The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1886-03-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From eur regular correspondent,
WAsnIraroS, Feb. .l2th, lsse.


Arrangements for the great Tele.
phone suit are stlll Ia progress. Ex.
Senator Thurman arrived Ia the cllJ
today to assist ia preparing the pa.
pers. There Is something like poetic
justice In Mr.. Thurman's retention
by the Government Ia the Telephone
suit His friends allege that he has
been kept 10 retirement because he
fought corporation, and now he re-
turns to public life to do moro fight
Ing OF the Same kind.
You remember about two weeks
slnco, Congressional CcmmItte was
empowered to investigate the Pan.
Electric and RelI Telephone affairs.
rhe Republican members OF the com.
millee put on their war paint and
threatened to make some startling
discoveries. Their flrst step was to
ask the Secretary Of the Interior aud
the Atty Gen., what morey had been
expended by their departments In
the Telephone suit. Mr.. Lamar re-.
piles, after careful Inquiry, that thirty.
Ave dollars for printing, etc, was the
only money expended IN his depart
ment, while hr. 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 Sem
a,c yesterday, Dir. Edmunds present
ed protest signed by citizens OF VT,
against the confirmation Of collector
OF customs In that State. The objec.
ticn to him was that he had appoint
ed deputy whose reputation, Il was
alleged, was not the best. Senators
Beck and Butler thought that wac q
fiimsy pretext and said II every Re-
publican official had been held re-
sponsible for all his deputies, there
would have been many rajections.
Senator Sherman made an attack
10 open session upon tho Presidents
attitude with regard to giving "rea-
sons" and Senator Edmun1s expects
10 do the same next week. Senator
Hoar and others are candidates for
the Presidency Ia 1888 are only
waiting for the semblance Of an ex-
cuse to score the administrator Ia
public. They feel It Is high time 10
arouse the Republicans TO the fact
tnat they are actually losing the Post
Offices. 1t Is true this Is not great
issue, bat there Is notl ing greater on
hand just now.
| Either willfully or iguoranlIy the
real issue 10 the pending controversy
between the Senate and The Execu-
tive has been mistated by certain
Senators and certsIn partisan papers.
The attempt has been made TO place
tho Administration in position
which Il has never taken. It has
been assumed that the PRECEDENT 4
desirous Of conceaIing his reasons for
vemovals that be desires TO make 9
distinction between private and pub.
lie papers, between executive and
iegissative papers. From his Official
replies TO the Senate through the
members OF the Cabinet, the elesl
Inference TO be drawn Is simply this
As the Chief Executive ofihe Natior
he has in his possession certain pa
Pers whirh public interest demazd
him to Withhold.
Expressions of oriuion on the sui
ject % tho relations between tn
President and senale arc drawn nos
ON very slrlct party lines amonI
Senators and Representatives. Bot
sides appear 10 recognize the fac
that the battle can be indeHinItel
prolonged.
There Is growing opinion that
is time tc consider Presidential nom
nations I'm open session. Some say
great step towards true civil servIc
reform wculdisbe taken IN ihis wa.
Nominees can be assaIIed in seer.
session without being allowed
! known tho names of their accuser
while on the other hand, unworlh
nominations can be confirmed will
out making any one answersble +
the offense. They claim open sessit
: will remedy both grievances by con
0 pelllng lia hest appoiitments, ar
0 by as.urihg hen II fair hearir
beftre tho Senaie. And indeed 1t
an open secret that most unworti
nominations have been contrlned
o the past on personal constellation 81
. By foul bargains. There is an u
= written law Of so-caIled courtesy /
d loving a Senator to decide the filnt
p of any nominee from bis State W
had already been dictated by his q
= sire. II this way, crowd Of p'
jurers, forgers, ballot.box stuffe'
thieves, and all manner OF infamc
characters received high Offices und
Hayes, as rewards for the great fra