Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-06-20

lundreu years ago Tue tnfteu SlateS 4
received seven million dollars from
France to be paid as indemnity to
American citizens for spoliations COM
mitted on high seas, and this money
is yet in the treasury, while claiments
of the fourth and fifth generation are
still knocking at the doors of Congress
for relief
One cause for this immense increase
in the legislation required of Congress,
and IA principal one, is the centraliz-
ing tendencies OF government as devel-
oped and fostered under Republican
tuition. As the government extends
its scope the sphere Of needful lcgisla-
ton widens There is, i'll fact, too
much public, not private, business for
Congress to attend to in a limited time.
and thus long sessions have become in
dispensible. Reeds brief career has
shown that arbitrary and tvrannical
methods furnish no remedy, and that
the only way to accomplish legislation
is to keep on and legislate.
The Republicans are in a great stew
over the fish question, not the Berh-
ings Sea or Canadian article, but the
domestic one. This comes about
through their inexhaustable appetite
for official place. Some years ago
Congress authorized Professor Baird to
experiment with food fishes in scien-
tific way. Not much of favor was
granted, however, as neither assistants
or money were provided. Such was
the beginning of the fish commission,
but the infant like all government in
situations, proved hardy and of rapid
growth. AS long as it had little Off
cial "pap" it failed to attract much at
tention from the politicians, but now it
is quite an extensive concern, with
many employees and fat offices, and
the Republicans have just discovered
that it ought to be placed under prop
er ministerial supervision. 1t lie
doubly urgent that this should be
quickly done because the present COM
missioner, who looks upon the func-
tons of the office with scientific, in
stead of a political eye, is something OF
Democrat, and thus evidences the
necessity OF placing the fish
commission under the control OF
some scientific executioner, like Jerry
Rusk, of the Agricultural department,
where its functions can he doubly en-
larged by furnishing fishes to impover-
ished rivers and food to impoverished
politicians. 1t is safe, therefore, to say
that among the other agricultural
products dealt in by "Uncle Jerry"
will soon be fresh and full supply Of
food fishes, not to speak of other dain-
ty morsels, to attract the appetites of
hungry politicians.
Now that Harrison is commencing
to get his hand in vetoing public
building bills. many congressman are
beginning to turn their attention to q
measure before the committee on post
offices which proposes to give buildings
to all the smaller cities where the
public business is sufficient to justify
the expenditure. This project would
within few years give buildings of
moderate architectural pretensions to
every city of any size in the country
and that, too, at Il cost to the gov
eminent of only few million dollars
year. No gilded palaces would than
be built whereby such expenditures
are now up into the millions and only
q few public buildings be the result.
One thing is in favor of this measure
and that is the support given to it by
the administration. The President
and Secretary Window and Post
master General Wanamaker, all look
with favor upon it, and when it comes
to be clearly recognized that Harrison,
like Cleveland, will not give promis-
cuous approval to public building
acts, Congress will then probably tsrn
its attention to this general law where
in is afforded "the greatest good TO
the greatest number"