St. Landry democrat., 1884-12-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From cur Regular corrospondent
Dec. 10th, 1884.

Congress will not do much legislation
outside the appropriation bills at this
session. The Republicans are making
frantic effort to have Dakota admitted
to the sisterhoOd of states, but:the Dem
.0crats feel that the Republicans count
already more than their legitimate
strength in the Senate and IN the House.
Nevada with only about $4,000 voters,
most of them mere squatters at that,
sends two senators and one representa-
tive to Washington, and counts three in
the electoral college. If Nevada were
Democratic state, what a theme she
would be for Mr.. Blaine. She would
answer better even than the solid south
for an Augusta speech.
There should be constitutional
amendment to remand state to the
territorial condition when her popula-
tion and wealth have deteriorated, as in
the case of Nevada, until she is poorer
and less populous than an average
county in the more thickly settled
states.
There is a great deal of talk just now
as to the policy of the incoming presi-
dent, especially as concerns the offices.
The so-cailed independents are claim
ing Mr.. Cleveland as their ownest own
little civil service angel who was elect
ed chiefly to carry out the treatment of
Mr.. Pendleton's homeopathic civil ser
vice prescription. 1t is conceded that
Mr.. Cleveland may without ofense dis
miss Mr.. FrelinghuyseD, Mr.. Chandler,
Mr.. Lincoln, Mr.. McCulloch, and other
Republican Cabinet officers, but when it
is suggested that Messrs. Bayard, Thur
man, Garland, and others whom Mr..
Cleveland may appoint to his cabinet
will want friends instead of enemies
in their official households inde-
pendents jump up and say "sthop, sthop,
rrYete@ vOats ~ and with frantic gesticu-
iation they point to the legend "Civil
seryite laws Well the legend is good
rs far asitROes, but Cleveiand's cabinet
will have the same need for clean
sympathetic persoBeI in their several
Departments that Clevelan1 will have
for Cabinet of his own choosing at
the Nations council board. What folly
to expect reform or Democratic adj
ADMINISTRATION from the politicians with
whom Republican presidents and Cab
inets have for twenty-five years stocked
all the government Offices. These men
were not appointed under the Civil
Service law. They are not in Office be-
cause of fitness, but because they have
done good work for the Republican par
ty. Civil service reform can never be
carried out as long as those men are in
the departments, and the sine qua non
of reform in any form will be to get rid
of these corrupt idle light-fngered ap-
pointees of Hayes, and Grant. When
the Augean stable has been once clear
ed, it will be proper to apply civil SER
vice rules more broadly and rigidly than
Mr.. Pendleton has conceived.
No very important business will be
transacted in Congress this week, and
an adjournment for the holidays will
probably be taken on Saturday. Mr..
Randall is working to have the appro-
priation bills ready for the Senate as
soon as possible and the Consular and
Diplomatic bill will be reported this
week. There will be further debate on
the Dakota bill in the Senate, and the
Interstate commerce bill win probably
be brought to vote in the House.
"A committee of fifty prominent citi
zens without political aspirations have
been appointed TO take charge of the
inauguration on the fourth of March.
This will be great disappointment to
a number of chronic otfice-seekers in /!
fae city who have been endeayoring to
push themselves to the front of the
management and the procession, hoping
to attract the attention of the president,
and get appointment to the District
Offices.
The President Of the United States
appeared in the role of telegraph |
operator to-day when IN the midst OF
brilliant throng OF ladies and gentlemen
F1e touched off the machinery of the |
New Orleans Exposition 1900 miles
away. The Cabinet, Diplomatic corps, |
and distinguished invited guests assem- |
F1lei ID the East Room where the instru- |
gaent had been placed and the President
who had rehearsed his taps on dunn
nav. the day before, did it very neatly.
Washington society is languishlng /
She has the blues, and monTns the
Iavs that are no moreD-the days OF /
Tn0nopoIY and shOddy milliOnairedom
TarTn f1enartel7. Society ig 0all broke /