Nevada County picayune., 1891-03-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Men. 6, 1891.

Inc Unlucu CtattS licoouiJ ~
bankrupt, as far as the reckless and
extrayagant appropriations voted by
the Republican Congress can make
IT so, and it would be actually so
to-day if all the appropriations had
to be paid at once. In the dying
hours of the Fifty-first Congress the
Republicans threw prudence, con-
science, fear OF hereafter and
every other restraining influence
overheard, and boldly voted for
every possible thing that promised
to assist in the footing Of the Treas
ury, which their leaders had agreed
upon for the purpose of confronting
a Democratic Congress with deli
cheney. Old mouldy claims that had
been refused hundred times were
tackled on the appropriation bills and
railroaded through; extra salaries
were voted to employees who are al
ready paid beyond their deserts, and
money was scattered around in every
direction as though the Treasury was
overlooking with surplus, as 1t was
two years age when turned over to
the Republicans. Where the money
is to come from to pay all of these
wild appropriations is more than any
one can see at this time; it isn't in
the Treasury nor can it possibly get
there under the present methods OF
taxation. Two years of Democratic
economy in the House and a purging
of the pension rolls of the frauds
thereon may pull the country through
without making it necessary to put
new taxes upon the already tariff
ridden people.
The Republican ex-Representa-
tives are loath to leave Washington
until Mr.. Harrison has distributed
the plums now at his disposal, which
includes nine new L. S. Circuit court
judges as provided by the new law,
which purports to be for the relief of
the Supreme Court, but Mr.. Harri-
son proposes to try their patience. as
he is going to Maryland tomorrow
for a few days of wild duck shooting
and says he will do nothing in the
matter until his return.
Ex-Spcaker Reed has a pretty
thick skin, but he couldn't hide the
chagrin he felt when every Democrat
in the House voted against the usual
resolution of thanks that Mr.. Nc
Kinley, after vainly trying to per
suade Democrat to do it, had Of
fered. Served him right is the YER
dict among Democrats.
Senator Villas is here looking just
as natural as when he so successful
ly presided over the Interior depart
ment under Mr.. Cleveland. He says
that Michigan has cut loose from the
Republican party for good and all,
and her vote may confidently be
counted upon for the Democratic
candidate next year.
1t is pleasing to know that the
Fifty-frst Congress did one good
thing. 1t passed the international
right bill, although it was APP
parently done under misunder-
standing, and Mr., Harrison signed 1t
with a quill pen, from the wing OF
an American eagle, which had been
provided for the occasion by one of
the editors of the Century magazine.
Senator Edmunds is entitled to
thanks for having baked Senator
Plumb's scheme for transferring the
employees of the Census bureau to
the regular classified departmental
service, without the formality of a
civil service examination. Mr..
Plumb attempted to hitch it Oh to an
appropriation bill, but Mr.. Edmunds
raised a point of order against it,
which was sustained by the chair.
And while giving thanks must
not forget the Democrats in the
House, who with the aid Of few Re
publicans, jumped upon the Pacific
cable subsidy Job" after it had been
agreed to by conference commit
tee, and strangled the life from it.
The Democratic Senators also
deserve we'll for the smartness they
displayed in preventing the mail
subsidy bill from being sent to a
conference committee, which would
surely have incorporated the tonnage
subsidy bill in it. 1t is much better
to accept the least OF two evils than
to have to take them both.
Senator Ingalls, made a very
small use of his last official hour.
He dismissed the clerk of the com
mittee of which he was chairman and
appointed his son, Paul ingalls,,
clerk to the committee. The object
lies in the fact that the clerk draws
his salary during the recess, but does
no work. Senator Wolcott at once
employed the dismissed clerk as his
private secretary.
There were some disgraceful
scenes at the last night session of
Congress, caused by that old time
offender, John Barleycorn. The
tipsy statesmen were kept off the
floor of House and Senate with some
difficulty by their friends, but their
antics in the committee rooms and
corridors were witnessed by many.