The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-02-18
From onr Regular Correspondent.


From orr Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Feb'v 18th. 1885.
Arrangements for the great 'rele.
phone suit are still in progress. Ex-
Senator Thurman arrived in the city
today tn assist In preparing the pa.
pers. There Is something like poetic
justice in Mr.. Thurmans retention
ny the Government in the Telephone
suit. Ills friends allege that he has
been kept in retirement because he
fought corporations, and now he re-
fnrns to public life to do more fight
in. Of the same kind.
You remember about two weeks
since. Congressional committee was
empowered to investigate the Pan
Electric and Bell Telephone affairs.
fhe Republican members of the CON-
nittee put on their war paint and
threatened TO make some startling
discoveries. Their Hrst step to ask
the Secretary of the Interior and the
Attorney General what money had
Aeen expended Ivy tlseir departments
IN the Telephone suit. Mr.. Lamar
replies. after careful inquiry. that
thirty five dollars for printing &C..
was the only moaey expended in his
department. while Mr.. Garland says
no money has yet been expended in
his. Counsel has been retained for
the Government suit, but no money
has yet been paid the counsel.
In an executive session of the Sen
ate yesterday, Mr.. Elmunds present
I'd a protest signed by citizens OF
Vermont. against the confirmation of
collector of customs in that state
The objection to him was that he
had appointed deputy whose repu-
lation, it was alleged, was not the
best. Senators Beck and Bntler
thought that was flimsy pretext
md said if every Republican official
had been held responsible for all his
deputies. there would have been many
reflections.
Senator Sherman made an attack III
open assion upon the Presidents at
titude with regard to giving '-rea-
sons" and Senator Edmunds expects
Co do the same next week. Senator
iloar and others who are candidates
Tor the presidency in 1888 are only
waiting for the semblance of an
excuse to score the administration
in public. They feel it is high time
to arouse the Republicans to the
fact that they are actually losing
the Post Offices. II is true this is
not great Issue. but there is nothing
greater on hand inst now.
Either willfullv or ignorantly the
real issue in the pending controversy
between the Senate and the Execu-
tive has been misstated by certain
Senators and certain partisan papers.
The attempt has been made to place
the Administration in position
which it has never taken. 1t has been
assumed that the President is desir-
ous Of conceallng his reasons for re-
movals; that he desires to make a
distinction between private and pub
lie paperS,-hetween executive and
legislative papers. From his official
replies to the Senate through the
members of the Cabinet the clear in
ference to he drawn Is simply this.
As the Chief Executive of the Ma
ton he has in his possession certain
papers which public interest demands
him to withhold.
Expressions Of opinion on the sub
jrct of the relations between the
President and Senate are drawn now
on very strict party lines among Sen
a.ors and representatives.. Both
sides appear to recognize the fact that
the battle can be indefinitely pro-
logged.
There is growing opinion that it
is time to consider Presidential rom
nations in open session. Some say
a great step towards true civil SER
vice reform would be taken in this
way. Nominees can he assailed in |
secret session without being allowed |
to know the names of their accusers, |
while ON the other hand, unworthy |
nominations can be confirmed with
out making any one answerable for
the offence. They claim open
sessions will remedy both grievances
by compe Hing the best appointments,
and by assuring them of fair hear
ing before the Senate.
And indeed it is az open secret
that most unworthy nominations
have been confirmed in the past Oh
personal consideration and by foul
bargains. There is IN unwritten law
of SD called courtesy allowing Sem
ator to decide the fitness of any NOM
inee from his state who had already
been dictated by his desire. In this
way crowd of perjnr-rs, forgers,
ballot-hox suffers, thieves. ana all
manner Of infamous characters re-
ceived high offices under Hayes, lis
rewards for great fraud Of 1875. And
in the public service under Grant.
and his Republican successors many
others, equally corrupt, were conspic-
uous.