Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-01-15
WASHINGTON LETTER,
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS OF THE MONITOR.
WdshiD0tOn. Ian. g. 1899

this matter. Although the disagree
ment does not involve more than one
senator, yet this is sufficient in the
Senate to compel postponement of
the desired legislation. Mr.. Hale,
of Maine, is the recalcitrant brother,
and in reply to his Republican col
leagues says that he will not vote to
grant state government to terri
tory portion of which has stained
itself with rank reputation. Mr..
ingalls,, Of Kansas. characterized the
remarks of Mr.. Hale as partisan and
malignant. This provoked a heated
discussion between the two gentlemen
and the end was that Mr.. Hale be-
came deeper set in his opposition to
the bill. Now this would seem to be
matter of no present Importance,
yet those three electoral votes which
would be cast by Dakota might prove
In 1884 to be the salvation of the Re-
publican party. The Republicans
understand this, and have endeavored
to win over Mr.. Hale, but with no
success. Dakota will be without a
state government until the Republi-
cans are numerically strong enough
to pass the bill without Mr.. Hale's
| vote. ..
Notwithstanding predictions to the
contrary, the Senate Finance Com
mlttee has given very general salts
faction in its report on the tariff bill.
1t has gone further than the Tariff
Commission in its recommendations
and proposes considerable reductions
on bituminous coal, pig iron, sheet.
boiler, and plate iron, steel rails,
and tin plate. Of course these rec
concentrations meet with opposition
from those whose interests will be
affected, but it would be impossible
to frame tariff bill which would not
engender opposition, and the best
way to deal with this problem would
be to reduce the tariff according to
established rules of justice and equal
ity and let the opposing forces have
the quarrel out amongst themselves.
The Senate Finance Committee seems
to have endeavored to follow these
rules.
Several days have elapsed since
the passage of the Civil Service Re-
form bill. That measure has not vet
received the signature of the Presi-
dent, but he will doubtless sign the
bill before the end of the week. 1t
is true the bill does not meet with
the universal approval of Republicans.
A prominent western member of the
House in referring to the bill said
that the ''Pendleton bill" does not
present much of an Improvement upon
the George William Curtis method.
He claims that since the Commits
sloners are to be recommended by
congressman, appointed by the Pres
ident, and then confirmed by the
Senate, the said Commissioners, who
are to examine appointees to office,
will not forget or be allowed to for
| get the constituents of those congress-
men who helped to pnt them in official
positions. Other congressman say
that as the initiatory step towards
civil service reform has been taken,
it will be an easy matter in the future
to legislate further to overcome such
evils as present themselves. By this
course of addition the subject will,
If treated as proposed, be so impreg-
nably protected by enacted legislation
that the civil service of the United
States will not be mixed with politics
But in one or two of the Departments
this bill will be found without need
In the Treasury especially, Secretary
| Eninar hoe 70 l,cIo1 Il
/ civil service reform of his own, anc
made regulations to govern the off
cial conduct of the employees. The
bureau chiefs are now required tt
keep roll showing the time of az.
rival and departure of each employee
| The rolls are forwarded to the dis
bursting officer who deducts from TIT
salary the time lost over the regula
allowance of two and one half day.
per month. Some other rules ar
considered onerous and severe, bu
they were no doubt promulgated witt
an honest endeavor to reform tina
Department. The other Department
generally have allowed the employee
to do just as they pleased, but it i
thought they will now turn over
new leaf and keep strict account O
lost time. The House Committe
on appropriations has reported tn
Notifications bill and the pensio
bill. The latter appropriates s81,
900, 900.
The fight for the speakership Q
the next Democratic Congress ha
now grown SO bitter that the support
r ers of Carlisle and Blackburn an
: irreconcilably estranged. 1t is th
9 opinion of well informed Democrat
that the situation favors the electio
of northern man. The friends c
Cox, and Randall, and Hewitt gal
S more hopeful than they have been.