The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-12-16
THURSDAY. DECEMBER le, 1876.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

-
SECRETARY CHANDLER AND OTHERS
EDUCATION, ETC
Both Houses of Congress have adjourned
until Monday. The House is now forming
its Committees. This is quite exciting as
the friends of each member of consequence
are pushing his name forward as chairman
of some important committee, and no doubt
after the committees are formed, the
Democratic organization cannot be prop.
erly called mutual admiration society.
Already you notice, on every hand, by its
frienes, q disposition TO find fault with
the action of the Democratic majority of
the House. There are more sorc'headed
applicants for positions in the House. than
ever your correspondent WITNESSED aaivbs at iAse
The applicants for positions in the vari
Gus Departments are so numerous that it
Is difficult to pass through them without be-
ing stopped and assistance asked from you
to get them government position. One OF
the mistakes that the Heads of the Depart
meuts generally make is to keep au appli
cant in long suspense. 1t is not uncommon
to see hopeful applicants, almost daily for
six months running to The various Depart
mcnts for position, spending their time and
influence too often for naught. There are
yet to be reductions in nearly all the gov
ernment Departments here, and an EN-
ployee in them. who sees these applicants,
feels peculiar dread, thinking that this
one or that one may he his successor.
The friends here of Gen. Babcock ar.
much surprised to learn that there is an
Indictment for supposed conspiracy with
the whisky ring and are eanguine that he
will be able to prove his innocence. The
course that the President has taken in re.
gard to the prosecution of those indicted is
receiving the commentator ofboth parties
1t was thong hit by some that the thorough
prosecution of this case would do him in
Jury, but to the contrary he is gaining more
and more evey day in The favor of the law
abiding people.
The new Speaker, Mr.. Kerr, it is sad,
hSNCl was NhllS III IuNltCi ~ tuS
chair. and it is q little strange that if this
be the case, why the democracy should
select a man who has had no experience in
presiding over deliberating bodies, Much
depends on the Reading Clerk, as to how
well Mr.. Kerr performs his duties as
Speaker. He prompts the Speaker in the
dispatching of business. Mr.. Kerr is in
i'll health and looks very feeble. 1t is
feared by his friends that lie will not DO
able to stand the vexations attending the
Speakershp Of this storey session,
The prompt confirmation, in the Senate
yesterday, ofZlcheriah Chandler, Edw-rd
ceedingy co nplimen ary to these gent
men Had there been any opposition to
them, this could not have been done. II
was quite a surprise that the name of EI
Senator Pratt for Commissioner Of Internal
Revenue, was not sent in, pnd some think
that it means that Mr. Pratt intends TO
reign before being confirmed, as not ling
since he expressed himself as not entirely
satisfied or pleased with his present
position.
One of the most serious difficulties en-
countered in the representation nf educa-
ton at the Cent ennial, is the determine
ton of space to- be allotted 10 it. The
Commissioner of Education reports that
the .everal State Executive School Officers
5ao;ra IN knnw tho of which
each can have for this representation; but
the Centennial Commis ssion are SO EN-
barrsssed that they desire each State to
prepare the material of its exhibition as
best it can, they having to accommodate tho
space to the articles to b. exhibited. Some
States. are remarkably well under way in
their preparation.
The distinguished professor, Lyon Play
fair, a member of Parliment, and for some
time Postmaster General under Mr.. Glad
stone, writes the Commissioner of Ednca,
tion on the receipt of the Centennia; Cir
culars from the Bureau of Education. that
if the proposal made by the educators of
the United States FOR promoting thu educa
tional exhibit in Philadelphia, are carried
out, they will secure more methodical
and lasting results than any exhibit OF
eduration yet made in Great Britain.
The Commission of Education has been |
informed that The educational department
of Japan is engaged, in making an exceed
ingly interesting collection, illustrative Of |
the history of education in that country. |
under tie old and new regime. 1t is ex,
pected that there will be model school.
houses and appliances of education going |
back five hundred years.
Considerable anxie'y is mani tested in |
regard to The coming decision of the Sec |
retary of the Troasnry upon the revised |
rate of drawback on refined sugar The
Committee of Experts lately appointed to
take testimony have reported a small re-
duction of rate on crystalline sugar which
will not be sufficient to destroy our grow
ing business of refining sugar for exporta-
tion. British refpers whose trade has been
spoiled in proportion as our own has pros
psred have attemp'ed verv unseemy in
reference in matters that concern this
country only as The Secretary has rescin-
ded his provisional orier, practically
STOPPING sugar exports, it is NOS likely that