The Press., 1896-05-14
Washington Letter.
Washington, May

Washington, May 11th, 1S96.
 Senator Dubois offered joint resolution that would put very effectual stop to the issue of bonds under the old resump- ton act, if it became law. It provides that no bop ds shall be issued until the president shall acquaint congress with the necessity for their issue and congress shall authorize their payment. But it will not become law, for various good and suff1- cient reasons, one of which is that it could not command the two-thirds vote that it would be necessary to pass it over the presidents veto.
 This investigation of the several bond issues by this administration which is authorized by Senator Aliens resolution, adopted by the senate last week, 1t is to be made by subcommittee to the senate finance committee which will sit during the recess.
 Although nothing official can be obtain ed, it is known that Secretary Olney has protested against the execution of the Americans captured on the Competitor by the Spanish until an investigation has been made by this government as to their guilt.
 Congress talks economy, but continues to pile uptheappro priatfons just as though the government was enjoying an income which provides a surplus, instead of the yawning deficit which the end of each fiscal year shows. Representative Dock cry came very near to sizing up the situa- tion when he said that every member wanted economy, but he wanted it to begin next door. Without entering into the necessity or justice of allowing members of the house $1O0 a month for the employ ment of clerks when congress is not in session, which has been decided upon by the house by vote of 13O to 108, it can- not be denied that this expenditure of nearly quarter of 8 million dollars year will be regarded by most people as an ex- travagance not justified by existing cir cumstances. It is no valid excuse for a member of the house who voted for this allowance to say i've have as much right to yearly clerks as senator's" The coun- try has long known that the great pre- ponderance of wealthy men in the senate has made that body luxuriant and ex- travagant in it's expenditures for its own ease and comfort, but it doesn't expect the house to follow in that line, and that $100 month grab is likely to cost many members of the house their seats.
 Senator Teller remarked when asked if he knew anything of the alleged scheme to begin a financial discussion in the senate for the purpose of forcing the national conventions to take decided stands in their financial blanks, and of prolonging the session until the conventions had been held "We can do nothing if we stay here, and everybody is so anxious to get away that we could not keep a quorum here after the appropriation bills are passed" That tells the story.
 Senator Mitchell, of Oregon, has given notice ofhis intention to try to get 8 vote on the resolution providing for consti- tutional amendment authorizing the elec- tion of senators by direct vote of the people, before congress adjourns. It is believed that the resolution would be adopted if vote could be had but very doubtful about getting a vote.
 Congress will come pretty near to aver aging the same in election years. Two years ago the republicans were jumping ! o n runr+bn 1opoInpo&o whO than controlled the house by nearly as large a majority as the republicans now have, because ot the difficulty in keeping quorum in Washington after the ante-nomination campaign opened. This year the demo. crats are jumping on the republicans for the very same thing. The member of congress who doesn't look out for No. ahead of everything else is a very rare bird indeed.