The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-04-11
RANDOM NOTES.

learned and unlearned will heartily wish to
RANDOM NOTES.
Happening to bo at the House q few days ago
met Congressman Herbert, Of Alabama, one OF the
hardest working and most conscientious members Of
the House, and chairman OF the Committee on Naval
Affairs MIR. Herbert is o man OF peculiar tempera.
ment, paradoxicay speaking, both conservative and
radlca-conservative 10 that he is slow to bring his
Judgment TO consent to any change, and radical In
that when he has made up his mind upon question,
having gone first to Its roots, he pursues to oil It's
consequences. I asked Mr.. Herbert what he had to
say about tho Washington Navy Yard. or course,
In his position Of chairman of the Naval Committee
he was somewhat reticeut. But he said that when
appointed chairman Of the Naval Committee he con-
sldered 1t duty tand one is certain to per-
form duty well than hey to visit the yard and In
spect 1t. He was satisfied, he said, from this per-
sonal inspection that the work done there was well
done. AS to the Ordnance Department he had made
inquiry concerning the comparative cost OF work
there and II the information given him were true,
the ordnance work could be done there as
cheaply, II not more cheaply, than elsewhere. He
spoke In terms OF the highest commentator OF the
Chief of the Ordnance Bureau of the Navy Depart
ment, and, generally left upon my mindthe impress
| sion that the Washington Navy Yard was In no
danger from the hands Of the Naval Committee Of
the House. l understand also that Mr.. George d.
Wise, who represents the Richmond District well
| In the House, another prominent member Of the
Naval Committee Of the House, entcrtains similar
views as to the capabilities OF the Washington Navy
Yard for ordnance work.
Looking over the yea-and-nay list on the Library
bill In the House with Republican member OF Con-
gress, he called attention to the votes Of the In
| diana Democratic Said he: "You will always ind
the Indiana Democrats In the House steadily voting
against Government expenditures In the District of
Columbia. When the roll was called on the Library
bill bell-wether Cobb started the sheep with loud
| NO, in which he was speedily followed with a
squeaking NO by bell-wetner Holman, and the re.
mainde- OF the Democratic flock from Indiana
| shouted 'NO.'
"You can always bet upon two things" said he
"Whenever 1t Is proposed to erect a Government
building in the District OF Columbia the Indiana
delegation In the House will vote No. Whenever 1t
Is proposed to pass general or private pension bill
they will vote Aye They don't all feel that way
the soldier question, by long ways, but the soldier
element Is so predominant In Indiana that they are
| afraid 'to oppose any pension legislation, however
| eXtrayagant.' And as to the District of Columbia,
| Holman has so filled the Indiana atmosphere with
stories Of corruption here, and with ideas of false
economy, that they are afraid to vote according to
their just convictions District matters. But when
1t comes to the question of public building in any
small town In Indiana, economy they always spell
| with q small e."
Hooked In upon the Senate on Wednesday last when
the clause In Logan's Army bill Increasing the
strength OF the Army to 10000 men was under con-
| sideraton. The Democratic side Of the Senate was
SILENT while the Republican side was In violent
motion. Van Wyck, with air, attitude, and dictlon
more suited to the onion and tobacco atmosphere OF
| a communstlc gathering than TO the digntned body
| he was addressing, was denouncng the small adii-
ton OF 5000 men to the strength OF our small Army
| as movement In the interest of Jay Gonld and
Vanderbilt. lie pitched into Logan, and also into
Hawley aud Platt OF Connecticut, aud atltudenized
as the original aud only friend OF the laborng man.
| Hawley made manly speech, which did him credit.
| But when Logan rose to pay his respects to the
Senator from Nebraska, and MS resonant voice and
lmpassloned yet deliberate utterances were heard
In every corner OF the chamber, hlor and ga llery
listened, while even Frye, of Maine, who was
stretched out apparently In sleep at his left gave at
| tentve ear to his reply. lie denounced Van Wyck
| as demagogue and one OF the worst enemies of
the labOring men, and briefly but thoroughly eX-
planned the proprety OF the increase. The vote that
followed-22 to 2s, several Democrats voting with
him as an Offset to the Republican Senator's who
voted against the encreas8-showed how well he held
| majority OF the Republican Senators with him.
asked a Democratic Senator, who Ia opposed un-
der every possible circumstance to increase OF
the Army, what he thought OF the debate. Said he
ut shows cOncluslvey that Logan Is away ahead of
Blaine In the light for the Presidential nomination In
1888. In this question OF an increase OF the Army
Blaine evidently communicated with Hale and asked
him to oppose II, In order to bring the question
prominently forward with view TO antagonislng q
Logan with the labor element. The majority Of the
Republican Senators have followed Logan against
Blaine, and you may be sure they look upon the
former as the rising and upon Blaine az the setting
| SUM-"
The quidnunGs have been rather premature In
heralding Secretary Mannings retirement frsm the
Cabinet, for, thanks to strong ,titutlon he is
likely TO recover entirely aud be able to
his duties. Speaking OF the Secretarys illness and
the various persons suggested as his successor an
Eastern member said to me yesterday: "No better
man mas been named for the succession
than William l.. Scott, OF Pennsylvania It
Is true," he said, "that the present Ia the
1rst public ONCE he has ever held. But he has
had long experience In political as well as In
financial affairs. Out OF nothing he has made mil
lions. AZ politician he the right hand OF the
Tiden campaign, the treasury OF the Hancock cam
pagn, and the brains OF the Cleveland campaign.
The only thing that stands In his way IL his hitherto
| advocacy OF protective tarin. But there have
been strange changes on the tariff question Cal
houn was once an ardent advocate OF protective
tariff and Webster was IN early life free-trader.
Scott Is fearless enough TO abandon protection, II
necessary. and advocate moderate tariff reduction
AZ the best thing for the manufacturer az well an the
| agrlcnlturist."
Listening 10 these remarks, my mind Travelled
back to the dark days Of 1916 III, when the Demo-
Gratis OF this country, who believed that Tilden had
been elected President, were ready to take up arms
II necessary, TO Inaugurate him. Among the faith
less few who enjoyed Mr.. Tiden's confidence was
Mr.. Scott, but, unlike them, he was strong In the
faith and courageous IA well. No thought OF the
danger 20 his then growing future deferred him.
His voice was against Electoral Commissions and
legal trlckery and In favor OF holding fast 10 the old
constitutional method Of electng President by the
House, In case OF failure OF agreement az to the
election between the Senate and House. / well
rccollect calling upon him 10 address the "last ditch
! meeting held under the auspices OF the Tden and
Hendricks CLUB at Tallmadge Hail. In this city, Jus
upon the of the nnal alton of the fraud
and his ready acquescence TO address the meeting
In favor OF ali legal aud constitutional resistance to
the counting In OF Mr.. Hayes. Knowing all this
can forgive any difference OF opinion In the tariff,
silver, or other monetary questions however prom.
inent they may be, and enter my prolest.againsl
those Democrats who would read Mr.. Scott out OF
the party because he does not agree with them.
A prominent member OF the Democratic party iu
Massachusetts, In reply to letter from citizen o.
Washington, thus gives uterance to "Some Thoughti
a on the Causes Of the Present Discontents:"
What yOu say OF Congress, is alas too true Their.
has not been stsieamanlike speech made In elihe
House for more than twenty years. The exhibition
" OF low, partisan cunning has been simply Immense
Cleveland IL probably honest. Nut however desirabl,
Q the millenan might be, II cannot be reached BY
A w0rd-nOr Ii the world prepared for II II you could
. The people 0ftoday do not want the millennium. Thej
look upon an the perfection OF The hereafter bn
entirely unsuitod 10 the state OF progress W which WI
have arrived II s not well 70 be too good or too bad
but Jus, good enough. The Democratic party eanno
y stand too good-it ought not TO. II has not growI
up to it, The Republican party stand II becaus,
ihey have learned what good CLOAK II s for hypoc
h isy. The Democratic party, mean tue masses o
II, are honest and want 10 be guided by good horse
= sense. They detesi Hypocrisy. They are not uset
7, 10 good clothes aud don't want to them They
In Their simplicity, can't understand why the grea
IL public good requires that their enemles should b,
kept 10 once when they have elected presldent VIII,
turn them out AS said, Cleveland 10 probably
e honest; but we ofttines deceive ourselves ant
II mistake will and conceits for honesiy Ne
a sides, 1 never knew man who thought he wa
elected by aid OF tue members OF tue adverse part
g who did not commit egregious political blunders.
n Panorsma or Second Battle or Bull Run.