The herald., 1897-01-27
WASA|NGT0N'S GAY WA|RL
Congressman Have no Time to
Attend to Business
WHEN WOMEN LEGISLATE
Il Will Be Different--So Says Mary
Walker, MD.
WHEN WOMEN LEGISLATE
The Rush Of Bills at the End Of the Ses-
sion-Brilliant State Functions.
A Fair Debutante.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20.-The closing
hours Of the Fifty-fourth congress and
the Cleveland, administration are mark
ed by extraordinary activity. Society
forges ahead both day and night, at a
pace which bespeaks the last heat in the
race, and under the capitol dome the
speakers gavel pounds a perpetual tat
too in vain endeavors to evoke order out
of Bedlam let loose. Never did the body
polite appear more like badly behaved
school boys.
Many of them. having played truant
or otherwise dissipatedl the morning of
their golden day, are striving to make
up for lost time at the last minute; and
nearly every Individual member of the
A50 or thereabouts, has some special
measure which he is bound to get
through while yet the lamp holds out to
burn. Hence the wild waving of bills
beneath the speakers nose, the clamor-
ing for recognition by scores OF members
on their feet at Once-confusion worse
confounded, amazing spectators and
setting reporters well-nigh crazy What
a pity that some of this energy had not
been earlier employed. But, like death
bed repentance, maybe it is better late
than never. 1t is safe to say that more
actual legislation win be crowded into
the thirty-five working days that re-
main than has heretofore been accom-
,plished in Ia many weeks of the FIFTY
fourth congress; and presently the spire
of gaslight high up in the dome Will
night after night tell of sessions pro-
longed to the wee sma' hours. 1t is al
ways the same near the close of con-
gress, and probably always will beat
least as long as men have things their
own way. Apropos to this suggestion
is Dr. Mary Walkers opinion. The re-
doubtable Mary, who has worn mems
clothing for a quarter of century, Is
with us again, after severaf years alb
Sence-trousers, Prince AltHrt coat, top
boots and; ALTO urge some long-pend-
ing claim which cannot even be consid-
cred in these confused, last hours. She
was scolding about 1t yesterday in the
senate lobby, as only a "weakeDve
can scold' though disguised in the habii-
aments of OF the other sex. Its
shame" she said, whacking her natty
little boots with her natty little cane,
''how these men, paid with the peoples
money to attend to national affairs. idle
away their time till the very end of the
session. When women sit In congress
there will be radical reforms. Fancy
a housekeeper fooling around all the
forenoon and attempting to do the Whole
days work just before supper"
CHICKAMAUGAP PAHh
Many besides DIR. Mary will go home
unsatisfied. Among scores of interest
ing things which probably will not be
taken up at all is the petition of the
Chickamauga park commission for per-
petuating the battle rield on which Gen
eral u. S. Grant won his greatest lau-
rels, both as a fighting soldier and
strategist. His son, Colonel Fred ID.
Grant, representing the Army of the
mol
d. Lee, of Mississippi, OH behalf of the
Confederate Veterans association, are
here as leaders of the park commission.
Their petition urges the purchase of the
country surrounding Vicksburg. to be
held by the federal government in per-
petuity, SO that future generations may
see what skillful maneuvering 1t re-
Quired to capture the Gibraltar of the
confederacy. The two gentlemen ap-
peared the other day before the COM
mittee on rules, consisting of Speaker
Reed and Messrs. Henderson and Dali
zell, to plead that day be set aside for
the consideration of their bill, making
an appropriation for the preliminary
work of surveying and marking out the
lines of battle. Looking at 1t from an
economical rather than a sentimental
point of view. as the bill carries an ap-
preparation. Mr.. Reed declined to prom
Use its consideration.
THE SENTIMENTAL BILLS.
BY the way. bills of the sentimental
sort. with calls for money attached.
will fare badly in the Fortysixth con-
gress when Judge Holman of Indiana
resumes his old position as watchdog
of the treasury" In the last fateful
campaign six out of the thirteen of In
dinan's solid Republican delegation were
elected to stay at home after March 4,
and four of them will be succeeded by
Democrats. Foremost among the lat
ter Is the aged William S. Holman, who
has been in public life more than half
a century. beginning as judge of pro-
bate court at the age of 81 He has
served in every congress but three since
the Thirty-sixth, and in all that time
he has never ceased to howl for
economy. He has already con-
fided to his friends his inten-
tion of delivering a speech as soon as
the extra session Is called, denouncing
the increased extravaganza of govern
mental expenditures and asserting that
what the country wants is general
topping off of salaries and pruning
down of expenses to a point considera-
bly, below our actual income. He ar
CUES that our government receives am
pie revenues to supply all reasonable
needs and leave a yearly surplus suffi-
clent to not only pay the interest on
INC h"lioidi UeDt, out TO 1urniSn a 1und
for paying off that Indebtedness as it
rails due. Looking at things from the
standpoint of his Aurora fruit farm,
the Hoosier economist considers Uncle
sam sad spendthrift, with no eye to the
pence which go to make the pounds.
If he could have his way the annual an
preparations would never rise above
$350, ,OO000O which, he says, with our
existing revenue laws, would leave a
surplus of 100000 900 every year and
DO away with hard times" forever.
But ne leaves quite out of the reckoning
improvement of rivers and harbors by
the federal government, which would
prohably amout to about one-third of
the whole sum to which he desired TO
prune down the expenditures: public
buildings in the various states. new ar
my posts in the far west, and all sucb
Side issues as the Nicaraguan canal
scheme, and the purchase Of an island
now and then. like st. Thomas or Santa
Lucia, II we conclude one is needed
for coaling or strategic station.
To his credit be 1t said; that Judge
Holman has never opposed the pensions
appropriations. and would not curta,I
them by one dollar
STODDARDS LECTURES.
And now congress is to have a gem
ulne treat" like good boys at the close
of school. Both houses have been in
vited, collectively and individually. to-
gether with members of the diplomat.c
corps and all prominent officials of ths
government, to attend one of Mr.. Stod-
darHa fnCOm nara hIa loo+y,rav ,,,stl--.