Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-27
CLEVELAND'S FOOT DOWN
THE SENATEs CURIOSITY NOT
TO BE GRATIFGED.

Requests for Information as to the
Cause or Removals Not TO be Answered
The Arrears of Pensions Limit Not TO
he Exteuded-LRbOr and Agriculture.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26,-The President
and his cabinet discussed for three hours
to-day the Edmunds resolution adopted
yesterday by the Senate asking the AttOr-
ney General tor information bearing upon
the suspension of the United States Dis
trict Attorney for the Southern district OF
Alabama and the appointment of his sue
cessor. 1t was accepted by the President
and his Cabinet as test designed to dis
cover the policy of the administration on
this subject and present it in formal
way to the country.
TO MEET THEM SQUARELY.
The President and a majority OF the
Cabinet exhibited purpose TO meet the
Senate squarely on the issue and refuse
to send to the Senate either from the De-
partment of Justice or the Executive
mansion, any information whatever as to
the suspension of the United States Dis
trict Attorney for the Southern District of
Alabama, or any other official. The PresI-
dent expressed the opinion that the right
to suspend officials rested solely with him
self, and that the Senate had nothing tOdO
with 1t. He expressed the intention TO
stand strictly on his prerOgatives, and to
give the Senate no Information whatever,
documentary or otherwise, respecting his
exercise Of his right Of suspendIng Off
cials.
IMPORTATION To BE GIVEN.
Any information in his possession re-
speCting appointments not confidential
in character he would give the Senate, be-
cause appointments could only be made
with the advice and cOnsentOf theSenate,
but neither the advice nor the consent of
the Senate was necessary to the suspen-
sion of an official, and he did seek either.
He had made certain suspensions in the
exercise of his constitutional and statu-
tory prerOgatives. With these the Senate
had nothing to do. In the place of the
suspended officials be had made certain
appointments. 1t was for the Senate TO
say whether the nominations of these ap-
pOintees should be confirmed. If they
were not confirmed he would nominate
other Democrats in their places. This
position had the approval of a majority Of
the Cabinet.
STAND OF THE MINORITY.
A minority of the Cabinet, including, it
is understood, the Attorney General,
while conceding the constitutionality Of
the Presidents position in the matter,
advised that as a matter OF courtesy
solely such information in the possession
of the Attorney General, in the pending
case, or of other Cabinet officers or the
President himself, in other cases as need
not be considered confidential, should be
sent to the Senate, but further than this
feven they would not advise him to go.
No conclusion was reached, and the
matter will probably be discussed again
at the next Cabinet meeting. The reply
to the Edmunds resolution Will, therefore,
be delayed day or two.
REFUSAL ALMOST CERTAIN.
Unless the President changes his pur-
pose the Attorney General will refuse to
! give the Senate the information it desires
about the suspension of the United States
District Attorney tor the Southern Dis
tFiet of Alabama. In that event the SEN
ate, inasmuch as the matter has been
made the subject of consideration in the
Cabinet, may not ask the President him-
self for the information. 1t may rest con-
tent with the assurance conveyed by the
reply to the Attorney General that it
would not be furnished by the Admins
tratiOn. At any rate, it will soon tace
the question whether it Will confirm the
successor of a suspended official without
having in its possession any Information
as to the suspension.
THE SENATE DIVIDED.
On this question there is reason to be-
lieve that the Republicans OF the Senate
would not be united. Messrs. Edmunds,
HOar, Hawley and those VINO believe with
them that the Senate has right TO such
information as has been asked for would
probably vote against the confirmation OF
ssuch nominations, but Messrs. Hale and
= -.
think that the President has a right 10
withhold such information, although they
think that in courtesy be ought TO furnish
it, would not so vote.
THE LIMIT NOT TO BE EXTENDED.
The leaders on the Democratic side of
the House have conferred with the Demo-
cratic members Of the House Committee
on Invalid Pensions respecting extensions
of the limit Of time in which applications
for arrears Of pensions may be presented
with "A view TO dissuading them from their
purpose TO report a bill embOdying such
change In the law. 1t is stated that
they succeeded in doing so. The Demo-
cratic leaders saw not only that in the
future "A measure adding in this way
hundreds OF millions h the amount annu-
ally distributed for pensions would be un-
popular, but also that in the present 1t
would render impracticable ali efforts at
a reduction in the tariff. such a measure
would, il IL became law, absorb In its
operations the entire surplus revenue.
lnasmuch as the leaders Of the Demo-
cratic side are determined 20 pass this
session bill reducing tariff duties, they
are not very willing TO see the surplus alb
sorbed in unnecessary pensions.
LABOR AND AGRICULTURE.
The House Committee on Agriculture
and Labor have agreed upon bill maxi
ing the Commissioner of Agriculture "A
Secretary Of Agriculture and Labor, with
the rank aud salary OF a member Of the
Cabinet, making the Bureau OF Labor Sta
tistics bureau OF the Department OF Agri-
culture, increasing the salary OF the Com
missioner Of Labor 10 81 900, and some
what extending his powers 80 as 10 broad
en- the field within which the commission
or may collect statistics. The Agricultural
committee has practically agreed upon
an amendment 20 the bureau OF animal
industry act, which will provide for the
condemnation OF animals injected with
pleurO-p pneumonia, or suspected Of such
Injection. These amendments will 1X a
maximum price upon animals 10 con-
demuod Of 500 for common animul8, aud
Sl2O for bl0Oded cattle.