Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1888-02-16
WASHINGTON. Feb. 3, 1883.


Among the little things and big things
that have been done in congress this week
will mention that the senate, unanimously
and without debate. voted to substitute
the Both Of April for the 4th Of March -
Inauguration day. They also voted that
the term Of Office Of the president of the
Fiftieth congress shall continue until the
3Oth day of April. 1889. at noon; that the
senator's whose existing term would expire
on the 4th Of March 1889 land thercafter),
shall continue in Office until the Both III
April succeeding such expiration. aud that
the both Of April shall thereafter be suh~ti-
tut-d ior the 4th Of March ~ the com
mcnccment and termination of the official
term "f the president. vice-prrsidlent, sens-
'or- aud re,,rr- .ntativcs in congress.
In the h'u-r end "t the capito. there In
"n the calendar anptier constitutional
Amendment awaiting u vote. IL fixes the
day k'r the meeting ~ congress on the first
Monday in January. and the time Of final
adjournment at nonn on the 31st Of DE
crmbrr. This. you sire would practically
make n continuou- session Tor the two
years term. interrupted by only such
recrsses ~ both houses should agree To.
The senate has agrcssl to give a 81 200
600 public building to Ncbraska's thriving
city Of Omaha, and the house has voted to
favor with public buildings Gresnville. 3.
g., Portsmouth, Ohio, Ashevilie. N. e.,
Springfield, Mo-, and Monroe. La.
Prohibition bills memorials and petitions
continue to pour in upon both houses.
One oi the latest and strongest il the result
Of the yearly meeting Of the Society II
Friends in Baltimore. which shows that
the Friends do not believe in hallway
measures. The petition calls for consti-
tutional amendment prohibiting the man
ufacture, expectation, importation, trans
portati"n and sale Of liquors in the United
States. Petitions continue to be presented,
also, In favor of the proposed cOnstitu-
tiOnal centennial celebration to he held in
this city.
To give you an idea of the demand
made by constituents and other callers
upon the time of our lawmakers. which
should he spent. during the daily session
at least. In attention to public business.
will mention that the doorkeepers at th.
various entrances tO the floor of the house
kept tally On last Thursday of the cards
sent In to members during the day. Owing
to the bad weather there happened to bs
fewer people at the capitol that day than
usual, yet I, 700 rds were sent in. This
did not include those sent in from the
ladies reception room, which would have
numbered ssverai hundred more.
There WAS II little contest in the senate
over the one cent postage bill. In present
| adverse report upon the dainty measure.
| Chairman Sawyer stated that the post
| Office department WAS not self supporting
vet. and therefore it was not time to at
| tempt any further reduction On letter
postage. Senators Beck, Hoar. PIatt and
| Others each believed in penny postage.
They argued that the people wanted and
demanded better and cheaper mail ser
vice, aud that they had never asked that
the post-ofiice department should he self
sustaining nor had they ever cOmplainei !
of extravaganza in that branch ~ the
government. Members II the house gencr-
ally iavor the reduction Of postage. on
drop letters, at least tn one cent. There
are other hills ON the subject b.sides the
one snubbcd by the senate committee. and
Others are being prepared which will be in
troduced at an early day. During this one
cent discussion senator Beck said he could
| not untierst u nd how the government could
afford to carry bOnnets. harness aud all
kinds of mcrcha ndise over the country Tor
IL cent an ounce aud not be able to carry
the intelligence 81 the people at the same
rate.
| IL Is saih that the Forthcoming tariff bili
which is being framed with such care that
il in expected to please the whole country,
il not Of u radical character. The r~venuc
refor,ners who are ella moring for ~ reduction
on the necessaries at life will be pleased, it,
is thought. with the disposition made of
wool, wooden goods. cotton goods and
sugar. The Randall democrats will be
placated with the duties of tobacco cut
some 100000, 900. while the whiskcy tax
| will not DE touched.