The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-11-24
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 10, !.

WASHINGTON, u. ", NOV. w. 1911
The efforts of few Republican Senators
to institute war upon the administration ,on
account of its course with respect to appoint
ments, has met with decided rebuke during
the past week. Mr.. Edmunds and few
other Senators have had free and full talk
with the President, and have carried back
to their colleagues a very comprehensive un-
derstanding of his intentions. This, in brief,
is that the President has appointed Demo-
Gratis to office only in such localities in the
South in which he has been unable to secure
Republicans of suitable responsibility and
ability. So far as the fear that such officers
will not carry out the constitutional amend
ments is concerned, he will hold them re-
sponsble for the performance of their duties
under their oaths to support the constitution.
The appointment of Democrats is exception
al, and only applies to exceptional cases. In
regard to the other features Objectionable to
these Senators, the President frankly stated
that he is responsible for the honesty and
success of his administration, and, therefore,
must be permitted to exercise perfect freedom
in the selection of his instruments, and that
his first desire was to make appointments
which were acceptable to the communities
in which those filling them were to perform
their functions that he did not wish to
wholly ignore the friendly interest of the
Districts or States in which the office to be
filled were located but that he would not
make appointments in the individual or
personal political interests of any one as
against the wishes of a community, as had
! i Al r
has been weaken the Republican party.
On last Saturday Republican Senatorial
caucus was held, in which Senator Edmunds
stated substantially these views as the result
of his conference with the President. There
is no question that Conkling and those Sena-
tors, Cameron of Pennsylvania, Jones of
Nevada, and few others who have embark
ed their political fortunes in the same craft,
have started off on an upstream conflict.
There are no less, it is now discovered, than
fifteen Republican Senators who will sup
port the President. AS the Democrats will
support all capable nominations, the dis
satisfied Republican minority will not have
much of show. The caucus did not indi-
cate that its members would embark as q
body in the offensive demonstration threat
ened before the elections.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs have
completed their labors upon the Paris Expo
sition bill. Hewitt's " corn cake" propo-
stion was voted down without dissenting
voice, greatly to the indignation and irrita.
ton of those masters of ceremonies of the
Tilden campaign of 1876.
There is an excellent prospect of Turmoil
on the tariff question. The Committee OF
Ways and Means have appointed sub-com
mittee of five to revise existing shedules o
duties and the mode of their collection. A
least, three out of the five are pronounced
" free traders" II is not unlikely, however
that the more recent experiences of England
and the increasing clamor of her manufac
turers for protection against American com
petition, may have something to do with in
huencing their action. 1t is generally ad
mtted that the present list of dutiable arti
cles could be materially simplified withou
seriously affecting the interest of American
manufacturers, or the revenue of the Gov
ernment. The results of the labors of tn
committee will doubtless be traiff on tn
basis of revenue.
The dollar of our daddies," as the silve
reconciliation is facetiously expressed,
not gaining as much head-way as Bonan
"a" Jones would like. The House bill bette
known as the " bill of Flood and O'Bren, {
the great silver mines of Nevada" does nj
seem to be quite as taking with the Senat
as the parties interested wish.
The Committee are evenly divided on tn
question. The Secretary of the Treasur
says that unlimited reconciliation will pei
mGnently and disastrously effect the funC
ing operation of the Government.
The moment this bill passed the Hou'
the sale of Government bonds by the SyI
! dicate abruptly terminated. Up to this tin
the Secretary, in the sale of low-intere
Bonds, had effected saving of $4,000, 90
: and in the completion of the placing of tn
: loan would save an aggregate of $4,000
900.
With the aid of few Democrats, Cube
. . son, Giddings, Mills ,Schleicher and Throcl
y morton, of Texas, Lutterel, of Calliorni
Williams, Of Michigan and Williams
Delaware, the House Committee on Appr
priations was routed on Saturday, in It's c
a forts to reduce the numerical strength of Il
Y Army from $4,000 TO 10000 men. The vo
4 standing 1874 in favor Of the Senate amen
l ment and lSO against it. The whole bus
: ness in the House was not more than dem
d goguery, for any one at all familiar with Il
= subject knows that the cost of transportatiC
} of a small body of troops from place TO plaC
and particularly at long distances, W
5 amount, at the end Of the year, to as mu,
e as if the ranks Of the army were maintain,
at a footing equal to the necessities of Il
e country. General Mcclellan exon 10 Ric
: mond, Democratic GCvernor-elect of Ne
jersey, and prospectively Democratic canC
a date for President of the United States
: 1850, has given this subject careful stud
u and has written an exhaustive article
/, which he proves the utter folly and gre
u expense of a small force operating over
: vast extent Of country. But if an imparti
!; observer dissects the measure, or acceptil
d the bill on its own theory, it will be Sc,
that the cry Of retrenchment was a shaI
: that the most expensive arm of the servi
2, was TO be filled up TO war strength at the e
n pense of the inefficiency of the infantry al
e artillery. Ten regiments of Cavalry at
n 200 men each, would make ~ 900 men. G
1t dnance Department, Signal Service al
Il General Service men, West Point Detac
d ments, Engineer Battalion, Indian Scou
Il ETC., S,OOOi leaving about 5000 enlist
p men, as the effective strength Of the 25
E. giments of Infantry, and Of Artillery.
y Whether the friends Of the twentv-f
thousand Standard will hs ahle n unaipto