Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 May 1890 — THE NATION’S CAPITAL [ARTICLE]

THE NATION’S CAPITAL

WASHINGTON VIEWED FROM A MORAL STANDPOINT. A City Where There Is No Gambling: or Sabbath - Breaking Electing Senators by the People—Sam Randall’s Religious Belief—Congressman H iley’s Little Romance. [SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.] Washington, April 28, 1890. There is, after all, to be some agitation of the subject of the election of United States Senators by direct vote of the people dnring this session of Congress. Senator Mitchell, of Oregon, has developed into a champion of a move in this direction, and on last Monday addressed the Senate in a lengthy argument in favor of a constitutional amendment providing for the selt ctou of members of the upper branch of Congress by a majority vote of the people of each State. » « * * An incident in the Congressional life of the late Samuel J. Randall is lelated by a Washington reporter, touching upon the distinguished Representative's religious opinions and how he silenced a theological discussion in his committee-room. It is said of him that he worked out his leligious theories in the same philosophical manner that he brought to bear upon every subject in which lie .was interested and brought the same power of reason ng into play. That conviction once established could never be uprooted. One day about two years ago his committeeroom whs filled with Congressmen. Mr. Randall was busy at his correspondence, paying no attention apparently to what was being said apart from his own work. The conversation around him finally took a philosophical turn and launched off into a discussion of the Bible and Christianity, the tone of the discussion being decidedly skeptical. Indeed, there seemed to be a strong atheistical sentiment present. The conversation continued without appearing to interest the .Pennsylvanian, when, attracted perhaps by a ralher broad and liberal assertion by one of those present, he got up, pushed his letters aside, stood at the corner of tho table, with that set look of determination and positiveness on his face so often remarked on the floor of the House,and said: “Gentlemen, Christianity is truth. Tho man who doubts distrusts his own intelligence. ” This was said in his most solemn and impressive tone, and at once silenced the discussion. A moment later he left the room. « * Jfc * The Chinese enumeration bill was knocked into a cocked-bat in the Senate, and will be heard of no more this session. Senator Evarts, of New York, is given the credit for iis defeat. In his speech aga nst it the New York Senator denounced it as a barbaric measure, unAmerican and despotic in form, and not ctlculated iu any vise to reflect credit upon the nation adopting it. The bill provided for furnishing every Chinese resident with a certificate of such ieeidrnce at the time of the taking of the census, and the exclusion in the future of e'ery Chinamen not provided with wr.tten authority toremaio. Senator Wilson, of lowa, ottered an amoudmeut allowing Chinese laborers to pass through the United States bound lor points outside, wh ch was adopted. This, in effect, destroyed the original purposes of the entire Chinese exclusion act. In view of this, Senator Stewart, one of the most radic il of the antiChinese bill supporters, moved to table the enumeritiug bill, and it was so done by an almost unanimous vote. * * * Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, the noD-p*rtisan temperance worker, was given an elesram dinner last week, at which were present the most noted personages of public life, including Pres dent Harrison and wife, Secretary and Mrs. Blaine, and tho British Minister. The honor was tendeied Mrs. Foster on the eve of her departure Lor Europe. * * The conference committee having in charge the bill organizing Oklahoma under a territorial form of government has settled the differences of the two houses and ieported a measure ca culnted to give eut ire satisfaction to ali psrties concerned, unless, perhaps, it be the men who desire the Federal places and who live in the territory. It will 1 e remembered that, some weeks ago,when the Senate was acting upon the Oklahoma bill, Senator In.all's tacked on an amendment limiting office-holders to actual residents. The reason given for this was that the Kansas Senator had been to the President and : sked for a Judgeship for one of his constituents and had been refused. The refusal, it is alleged, was accompanied by the statement that the men to fill the various offices in the new territory had already been picked out. Jugalls said nothin'?, but the fruits of his thinking were visible in the bill in the provision compelling tbe appointing power to emtine appointments to residents. Since that time, however, tbe wrath of the Kansas cyclonic Senator has been appeased, tbe obnoxious feature in the hilt has i een stricken out, and one of the new judges will come from Kansas.

* V The usual scramble to get out of Washington during the hot months goes merrily on. Both f-ides of Massachusetts avenue for five blocks is almost depopulated. Of fashionable life there is note trace left. This locality is in the finest pait of the city, and consists of handsome stoue flats rented by the season, after the same manner that cottages and hotel quarters are secured during the summer months at seaside resorts. One of these tints, located on Dupont Circle, rents as high as SBOO per month, and eagerly seized at that. It was occupied last winter by a weulthy merchant of Philadelphia, who, with his wife and two daughters, gave several magnificent receptions just after the holidays. * * The next important question to come up for discussion in Congress is the land grant forfeiture bill. This is a measure providing for the forfeiture to the Government of all the lands heretofore granted to railroad companies and which have been unearned !by the said corporations. It involves the ownership of several million acres of very valuable lands in Western and Southwestern States, The railronds of course are fighting the bill for all there is iu it, and as there are a good many men in Congress anxious to show the country t,hat they are not in I sympathy with corporations, a pretty • tight May be expected. Perhaps the oft-

repeated statement that the Senate is controlled by the bondholding interests of the country will receive practical illustration when this measure comes on for consideration. It will be a pretty good indication of the truth or falsity of the charges. * Perhaps in time Washington will become not only tbe pride of the libertyloviDg American but the boast and living example of tbe strictest Methodistic principles. There is not a public gambling resort in the city, unless some cellar or dingy back room in which are huddled a few darkies playing “craps” for pennies can be called a gambling resort. Indeed, even these are "pulled” by the police with becoming regularity. Every saloon is promptly closed at 12 o’clock. On Sunday business of all kinds is entirely susE ended, and for a saloonkeeper to open is shop, only to air it out. is sure death—to his license. The city on Bab-, hath morning resembles a New England village. Pennsylvania avenue is deserted until church time, when men, women, and children, with prayer-books in hand, are seen hurrying to the various places of worship. Everything is as qniet and subduod as a fnneral. There is no other city in the world that can compare with NVashington in its quiet nights and peaceful Sabbaths. ♦ * * Tne Dolph smelling committtee, appointed to investigate the secret-session leakage, made a report recommending severe measures to compel reporters to divulge the source of their information as to the happenings of executive sessions. Tho Senate refused to entertain the recommendation and the committee was discharged. Several 6f the newspaper boys who appeared before the committee early in the session, and who refused to testitv, wore discharged at the same time and walked up to the financial clerk’s office and drew $154 salary. The committee desired to punish them for contempt, so could not discharge them. Some of the leportors wbo drew witness fees for one day are kicking themselves for not doing likewise. >l* >{» ik Theie is quite a pretty little romance connected with the marriage of Congressman John M. Wtlev, of New York, and Miss t ooper. of Indianapolis, which took place the other duy. Miss Cooper was visiting in Washington when Mr. Wiley first met her, being introduced in a hotel parlor by tho late Thomas A. Hendricks. He fell desperately in love with her, and, it is claimed by intimate friends, proposed for her hand the next dav. She laughed at him and told him be would forget all about it in a little while. One year from that time he proposed ngain, and again met with refusal. Three or fouryears rolled around regularly, and as regularly would he ask her t& marry him. His final success is testified by the recent wedding. One of the Congressman’s Iriends asked him if the above story is ttue, and he laughingly replied: “Well, I have kept prettv close Lack of her for some time, and I confess for a time I was afraid she’d get awav.” * * it By unanimous vote last week, Congress accepted the handsome statue of General Grant, presented by the Grand Army of the llepublic, and it will be placed in a conspicuous place in Statuary Hull. Tbe statue was paid for by voluntary contributions, in small sums, from veterans and tbeir families. 3

James C. Moody.