Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-12-21
Washington City News.

Our Washington City correspondent
sends the following, under date Of De
cemb>r 18th:
Secretary Blaine, in answer to q ques-
ton, expressed himself rs entirely salts
fed with the progress SO far made by the
Three Americas Congress and confident
that the Congress will result in great
benefit to all the countries represented
therein. Monday the Congress will adj
iourn until after the Christmas holidays.
Prominent prohibitionists are making
fight on the confirmation by the Senate
of the nomination of Justice Brewer,
because he took the ground in legal
decision that the owners Of certain brew
cries in Kansas were entitled to compen-
sation from the State for their property
which was rendered useless by the adopt
ion Of the prohibiting liquor law. The
decision was aftoTward reversed by the
U. s. Supreme Court. Judge Brewer is
himself a prohibitionist, and it seems a
little strange that the only opposition to
his confirmation should come from the
prohibtionists. There is not the slight
est doubt of Judge Brewers confirmation.
The Congressional celebration Of the
centennial of Washjngton's Inauguration,
which was postponed from April Both to
December 11th because Congress was
not in session on the former date, came
off on Wednesday before what was prob
ably the most truly cosmopolitan audi
ence ever assembled in America. The
ceremonies gained in grandeur from
their simplicity, and that a deep i'm
preston was made upon the large mum
Der of distinguished foreigners present
was plainly apparent to even the most
casual observer. The ceremonies took
place in the hall Of the house OF repre-
sentatiyes and was presided over by the
vice president. On the floor were seated
the president and his cabinet; the SUI
preme court; the senate; the three Amer
icas' congress; the international mara
time congress; the governors or their
representatives, Of all the states and ter
ritories and other prominent personages.
The diplomatic gallery was crowded to
its utmost capacity by the official repre-
seutatiyes of the nations Of the world.
The ceremonies were begun with Hail
Columbia" by the Marine band, and
ended with ''The Star Spangled Banner"
Chief Justice Fuller delivered the adj
dress. The language was apt and well
chosen, but the delivery was hardly up
to what was expected from the orator; it
lacked that subtle oratorical magnetism
which seizes hold of an audience when
under the magic spell of the voice of
great orator. But nobody ever claimed
that the chief justice was a great orator.
Had the same address been delivered by
Mr.. Blaine it would scarcely have been
recognized.
Senator ingalls, has joined the rapidly
increasing number of congressman who
believe the present civil service law to be
a delusion and a snare, and that the
humbug should be wi ped out of exist
ence. Two-thirds OF congress express
the same belief privately, and it begins
to look as though the time was soon
coming when they would 90 so publicly.
Speaker Reed gave the dry bones of
congressional precedent a terrible rat
Ting when he announced five of the
most important committees Of the house
Ways and Means, Mckinley. chair
man; Appropriations, Cannon, chairman;
Manufactures, Kelly, chairman; Flee
lions, Rowell, chairman, and Mileage,
Lind, chairman. This is a very decided /
improvement upon withholding the
committee announcements until the mid I
die Of January, az Mr.. Carlisle did two