The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1886-07-16
w ashln gton.
trrom our regular correspondent,
WAsnINoroE, June 25th, les0.

WASHINGTON, June 25th, 1886.
Bridal receptions at the White
House are things OF the past, and ths
Presidential bridegroom Is agaIn de-
Tending the public treasury by vesoIns
pension bills. In The twenty -foul
veto messages Just sent to Congress,
he vigorously rsbukes the Legislators
for extrAvagant, ill.consldered and
bunglIng legislation. tn some cases
the President says the proposed bon.
eticlarles are manlfestly unentItled "a
Government aid In others they dc
not require much aid /; In others the
evidence IL insufficient, and the pas.
sage OF the bills careless. Some oI
the Senator's looked surprised whom
the President informed them that
they had passed 600 private pension
bills since last December, q record
which has not bsen equalIed by any
Congress 10 twenty years.
Unexpectedly the House found
itself plunged 10 tariff debate Of the
warInest character on Tuesday last.
The galleries filed up rapidly ss the
discussion proceeded, and many Sen-
ators left the dull routine OF their
Chamber TO hear the battle of words.
There was weeping and walling and
guashiDg of teeth among the Repub-
lIcans over the proposition to raise
the amount OF money necessary t.
pay additional pensions to Union
soldiers and sailors BY imposing q
graduated fax on incomes. This Is
denounced as q scheme to check the
granting OF additional pensions.
The new administration has had
much TO do In the way OF settirg the
governmental house in order. The
Republicans did not, as Is the custom
OF conscientious, departing tenants,
leave their place Of abode in a condl-
tIon fit for the nav corners 10 inhabit.
And perhaps the most striking evil
dence the necessity for the straight
enIng out OF things was furnished By
the Navy Department.
It's mIsmanagement had become
proverbisl, and despite all the mil
lions that had been expended on II,
the naval armament was ridIculously
Ineffective. The party 10 retirement,
which Is responsible for this, Is now
asking ssrcssticslly, "Where Is TIE
Navy p The debate on tho Naval
bill furnished the frIerdy OF the Dol.
phIn another opportunity TO defend
the record OF John Roach. Repre-
sentative Gaff Of w. Va, who, you
may remember, was Tor two months
Secretary Of the Navy uader Hayes,
msde an attack upon Secretary Whit
ney for rejecting the Dolphin. He
said he would rather spend an etern-
Ity with John Roach under these
circumstances amid the wreck Of n
lifetime and the destruction OF for
tune, than an hour with the young
referIner in his gilded palace nt the
other end Of the Avenue. The Re-
publicsns appIanded this nonsense,
and Mr.. McAdoo, Of n. j., arose TO
say thst Secretary Whitney nec,!rd
no defense. He bad an overwheim-
ing popular decision 10 his favor /;
that the case was closed and no pas.
sionate appeal 10 the .sensIbilities Of
the people for John Roach could
make than forget that the facts hsd
been demonstrated to be against him
and In favor Of the present Secretary
OF the Navy. Mr. McAdoo then pro-
CO edsd TO dwelI upon the necessity Of
buiIdirg up Navy and declared that
II this Congrefs failed to take steps
H. this direction, it would he derelict
In its duty to the country.
There has been much criticism Of
the delay that has occurred In the
construction Of the four new ships
authorized by the last Congress. A
clear understanding OF the practical
situation is probably oil the answer
needed to that class OF complaint.
When Mr.. Whitney took charge Of
the Navy Department, be took II as
he found 1t. There were defects il
it's organization, and lack OF practical
experience IN modern shipbuilding
crippled the efficiency Of some OF the
Bureau IN .ieslipg with the problems
presented by Tire new work in hand.
A Department which has never built
a modern ship could not jump at one
bound into successful competition
with the English and French Admir-
atty, who were the authors and ar
chitccts Of tho new system.
The Secretary, who is Datnrally
inclined TO the extreme OF caution,
found himself charged with the con-
struction OF four new ships, to cost
over three million of dollars. And he
Incurred this responsibility at par
ticuIar point In transition era, when
the problems OF type, design, arma-
"a T..