The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-03-26
WASHINGTON LETrEn.
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Secretary Sherman has been nc
counted one OF the shrewdest of pollt-
lcal managers, but In the conduct Of
his campaign for the Presidential
nomination 10 seems to have lost his
cunning; or at least, In his anxiety,
TO have ovcrreachcd himself. There
Is something ludIcrous rs well as de.
plorable In the persistent efforts made
by the Secretary to capture delega-
tIons from the Southern States. and
tho methods employed, apparently
with the acquiescence OF Mr.. Hayes,
make a very sorry spectacle of the
pretonsions Of this reform adminIs-
tration. A prominent Republican
said to me In conversation recently
al AIN surprised at Sherman. There
was time not very long ago when
he was regarded as the strongest
competitor OF Grant. Ills financial
ability and conservative policy II was
thought gave him nm exceedingly
strong position, but to-day he l. al
most without any strength whatever,
beyond that secured through the
most unblushlng use OF Treasury pat
ronage." This Is the actual situation
so far as Sherman Is concerned, and
he will find ut Chicago that delegates
secured by tho influence Of office
holders, or under promises of Office,
are likely TO bolt with great ;,lacrity
10 the winning side. Ills strength
In the Convention viii be insigniii-
cant enough TO convince his bread
and-butter brigade, perhaps before
the first ballot, that their interests lie
somewhere else. Sherman's only
success seems 10 bc In casting fresh
disgrace upon the hypocrilical Ad-
ministratIon to which he belongs. It
might not DO satisfactory, but It would
certainly DO instructive, were Mr..
Hayes to attempt just one more au-
lucrative Interpretation af the scope
and meaning OF that famou. order
about ofIice-holders and politics.
Sherman has likewise brought dis
credit upon himself by his recent OF
der instruciing Customs officers TO
withhold all information and siaiis-
tics In relation 10 caTgoes of imports
or exports arriving or departing. when
shippers 80 request. Congress has
been memoralized 20 the effect tIlai
this order only benefits SPECTATORS,
aud a bill has already been introduced
making the withholding OF such In
formation unlawful. But this Is not
the only instance wherein John Sher-
man has been found on the side OF
spectators and money-gobblers.
Congress viii be likely 10 set down
on him In this case, just rs II depos-
tied its corporosiiy upon Asst. Post
master General Brady's Star Route
swindle. General IIawley In his
speech ON the floor Of the House de.
cIarcd Hrady's action In exceeding
the appropriations 81 enormously Ia
the matter OF the Star Route con-
tracts "a wAnion defiance of law"
that demanded the impeachment Of
its author. Brady had strong lobby
working in his Interest, but the
Honse has passed bill checking his
abuses, and It IS not unlikely that he
viii finally have TO resign.
The long labor of the House on the
division Of its rules is happily ended,
and this Is the last OF that subject. II
has been tedious task and consumed
much time, but It Is believed that
the advantages secured will amply
compensate for II all. This division
Is In fact memorable event in the
history of the House, ms II Is the only
general ovcrhauling since the first
Congress. Amendment has been
patched on amendment, and m0difi-
cation applied to modification until
the result was chaos. The new rules
will cause considerable change in tho
daily proceedings, and greatly I'M
prove the order Of things. As finally
adopted the rules give the commerce
committee full Jurisdiction over the
river and harbor bill and tho agricul-
tural committee jurisdiction over th }
estimates for the Agricultural Depart
ment. The amendment giving tho
committee on public buildings and
grounds the right to report appropri-
atlona for public buildings and grounds
was defeated. The most notable
event In connection with the fnal
badoption was the Aattening out of
Snarley-yow Conger. lie wanted to
amend SO rs to keep riders off from
appropriation bills, and when he
found he could not, threatened as the
sleader'' of the Republican side to
tilIibuster But Garfield and Frye
Immediately sat down upon this
proposition and tho Michigan Noun
tebank subsidized. Conger is one Of
the smallest.souled partisan pests in