Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1888-02-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Ccrrcspondenti
WASHINGTON. Fob 10 1883

Both houses Of congress have distinguish
cdthcmsclves this week, though in very dill
fcrcnt and unusual ways. The pruverbially
noisy, turbulent house of Representatives
has been remarkable for i.s silence. and the
slow moving senate ga We il self unrescrvedly
u words. or rather To experimenting.
Beyond settling the Lowry White election
contest in favor At the republican. Mr..
White, there * little Of Importance to re-
port from the house except an account oi
its daily routine business. The senate. on
the other hand, has had great speeches
until il WIS tired even of eloquenee. Sen.
ator Plaft, Of Connecticut. delivered !,
two days a,idre-- on the subject of tariff.
in which he criticised the Presidents mes
sage, charging that while Mr.. Cleveland
was free trader, he tried To cvade the
issue. and that the recent speeches of Sena-
tors kenna, Of West Virginia and Morgan,
of Alabama. showed them to be protection
ist~ for their own states.
The coming tariff tight is some distance
oil yet. probably not more than "A fortnight.
hut IL is impossible To say just when this bill
will he completed. Mr.. =. :. Cox. Of New
York. in referring to the fact that the house
had been passing n number ~ minor bills
in quiet way during the past few weeks,
said. I'VE are clearing the decks for the
tariii fight, and he 10 in n position to
know the stage reached in the preparation
u the measure.
Mr.. Carlisle IL In the speakers chair
again. looking no worse for his recent ill.,
ness. lie made his appearance for the
first time on Tuesday, when the blind
chaplain Of the house offered a little
thanksgiving for the speakers recovery.
senator Eiddlebergcr continues to talk
about the British treaty in open session
aud to offend some Of the other senators.
but particularly Mr.. Edmunds by his per.
sisfcnt attacks upon executive business
and secret sessions. n the Virginia Sena-
tors own statement is to lie belisved il is
a pity for him to champion so good ~
cause as the abolisliment of the star
cha mber." lie hns complained that no
motion he ever made was adopted. no bill
he introduced was ever passed; that he il !
made the victim OF the rules of the SENATE.
and, no matter who is in the chair, he il
always declared out Of order. He once
said The snrest way to get n bill passed
IN Tor me to oppose IL. and tine most GER
tain way to defeat one is for me to give il |
demonstration Of support"
1t seems that many p,pple throughout
the country have gotten Senator Iloar's |
Joint resolution confounded completely |
with n joint resolution presented To the |
house by Representative Grain, Of Texas, |
VIII ch has been favOrnbly reported from |
committee. Mr.. Hoar's amendment looks |
To the change 81 Inauguration day from |
tine 18th 81 March to the last Tuesday in /
April. Mr.. Grains resolution proposes to
Substitute the 31st of December for the Ith |
o. March as the commencement and ter
mination Of the official term Of members
oil the house. IL is designed to do away
With the election VI members between SEES
sions, so that those who are chosen in
November shall take their seats on he first
Monday IN January Immediately follow
ing, instead Of the first Monday IN Deem.
Der Of The following year. There il nothing
IN Mr.. lioar's resolution, which passed the
senate by unanimous vote. relative to
the time 81 meeting 81 congress or the
election oil members. The question il how
to harinonizc these two amendments 50 as
to enable AN early ratification by the state
legislatures which are now in session. or
y hich are to convene the coming fall and
winter.
Another feature Of the Grain amendment |
is that the speaker can disappointed vii hin
ten days after his predecessors term ex.
pirrs. Congress will be at work within
sixty days alter the election. and the short
session will be done away with, by fixed
termination. Mr.. IIoars
simply extends the short se--
sion two months, and changes the day
Tor the Inauguration. Both propositions
are popular.