Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1881 — Letter From Washington. [ARTICLE]

Letter From Washington.

Garrwpondence of The Sbxtikel. Washington, Jan. 24.1881. Congross is pegging away at the public bu iness, the majority earnestly industrious to consummate all needed legislation and save the expense of an extra session —the minority equally industrious on all occasions to obstruct its progress. When no other plan of obstruction occurs they sit stolidly in their seats and refuse to vote, thereby breaking a quorum and arresting proceedings. The occurrence of absenteeism has also intervened to retard work, a most reprehensible practice or habit, which is yearly growing greater, and for which both parties are censurable. There is likely to be ao end to this, s there should be. Au old law has been looked up which imposes a fine to the extent of the compensetion of the absentee for the period he is absent without leave, or without such cause as fairiy justifies it. During an effort to gather a quorum the other night the sergeant-at-arms brought in among others our friend Gen. Warner, the Democratic representative from the Marietta, Ohio, district, whereupon the ever busy Frye, who expectsjto step into Blaine’s shoes when he leaves the Senate to take the portfolio of the State Department under “329,” took Gen. W. very brusquely to task, It was a very stormy night, vnd the General was feeling far from well, but he retorted very happily by asking Frye: “What is the difference between being absent from the House and being present and refusing to vote, as I have seen the gentleman from Maine frequently do?” That squelched Mr. Frye. Interest is warming up about who wili constitute the incoming DeGolyer Cabinet. It appears to be accepted that Blaine is to be ihe Secretary of State, and either Allison or Wilson, of lowa, Secretary of the Treasury Later leanings indicate Hon. H. Robertson, of New York, for Postmaster General, and that Ohio will not get a cabinet position. Robertson is an anti Coukiiugiie, and Lord Roscoe, in anticipation of nis appointment, is in a rage. Charley Foster’s crumb will be a foreign mission, say the quidnuncs. A great many other names are speculated about for other positions, but with the certainty less than six weeks away I will not indulge in speculation, or iteration of these other guesses. Speaker Randall and the sandy repiesen.ative from Colorado have had a little tiff, running into a correspondence, the latter’s grievance being the alleged refusal of ihe Speaker to recognize him as much as he aspires to be. The fact is, and 1 mention it only bocai Re this vaporous M. C. was once of your State and a protege of your “Smiler” Colfax, and is always to the front with some job to be paid for out of the treasury, and Randall is a consistent and persistent enemy of all such schemes. I am sorry to note that Senator McDonald did not receive the compliment oi the vote of the Democratic members of your State Legislature for the Senate. A cleaner-handed, purer man never held a seat in the Senate. Ho is of the stuff that genuine statesmen are made, and Indiana Democrats should be, if they are not, mortified at this conduct of their representatives. Sen’r McDonald holds, and deservedly, a very high place in the esteem and •onfidence of the Sen ate and the country, and cannot be hurt in this way in public estimation. Tne recent consolidation of the telegraph companies has renewed the scheme to inveigle the government into the business. They may well pause oefore embarking.ln the enterprise. If they buy the lines they will pay several more prices than they cost or are worth, and yet it must be said so gigantic a monopoly should have competition from some source If the government, however, engages in this kind of business competition in one thing, how many other enterprises of general utility will be clamoring for like intervention. As a matter of public poltcy it would be a grave mistake. I am not without hope, now that Congress has the data, thatan apportionment bill will pe passed at this session. It is most desirable, because the legislature of nearly every Statp is in session, and large expense could be saved to the people by doing so.— A failure would entail the cost of extra legislative sessions on nearly every State in the Union, and the fewer legislative sessions the states have the better for them, as is proven by the fact that of late years so many have made haste to. abolish annual sessions. ’ > I think the press over the country should agitate for penny postage. Experience has shown that every decrease in the charge for postage has eventuated in increased revenues to the Department. It is not self-sup porting, and it will be years until it is, but ihe period when it will be oan be hastened by the reduction. H.