Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-06-26
Washington Letter.


dent and members Of congress have
made al preparations for a lengthy ses-
sion Of congress. Mrs. Harrison goes
to Cape May this week to inhabit the
handsome cottage presented to her by
the Philadelphians. and the president
will spend his Sundays there, the public
business permitting. AS to the senators
it makes little difference with them
whether congress i IN session or not as
the most of them occupy residences here
permanently. a brief season in the warm
spell alone excepted. 1t is different with
the members. however. as they are
essentially "transients'. both in fact
and in their style Of living, and the most
of them are packed up and are of with
lin few hours after the
final adjournment They. too.
would rather be home than here as most
of them are engaged in active business.
There il some little friction over the
question OF adjournment between the
senate and the house, as, indeed. there
always is about this time of year.
Speaker Reed has declared that the
house will be ready to adjourn by July
1. and the implication from this, sena-
tors say. is that the senate is either
tardy in the performance of its legis
lative labors, or else it is unnecessarily
keeping congress in session. Under
sucn imputations they are FESTIVE, and
one Of the leading republicans says,
in answer. that the house under the con-
stitution. originates most of the indis-
pensible legislation. like the tariff and
money bills. and that it has taken more
than six months to complete, in part
these duties. and then blames the senate
for not having finished this legislation
when il las been under the senatorial
/ jurisdiction but few weeks at most.
As the senate is compelled to wait TOR
the house. aud the house has, in fact.
used up over six months Ia preparing
its work for the senate, why it does seem
that the old gentleman quoted above is
about right in the matter
Speaker Reed. in conversation YesteE-
day. said that the house has every rea-
son to be proud Of the record made
during this session and that the new
rules. while apparently little harsh
were only so by contrast, as under them
the majority can control the public
business while under the former practice
any one member Of fractions spirit could
obstruct all legislation. As to the crit
cisms OF the democrats of his course he
saws that he has never looked to the
democrats to applaud tis public acts.
aud should they do 30 he would imagine
that lie had done something he ought
not to nave done The speaker hasn't
lost any flesh as result of the arduous
duties Of the session and his nature IS as
+ Jolly as ever Notwithstanding the trying
period just past through. He wants to
get home. though. Just as soon a his
congressional duties will permit.
In talking with Commissioner Porter
of the census your correspondents dis
covered that the present assault upon
the integrity Of the census Is no new
thing. The events now transpiring.
lie SAYS. are the usual routine Of every
census year. The most of the criticism
comes from rivalries between towns and
cities as to supremacy in the matter of
population. when it does not result from
those captious spirits who are ever ready
to find fault with everything Mr.
/ Porter saws. however, that all COM
plants will be scrupGlously investigated
aud full Justice done 70 every city and
community and individual as it is his
purpose to make this census as perfect
as human il genuity can do. In this con-
nection, he SAYS. that each census sholld
be more perfect than its predecessor as
it is possible to utilize the knowledge
gained by former experience.
The democrats from the south ire
40, anxiou, for fair elections as they
are for fair count Of the census. | Is
this latter upon which the best half of
their political power is predicted. sad
they want the Niger 10 ret in to he
census even though he i deprived Of
the vote thus given him when election
DAY rolls around There are alre:dy
mutterings among the representatives
from ,he south that the census returns
from their section will not prove sai,-
factory Whole families Of colored DO
pie. they say, have not been counted,
and they are solitious on this score tat
complaints have actually been madeto
/ ~. .,g.,,, ,,,;.s;c,,ar 4 rat,ub1ioor =, f,e