The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-12-23
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


necks and falling over each other in
the struggle for first position in the
race. This statement should perhaps
be qualified with a reservation ex-
cepting q number of lOud-mOuthed
Democrats who year ago were harp
ing for reform" but whonow stand
boldly up and declare they will OPP
pose all tenure of Office MEASURES until
the offices have been filled with their
hungry constituents. Among these
are Senators Dan VOORHEES, and Joe
Brown, who have been struck with
visions of Democratic success in 1884.
While majority of those Democratic
Congressman who have for years been
croaking for reform legislation dare
not turn their backs on it, there
is still a very strong undercurrent
among them that would like to see
it defeated or postponed until after
the Presidential election. Some of
these are esteemed very astute politi-
clans, yet their shrewdness would
seem to be of the short-sighted kind
If the Democrats should by any pos
sibility get into power there are sew
eraI dangers to which they would be
exposed, one of which is that the
hungry hOrdes of effice-seekers would
make such a rush for the public crib
that the people would stand disgust
ed and Mortified, and be eager for an
opportunity to take the Government
out Of the hands of such a crowd. If
their leaders were real smart they
would be glad to see this exhibition
prevented in the only way it could
be done-by the strictest civil-service
law that can be framed. The most
sensible amendment to the Pendle-
ton bill in the Senate is that offered
by Senator Logan, directing that eX-
aminations shall be practical and re-
late only to matters which will fairly
test the relative capacity of applicants
to discharge the duties of the service
into which they seek to be appoint.
ed. OF all the superative humbugs
in connection with ciYiI-serYice regu-
latiOns that Of propOunding a lot of
questions in astronomy and technol-
ogy to an applicant for "a Government
clerkship takes the first rank.
Since taritl'reYisiOn, revenue reduc-
ton and reform measures occupy so
much attention now, and the queS-
ton as to what will actually be done
is involved in so much doubt, it is
interesting to note the views of lead
ing men in both Houses of Congress.
There is a growing conviction among
Republicans that something ought to
be done with the tariff at this session,
nor is there any abatement of their
original determination to reduce in
ternal taxes, provided the Democrats
will permit it to be done. Senator
Harrison says he regards the creation
of the Tariff Commission as "a con-
fession that the tariff needs revision"
although a great many other peO-
pie have regarded it as a scheme to
avoid or postpone revision. Mr..
Dawes is in favor of abolishing all
Internal revenue taxes, except those
on liquors, tobacco and bank circula-
tion, and further of reduction of the
tariff to the lowest possible point
which will enable it, together with
the internal revenue, to furnish the
requirements of the Sinking Fund
and the strictest economy of current
expenditure" He seems to think
"the tariff could lie reduced S1OO, O00.-
600 by a proper adjustment between
free raw material and duitable manu-
features, so that American industries
would be stronger for the reVisiOn,D
Senator Frye says that internal taxes,
except those on spirits and tobacco,
should be repealed, and that "the
necessity of tariff revision is impera-
tive" Representative Kasson fayors
the enlargement of the reductions
provided for by the pending Internal
Revenue bill-not, however, so as to
include distilled spirits. Senator Sher-
man proposes the repeal of internal
taxes, except those on spirits, tobac-
co and beer.
After all the agitation for three or
four years upon the subject of a new
building for the Congressional Libra
ry the bill brought forward by the
House Library Committee has been
practically defeated. With the ex-
ception of Mr.. Cannon, of Illinois.
VINO wants the mass of the present
collection of books burned up so as to
leave room for the remainder in the
present library, everybody acknowI-
edges the pressing necessity of new
library building. But there has long
been suspicion Of jobbery about the
proposition to buy a building site
east of the Capitol, and, whether this
suspicion is just or unjust, there is