he sat propped up
in reclining chair, it being impOs.
sible for him to lie down without
danger of immediate death. He is
suffering from what is known as val
vular disease of the heart, one Of the
most uncertain and battling diseases
known to the medical faculty one
that is liable to kill without The
slightest warning. His aged moth.
er from Ohio arrived in the city Sat.
urday night, and is now at the he'd.
side of her son. The General fully
realizes his very critical condition;
on Friday be made his will. He is
now somewhat better, though the
danger is by no means considered
past. In this case, as in many 9th.
ers OF prominent people of the late
years, it was attempted to keep the
public from knowing the real cOndi.
ton of the patient; the public was
informed that the general was only
suffering from a little fatigue, ect
This was kept up for three days be.
fore it became generally known that
he was seriously i'll.
The Republican caucus Saturday
passed resolution in favor OF the
Blair educational bill, but as the
democrats of the House committee
on education, in whose hands 1t has
been for months, refuse to meet and
consider it, l don't see how it can
get before the House.
The democratic Senators are solid.
" against discussing the fisheries
treaty in open session, but it will be
done nevertheless, and afterwards it
will be duly rejected.
Last week might fairly be consid.
cred an industrious one in both
Houses of Congress. The House
passed several of the regular appro
priation bills, and the Senate follow.
ed suit. The bill establishing de.
parGment of labor was passed, and
that raising the Commissioner Of
Agriculture to a Cabinet position
was passed by the House and favor.
ably reported to the Senate. Be-
sides all this, the Senate had quite
number Of secret sessions, nearly
all devoted to settling whether the
fisheries treaty shall be discussed in
public.
The President has approved the
act limiting the hours of labor for
carriers to eight per day.
No paper fractional currency will
be issued. The bill having been ad-
versely reported by the Senate Fl.
nance committee. The committee
reported in favor of a bill reducing
the fee on postal notes of less than
one dollar to one cent, believing that
this would answer the purpose for
which it was proposed to issue the
fractional currency, and at the same
time it will be much cheaper.
HowELLs.