Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-01-02
Washington Letter.
lFrom Our Regular Correspondent

/ Washington, ID. G. Dec. %, 1889.
Mrs. Harrison has seen no company
since the death of her sister, but she
will assist the President at the official
reception on New Years day.
Speaker Reed kept his word, and an
nounced all of the House standing com
mittees ON Saturday. The assignments
seem to give general satisfaction to the
members.
Ii the present House continues as
well as it has begun it will deserve well
of the country. First Speaker Reed
broke all previous records in the an.
pointment of committees; and on Satur-
day an appropriation bill-the District
of Columbia-was reported to the
House from the committee on APP
preparations, the first time in the
entire history of Congress that such
thing has been done before the holi-
day recess at the beginning of new
session. 1t is a great pleasure to be
able to record this bit of industry, and
it is to be hoped that the good work
will be kept up wheE Congress comes
together again January 6.
Senator Ingalls, does't want the pres
ent census, or rather that of 1890, to be
a repetition of the last one, which was
VIGOROUSLY inaccurate, and by the way
all the tones of INSTRUMENTATION, rs Mr.
Ingalls, termed the reports, have not
yet been printed. Senator Hale prom
iseS that the eleventh census shall be
more prompt tLan was the tenth.
Senator Hoar has introduced bill
that all business men would like to see
become lawas soon,as possible. 1t pro-
vides for a uniform system of bank
ruptcy throughout the United States.
The House has by resolution, request
ed the Treasurer of the United States to
take charge Of the money left by Siicot
in the safe of tho Sergeant-at-Arms of
the House-something like $4,000 +
until some agreement is reached by the
House as to its final disposition. The
matter will be settled after the recess.
The Senate confirmed large mum DO +
of nominations, including that of Justice
Brewer, before knocking off for Christ
mas.
Assistant Postmaster G ,ueraI Clark
son, who has just returned from a visit
to his home, in Iowa, says the talk
about opposition to the reelection of
Senator Allison IS all bosh; and that
the republicans of Iowa have never
heard of it, exc ept through outside
papers.
Senator Cullom has introduced a bill
to establish postal telegraph service.
1t authorizes the Postmaster General to
make five year contract with any ex-
isting telegraph company to transmit
messages between free delivery cities.
The messages are to be delivered
by the regular letter carriers. The
price will depend on how good con.
tract can be made with the telegraph
companies.
The Senate passed Senator Chandler S
resolution calling upon the Secretary of
the Navy for information as to the eX-
istence of a band of Naval officers Or
ganized for the purpose of lobbying.
Somebody. or some committee, ought
to have authority to exercise some sort
of censorship over bills introduced in
Congress. Among the avalanche of
measures poured into the House and
Senate, particularly the former, during
the past week, are hundreds of bills that
it is sheer waste of public money to
print. Besides The foolish and absurd
bills, introduced generally 20 get rid OF
some cranky constituent, there are
duplicates or almost duplicates, OF the
interesting and really important meas
ures. If somebody would take the
trouble to figure up the cost to the Gov
eminent of these useless bills | am
certain the amount would be astonish-
ing, and that some method of stopping
the needless expenditure would be
speedily discovered.
Commissioner Raum is recognizing
the Pension bureau in order to increae {
its adjudicting capacity. He has made
changes that will virtually give him
the additional servic es of IS experienced
Clerks.
The House committee on Elections
has announced the programme for hear.
ing the contested election cases. Ii
will begin Jan. g. with the West Viz.
ginia cases, and continue till all are
disposed of. the last occupying the
week beginning February II.