The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-11-05
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Resident Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 2, 1885.
The best evidence of the sincerity of
the Presidents declaration that he would
not bs candidate for reelection is his
latest order announcing that after the
first of, November he will refuse to see
and person seeking an Office, either for
himself or in behalf of another. No
man wishing second term would be
insane enough to issue such an order as
that. 1t will strike the business man as
q first. RITE rule to make for the dispatch
of business, but the politician and would
be Office holder as an arrogant and sui.
cidal course to pursue. The incensed
Office seekers argue that when political
victory is wanted it is not the conserva.
tive and business-going man that makes
the appeal to arms aud is found bearing
the brunt of the conflict, but it is the
impassioned partisan who arouses the
passions By picturing the wrongs inflicted
upon his country, and pointing out the
misdeeds of his political enemy. These
are the men who lead the party to victory
and who expect to have the evils remov-
ed By turning the rascals out" and the
appointment of honest men to gil their
places, say the would-be official custodi-
ans of their country's property and trusts.
The President, however, is attempting to
reform political methods, and has the
best interests of the whole country at
heart, and therefore need not weary in
we'll doing. The few days allowed the
applicants to present their claims are
being made the most Of, and if there is
any delay in reaching the President it is
because of the great throng of persons
waiting for the interview. The Presi-
dent is endeavoring to accommodate all
by reminding each that he must make
his story brief, as others are waiting their
turn and the time is short.
The President has rescinded his order
forbidding Bureau officers from giving
their reports to the press before his mes
sage has been submitted to Congress.
The reports of such officers merely show
the condition of the work in each bureau
and contain recommendations for the
future, but in no way indicate what the
views aud recommendations of the
President himself will be.
The Secretary of the Interior, on
Saturday, granted counsel for the rival
telephone companies a preliminary
hearing on the question whether the
Department of Justice should direct the
United States District Attorney for Ten
nessee to institute suit to set aside the
Bell patents on the ground that they do
not cover a patentable subject-matter
under the Constitution and laws of the
United States. The opponents of the
patents are pursuing the same tactics of
the opposition to the Morse telegraph
patents, to wit, that the patents cover
law of nature which any man is free to
avail himself of, and not mechanical
construction for carrying out natures
law. The question is nice one, and
before it is finally decided will put big
fees in the pockets of the lawyers. 1t is
really fight between the different
telephone companies and not matter in
which the public generally is financially
interested. Whatever be the result, it
will be more to the advantage of the
successful company than to the people
who use the telephones.
Workmen ore now engaged in remov-
ing from the top of the monument the
scafoldiug used in putting up the two
hundred additional lightning rod tips.
1t has taken nearly four weeks to put the
tips in place, and considerable work is
yet to be done inside the monument
before the rods will be in working order.
Work in forming inches for the memori.
al tablets is progressing satisfactorily, and
1t will not be long before the tablets will
be in their places.
"Hole in the Day." a great grandson of
the famous Chippewa Indian Chief of
that namr, has asked for an appointment
to West Point, and as be has strong
backing from Minnesota, it is thought
that the President will appoint him. He
is young, tall and straight, and of
prepossessing personal appearance, with
but little TO suggest Indian blood in his
years.
The flags on all the Government build
ings are at half mast, out Of respect to
the memory Of General Mcclellan, and
profound sorrow exists At his death. His
demise is q sharp reminder that the
heroes of the late war are fast and peace
ably passing away, and that the great
struggle is indeed becoming a thing of
the past. General Mcclellan came very
near being a member of President
Cleveland's Cabinet. He was rendered
the Russian Mission and declined it, and
only "a hours before his death the Presi