The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-07-13
WAITS FROM WASHINGTON

WAITS FROM WASHINGTON.
| WASHINGTON, DC
~ June 80, 1871.
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
The Civil Service Commission met
IN accordance with the terms of iii
appointment yesterday noon. Tht
meeting was held in the room Of the
Assistant Secretary of the Interior
All the commissioners wero present
as follows: Geo. VIM. Curtis, Joseph
Medill, Dawson A. Walker, +. B. Ell
lott, Joseph @. Blackfan, and David
The commission, after short con.
sultation, organized by the appoint.
ment OF Mr., Geo. w. Curtis, Of New
York, President, and r. b. Elliott,
Of the State Department, Secretary.
The subject-mstter OF the commits
sion was discussed at some length,
each member joining in the informal
interchange of views.
1t was agreed unanimously that
the functions of tho board were nero.
.ly advisory, and that the result Of
their action could have no binding
force until confirmed by the President
of the United States, and that the
examination Of candidates for ap
pointment in the civil service was not
within the sphere of the duties as
signed to them.
There was no difference of opinion
as to the necessity of reform, and no
want of harmony was developed as
to the direction which civil service
reform should take; but 20 little was
said on this subject thatit would be
premature at this time to announce
even the outlines of any policy as
being indicated by the tone Of the
discussion.
About 2 o'clock the commission ad-
journed and proceeded to the Execu-
tive Mansion, to enable tho commits
sioners to pay their respects to Pres
ident Grant.
GENERAL PLEASONTON
tho Commissioner of Internal Rev
enue and the Secretary ofthe Treas
ury do not agree upon Internal Rev.
enue matters, and it is highly proba-
bic that the General will retire. In
the Bureau he is very unpopular and
q change seems necessary Tor the
public good. 1t is expected he will
60 out on tho 18th of July if not
sooner.
THE PENSION OFFICE.
Since Van Aernam, the weak and
inefficient Commissioner of Pensions,
was retired, the nsw incumbent,
General Baker, OF Minn., has institu-
ted reforms in the Office. Surely
there is no branch of the govern
ment where things have been at
loose ends more than in this one. 1t
is & bureau in which thousands of
manned soldiers all over the country
are deaply interested. The delay,
the red tape rules and the trouble
which pensioners have endured is
simply an outrage. Probably no
bureau in Washington has been more
thoroughly and may say more just
II acussed than this. Let US hope
for amends under James Fl. Baker.
GENERAL cAPRoN.
This gentleman who for several
years has been Commissioner of
Agriculture has resigned his position
to take effect on the lst of August
next. The Agricultural Bureau is
at best an unmitigated humbug and
ought to be abolished, but it will
probably be worse hereafter as it
will be q difficult matter to secure as
good . man for the position as Gen.
Capron has been. He did all in his
power to advance the agricultural
interests of the country, but the
meagre appropriations granted by
Congress have always retarded his
progress. Let MS either abolish the
concern or vote enough money to
make it paying institution. Cen.
Cspron goes to Japan, in the inter-
ests of japanese agriculture. and is
paid by that government the fabu-
lous sum Of $40, 900 per year in gold.
Thus Horace Capron does better in
farming than does Horace Greeley,
WEST POINT CADETS.
A numher of the cadets. who but
recently graduated at the West Point
Military Academy, are here, the
guests Of Colonel L. d. Ingcrsoll, Of
the Chicago Eueniag. Post. Mr.. In
gersoll went up to West Point and
wrote several very interesting let.
tors TO the Post in regard to the ex.
animation then in progress. The
people of Iowa will be particularly
pleased to know that James II. Was
son who stands at the head of tho
graduating class this year is an
lowan. He is a fine young man and
will doubtless receive hearty well
come when he returns to Iowa.
GENERAL BELKNAp.
The oration delivered by our ac-
complished Secretary of War at
Princeton, New Jersey, the Other
day, was a masterly effort. 1t was
printed in full in the Republicans here
and was universally admired. Gen.
Belknap is today the most popular
tL