Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-04-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington. april 23d.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF THE MONITOR.

washington. Apru 23d.
By far the most important event in
congress since | last wrote you was
the Inauguration of the long contem-
plated tariff debate which took place
on last Tuesday with becoming dig
nifty and decorum. The opening
speech for revenue reform was made
by Mills of Texas as chairman of
the Ways and Means Committee, and
was called masterpiece by his SYM
pathizers on the tariff question. The
reply very appropriately came from
Judge Kelley of Pa, the senior MEM
Der of congress- land the acknowledged
leader and exponent of protection.
The discussion promises to be long
continued and exhaustive, and it will
not oe surprising if the public finds
its patience somewhat worn before a
vote is reached, although Mr.. Mills,
in speaking of his cherished measure,
remarke ed enthusiastically: 1--WE are
earnest; we will actually push it to
final vote, and we will pass it before
the meeting of the ST. Louis presi-
Dental nomination convention"
The House of Representative
spent most of the past week in work.
ing with gratifying energy on appro-
priation bills. 1t is trying to dis
pose of these current financial con-
Germs in order to give its time eXclus-
lively afterward to the inspiring tariff
discussion. The pension appropria-
ton bill and the Indian appropriation
bill have been safely passed, and now
the river and harbor appropriation is
under consideration.
The pension bill appropriates $780,
286, 800, being an increase of 81 DID,
900 over the appropriations OF last
year. These are large figures, but |
suppose nobody will regret the ex-
penditure, so long as it is carefully
limited to those who honestly earned
this recognition by the government.
The river and harbor bill does not
have smooth sailing. Some members
seem to think that the appropriation
ought to be distributed among the
states according to the number of
miles of their water front or the line
al length of their rivers and creeks,
without any particular regard to the
needs of commerce. They object to
the mighty Mississippi, which has
never received the attention it de-
served from the government, having
so much.
The trouble seems to be in bring
ing congressman to understand that
whatever the government spends for
internal improvements should bear
some reasonable proportion to the
calculable commercial advantages
which they carry with them. The
river and harbor bill is not in the
character of gratuity to the states,
but of a business investment for the
general welfare.
After lively political debate which
reverted to the electoral controversy
of 1876, the bill for the admission of
South Dakota as a state passed the
senate. 1t is not expected to pass
| the House however.
The impression is strengthening at
the Capitol that party lines will be
strictly drawn upon the fisheries
treaty and that it's ratification is i'm
possible. 1t is probable that con-
siderable portion of this week will be
| spent behind closed doors by the SEN
ate discussing this treaty. Much OF
it will be of partisan character and
will be made public by order of the
senate and published in the Congress
siondl Record. Secretary Bayaro
was anxious for the treaty to be dis
cussed in open session because ne
thought the more the people knew
about the treaty the more popular 1t
would become.
Friday last was the Tooth day OF
the present session of congress. The
| bills and resolutions introduced tC
that date aggregate 12,363, which is
over 1000 more than the total num-
| Der introduced during the first hun
dred days of the last congress. The
senate has passed 831 bills and the
House APT. The House has sent 49,
bills to the president and the senate
"a. SO as congresses go the work OF
the fftieth is nothing to be ashamed
of SO far, after all.
For years past when congress has
not worked fast it has been the Gus
tom to excuse and forgive it, on the
ground that it is too bulky body tC
do better. Representative Tillman
of South Carolina, has just come t.
the front with a different theory. HI
SAYS that our national legislature
considering the size of this country
with its vast and varied popula ion
is altogether too small. He doe:
not think that the interests of sixty
millions of people can be properly
cared for by four hundred legislators
In his opinion the House of Repre-
sentatives should have at least 81,
hundred members and the senate M
less than three hundred, and in sup
port of this proposition Mr.. TillmaI
cited the fact that the British Hous,
of Lords has $50 members and tn,
House of Commons go.
Mr.. Tillman very ably advocated
his side of the question. But ther'