Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-27
How and By Whom the National
Capital is Governed.
CONGRESS PASSES THE LAWS
Representatives Not Interested In
Washington Local Affairs-Hepub-
Iiean National Convention.
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Washington, Jan. 22.-Two days In
each month the House OF Representa-
tiyes becomes the board Of aldermen
or the common council OF the city OF
Washington, or rather. for the District
OF Columbia that tract ten miles square.
carved out OF Maryland and lying on
the north bank OF the Potomac river.
What are ordinances In other cities ore
The laws of the United States. as Con-
gress must pass every law for the gov
ernment OF the city or to regulate any
OF It's affairs. The easy method OF doing
business In the Senate, the privilege
which a Senator has OF calling up any
bill at any time, enables the legislation
for Washington to be considered In the
upper branch OF Congress without any
difficulty. In the House 1t has been
found necessary to set apart two days
Of each month for the consideration of
legislation relating TO the city OF Wash
ington and It's envlrons. All the fran
chises for railroads, for locating alleys,
cutting streets, and, In fact, everything
that a municipal assembly performs
for a city must be done for the nation
al capital by Congress. AS rule. but
a small number OF representatives take
any Interest In such legislation. Days
devoted 10 District Of Columbia legls-
latlon almost always finds but thin
attendance upon the floor Of the House.
Those who are not interested HE them
selves away 10 the departments or 10
their committee rooms and offices and
dispose OF correspondence. Sometimes
the House II left without quorum on
these occasions, and member who de-
sires to defeat some bill can do so BY
demanding vote which VIII disclose
that fact
A CONVENTION OF oRAToRY.
The Republican national convention
according to present arrangements.
VIII be devoted largely to oratory. II
Is expected that the convention hall
will ring and echo 10 the tones Of the
beet speakers Of the Republican party.
AS IL Is foregone conclusion that
President Mckinley will be renoml-
mated unanimously and the general
impression that yice-presldent will be
practically settled by that time, to-
gether with the fact that the platform
VIII have been substantially framed,
II VIII make the meeting little less
than a great ratification meeting, and
speech making viii largely take the
place of the business which engrosses
the attention Of the delegates to most
conventions. II is more than likely that
when President Mckinley Is nominated
there will be a secondlng speech from
nearly every State In the Union. and
each State delegation will put forth It's
best speaker who will endeavor 20
eclipse all other efforts In the way OF
political phase-making and eloquent
encomlum OF the President and OF tht
grand old party. remember that
something like this occurred when Gro
yer Cleveland was renominated by &C.
clamation In the convention Of 1855 at
St. Louis, when the States were all
heard In seconding speeches. Nearly
every territory also sent forward one
Of its delegates to swell the mighty
voice that was singing the praises OF !
Mr.. Cleveland and the Democratic
party