Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-11-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.

lOTHE DOUTh AENVUCklAN
AS predicted in these letters some
time since the changes in the offices
have been more numerous this month
than in any other one month since
the change of Administration. There
are but very few old and familiar
faces in the high positions III the
Treasury Department. The wedding
out process is still going on, and now
the changes are being made in the
lower grades. The changes are few,
looked at through daily glasses, but
when summed up at the end of the
month respectable showing is made.
1t is expected that the number will
be greater still after the first Monday
in December, when Congress meets.
There are many palpitating hearts in
manly and womanly breasts, and the
month of December is dreaded.
The President is busily engaged i'll
writing his message, and thinks that
one of the best things he has done
since he has been in Office was issuing
the order cutting off office seekers
from interviews. He now finds time
to 90 over the reports of his Cabinet
officers and to write on his message.
In the message he will discuss the
silver question very thoroughly aud
set forth seasons why the Bland sill
yer bill should be repealed.
The tariff question will enter large
" into the reorganization of the new
House, and is already being animated
y discussed by members in the city.
Randall is determined to make a
stubborn fight against depriving the
Appropriation Committee of any of
the powers it has heretofore enjoyed,
and will be supported by many of
the Republicans. The fight this year
will be over the formation and pow
ers of the Committee instead Of di-
rectly OH the Speakership.
The telephone controversy has con-
sumed most of the time of Secretary
Lamar this week. Numerous atfi-
davits have been read tending to
show that Professor Pickering of
Harvard and Professor Vanderweyed
invented in 1868 and 1879 instrn-
ments for transmitting sound by ell
ectricity thus antedating Bells in
vention. Muecci, the Italian who
claims to have invented the telephone
as early as 1919, is present, and takes
an active part in the controversy.
The Secretary has his hands full, and
will never be caught in a like fix
again. He is a hard worker and
never shlrks, but has enough business
in the regular routine of his Depart
ment to occupy the whole of his time
without having cases referred from
other Departments for his action
however complimentary it may be.
Professor Wiley, Chief Chemist of
the Agricultural Bureau, has gone to
Europe to examine machinery there
in use for the manufacture ofsorghum
sugar. Since Editor Coleman has
been Commissioner of Agriculture
new life and interest has been given
to the production of sugar from sor
ghum. His predecessor, DIR. Loring,
had no faith in the successful produce
ton of sugar from that cane, and
discouraged experiments and investi-
cations in that interest to the full
extent of his power.
The Guiteau case is once more be-
fore the courts of the District of Col
umbia-this time in the nature of
libel suit by Rev. DR.. Hicks against
the Evening Star newspaper. The
Rev. Doctor was Guiteau's spiritual
adviser, and was charged by this Star
with Offering for sale the assassin's
bones, which were bequeathed to him.
Hicks has been living GU his orange
grove i'll Florida for the past year,
and reached here Thursday in time
for the trial. 1t is a singular coinci-
dence that the judge who presided
in the Guiteau trial also presided in
this civil trial arising out of the same
case. The jury rendered a verdict
for one cent damages.
| M. Bartholdi, the celebrated French
sculptor who designed and nodded
Liberty enlightening the world, is
here pushing the adoption of his
model for the statue of Lafayette to
be erected by direction of Congress.
Only two sculptors, Meade and Bar
tholdi, have submitted models. The
latter has submitted two, and it is
thought that one of them will be
adopted.
Both the President and Secretary
Lamar are taking deep interest in
the Indian question. They believe
that the white man should be rigor-
|ously excluded from the red mans
reservations, and everything done to
Christianize the Indian. In this way
they think he can be civilized, and
they believe that ultimately land will
be given to the Indians in severalty,
and that they will be thrown more on
their own resources for support.
That is their theory, and they want
to do all in their power to prepare
the nations wards to provide for
themselves.
Sergeant Brainard of the Greeley
Arctic expedition fame will before
long receive his merited reward.
The Presidents not unmindful of his
case and will soon promote him TO a
second lieutenancy, and then he will
be assigned TO one of the cavalry
regiments. He is man of medium
statue and thick-set frame, and looks
the very picture of robust health,
His eyes are still weak, SO that al
times he is obliged to wear glasses 10
shade them. He is getting quite
tieshy, but the flesh is firm and his
color ruddy.
General Sheridan's report has moi
been given to the public yet, because
it contained some sharp structures Oh
the act of the Secretary of War il
sending the members of the General.
staff to their regiments, thus COMPEL
ing him to form a new staff.
If matters continue as they now
exist much longer it will be necessary
for the President to define the pre-
negatives of the Secretary of Wal
and the General of the Army. Eacl
claims to outrank the other, and thu
question as to which of the two il
highest in authoriety will have to b.