Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-01-02

WAsuINeroy, December 81. 1855

WASHINGTON, December 81, 1889.
The illness of Mr.. Randall, which
keeps his seat vacant in the House, is
matter of regret to all his old colleagues
in Congress and of deep concern to the
Democratic party. However Randall,
Carlisle and Mills might differ as strong
political forces controlling the action of
majority party, at the head of the min
ority they would stand side by side to
defend what they conceived to be its
rights. The absence of Mr.. Randall
takes probably the most powerful per-
sonality from the House. Without
being particularly scholarly man or a
finished orator, Mr.. Randall has been a
most powerful figure in American politics
OF the period. Differing from majority
of his party on one subject that has been
an issue of very recent years he has not
been an acknowledged leader, yet dur
ing the past three sessions that the lead
ership has been elsewhere there have
been times when the party have turned
to him as the man best fitted to fight
their battles on fiscal affairs. He is not
a smooth speaker, like Breckenridge or
Carlisle. His voice rings like the sound
of the woodman's axe echoing through
the forrest. His party need him, with
all his strength of muscle and brain, this
winter. There will be some wood to
chop!
W.
Representative Grains proposition-a
survival from the Fiftieth Congress-to
alter Inauguration Day and the Congress
sional term is worthy of consideration.
Whether it would be better to have, as
proposed, a virtually continuous session,
like the British parliament's, with a
summer recess, or simply to lengthen
the short term until April 80, is ques-
ton which members may well deliberate
over and divide upon. If the PROPOSE
ton to close one Congress and open the
next on December 81 is adopted, the
Christmas break in business will at least
not occur in such relation to the opening
of the session as to spoil for business so
long a period of time. There ought to
be general concurrence in the proposed
change of Inauguration Day. On April
80 the weather is almost always fine in
this latitude. The historic association
of this day with the first Inauguration of
George Washington is also to be con-
sidered.
*x*
1t will not do for the advocates of Civil
Service Reform to close their eyes to the
! fact that there is strong and constantly
increasing opposition to the law as it
stands at present on the statute books.
1t is influential opposition, too, and not
confined to those irresponsible spoilsmen
such as the adherents of the Chinese
system would have us believe. Men
like Ingalls,, Farwell, and the other out
spoken antagonists of the law cannot be
classed with the heelers and ward
workers whose howls are inspired by
personal reasons alone. Congressional
corridors will probably resound with
some very interesting music when the
! subject of Civil Service comes up in the
, shape of an appropriation for its contin
uance.
~
/ The agitation of the proposition to pro
, vide clerks for members of the House a
government expense has begun again
and it is expected that the measure will
carry this session. The committee OF
{ accounts Saturday decided to make {
, favorable report to the House upon
bill for this purpose. The fact that thu
; Senators have enjoyed, without protes
from the people, the privilege of clerks
though they have not really as mucl
work to do as have the Representatives
4 encourages the promoters of the propo
| sition to press the matter this session.
W.
There is a growing sentiment in Con
gress against the national banking sys
TEN which promises to materialze il
legislation, and bill is now being pro
posed with the view of greatly curtailips
the powers of the national bank. The
, influence at work is very powerful, and
it is said the banks will find before this
Congress is much older that they have
to deal with the strongest legislative
enemy they have ever encountered.
*~*
The Congressional Directory is a record
of idiosyncrasy. Some new members
give every local honor ever conferred on
them, while certain of the older ones
merely mention the post office address
and the number of the Congresses to
which they have been elected, with an
indication of their politics. R.
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