Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-10
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
THE PETTY THIEVERY AT THE
SOLDIERS HOME.
An Apt IllustratiOn-BuIiO TO the
FOre-Blair and ShIpherG-Iuter-
nal Revenue Seduction The
Fight for the Next House.

WASHINGTON, May s.--A prominent officer of
the army to-day made neat application to the
Soldiers Home pilferings by story in regard
to military life at West Point The gist of the
story lies in the fact that Surgeon General
Barnes and Commissary General MacFeeley
are found to have been guilty of small stealings
from the old soldiers at the Home. Perhaps
stealing is too strong word. They have only
been found guilty of taking the products of the
farm for their families and in the case of
Barnes of having bust of himself made at the
expense of the Home. But to the
story. Some years ago a cadet at
West Point invited a number of his friends to
his room one night to cook and partake of
some dncks when all were supposed to he in
bed. The invited cadets assembled. They
waited and waited. Their host was not present.
The meal of ducks appeared to vanish rapidly
in the air Finally the host appeared with
four plump ducks. The asSe nbled cadets
threw up their caps and would have cheered
but for the noise that it would make Said the
man with the ducks: "Fellows, have had an
awful time of it. l was going to steal the
some the other night; s0 I found sentry
placed over his poultry knew that you fell
lows would be disappointed if did not bring
in the ducks. l remembered that Sergeant
O'Brien had some ducks so l went to his quar-
ters and stole these" All the enthusiasm dis
appeared from the guests. They were silent.
and taking uD their caps, left the room. They
could enjoy ducks stolen from an officer, but
could not stomach the idea that a cadet should
steal from common soldier! That was low
er1ng the dignity of the army officer too much.
Surgeon General Barnes and Commissary Gen.
eral MacFeeley seem, however, to have had no
such scruples.
GEORGIA APPLICANT.
Ex- Governor R B. Bullock, of Georgia, is a
prominent applicant for position as one
or the members of the tariff com
mission under the bill which passed
the House last Saturday He is working very
actively to that end. His claims are based on
his extensive manufacturing interests in the
South, especially in Georgia He has quite
number Of people who indorse him. and he
stands very good chance of receiving the ap-
pointment when the bill becomes a law. There
are to be nine members of the commission. 1t
is not thought that the bill will give rise to any
protracted debate when it reaches the Senate.
The Senate has already had its grind at tariff
debate.
BLAIR AND sHIPHERD
Senator Blair is catching it on all sides His
testimony before the Shipherd Investigating
committee has been vague and unsatisfac fory.
He has denied eguivOcally, and he has spent
his time in lodging. He refuses to give to the
committee his correspondence with Shipherd.
because of the relation that existed between
them as lawyer and client. And then he says
not really be called his client. The general
impression-and from his testimony it could
not be otherwise-is that Blair was 'in
it'' The goody-good New Hampshire
Senator is certainly in a bad fix The only way
for him to clear himself would be TO show the
letters which passed between him and Ship.
herd-provided, of course, that the letters are
of an eXonerating character. AS long as he
will not show them the inference in all peoples
minds must be that the letters are not of an
exonerating character. The whole business is
bad for Blair.
INTERNAL REVENUE TAXATION.
The tariff question out of the way of the
House, the question that most directly inter-
ests the people to be considered by that body
is that of internal revenue. A bill removing
the tax on number of articles and reducing
the Ways and Means Committee and reported
to the House. 1t will be taken up
at an early day and pressed for action. It is
thought that the bill will pass. The Repubi-
cans in the House keep up their programme
for voting big appropriations and cutting off
the Internal revenue in order to say that there
ought not to be any reduction of the tariff as
the government must live some way or other
Even if they have no men who could be called
leaders on the floor, the Republicans are a
pretty shrewd lot. Perhaps the trouble with
the Democrats is a surfeit of leaderships.
THE COMING CAMPAIGN
Prominent Democrats are firm in the belief
that the next House will be Democratic, and
paign is managed with tact There be tepub-
licans, too, who do not hesitate to say that
they think the Democrats stand a very good
show for getting the next House. The Demo-
cratic Campaign Committee, even at this early
day, are getting ready for fighting an aggres-
sive campaign. They are already looking af-
ter that most important factor-the sinews of
war. There are some shrewd politicians on
the committee. especially on the Board of
Control There are four of the best political
managers in the country who viii have to do
with the campaign management for the Demo-
cracy. General RoSecrans will b. a very good
fgurehead, but will not have much of the
management in his hands. The Republican
Committee is also getting ready for the fight
Speaking Of this latter committee brings ue
mind the fact that Don Cameron has knitted
another half breed. Mcpherson. the Clerk of
the House, is a hslf-breed and Blaine man. He
was Secretary of the old committee and
wanted the place again. He wanted it badly
Because Of bis stripe of politics and because
he is Blaine man, Don Cameron did not
want him there. So he hss defeated him, and
will put in a man by the name of Henderson,
of Iowa, who is one Of the three hundred and
six brass medal crowd. POTOMAC.