The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1886-07-16
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON July 12th, 1886.
rom orr Regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON, July 12th, 1886.
From our Regular Correspondent.
The Republicans in Congress are trying very
hard to make political capital against the Pres-
dent on account of his pension vetoes. But the
vetoes are too well supported by facts and com
mon sense to furnish material for partisan ap-
peals 1t was to be expected however, that the
private pension gift Senators and Representa-
tives would grow wrathy as the kind of work
they were engaged in was brought to light. The
failure of theirlittle schemes together with their
exposure melted them to a reckless pitch of de-
termination to secure the adoption of these bills
anyhow, though there is little prospect of their
success.
The Democratic leaders are resolved to stay
here all summer, as one of them said, before
abandoning their position in the matter But
the Republicans have proposed a compromise
which will probably be accepted. Under its terms
two hours will be allowed for debate upon such of
the vetoed bills as may be selected, and at the
expiration OF the tme an aye and nay vote VIII
final as to the other vetoes
The report of the Senate Pension Committee
upon the vetoed bills was little more than long
and ill-conceaed howl of batled rage. 1t even
accused the President of casting slur upon the
chastity of woman and of sneering at wounds
received in the service of the country. But so
many of these private measures are obviously
without merit, and mere attempts to bestow
gratuities upon favored persons who have no
real claim upon the bounty of the Government
that the Presidents action will be more applaud
ed the more attention is called to the grounds
upon which it is based.
The Republicans of the House of Representa-
tiyes made speeches upon this issue that were in
tended to be very severe upon the President
but they We're more plainly bids for political
support than evidence of patriotism They pro-
ceeded upon the assumption that the vetoes of
private pension bills are unpopular and will not
made by Representative Matson to some of their
complaints was interesting. He called attention
to me fact that many OF the cases rejected by
publican Commissioner of Pensions. The rejec-
ton by the Senate of Mr.. Goodc to be Solicitor
General was the subject of much discussion at
the capitol on Saturday. The unanimous verdict
was that the opposition all centred in Senator
Malone, and the vote of the Republican Senators
was their way of helping the thwarted. schem-
ing little politician to assert himself in Virginia
As no Democrat opposed the nomination, many
President to do would be to renominate Mr..
Goode. He might have done this il the Senate
had merely neglected to confirm, but since the
Senate has rejected he will not be likely to re-
nominate.
The Senators We're determined to have Mr.
Goodies case all to themselves. for when it came
up they held strictly Star Chamber Session.
lasting six hours The Tergeant at Arms visited
the floor on which the galleries, the document
and a large number of committee rooms are To-
Gated, and ordered the employees and visitors to
vacate These rooms were locked an d then the
correspondents telegraph operators and repre-
sentatives of the Associated Press were driven
out of their portion of the building. Deep and
loud complaints were heard on ali sides at being
so summary ordered away from posts of duty,
and much inconvenience was experienced by the
sudden cjectment, but all had to co. Sentinels
were placed at the stairways and doors leading
der to prevent the Senators from sutfocating.
The new broom of this administration is sweep
ing clean everywhere. The expenditures of the
government departments here have been found
to be S22,50O,000 less during the fiscal year just
past than in the one preceding it, and better re-
suits may be expected for the fiscal year which
has begun.
BY the persistency of several Democrats in
the House of Representatives, the latest attempt
ed salary grab has just been averted. | allude
to the gratuity to House and Senate employees,
who are paid liberal salaries for easy work on less
than half time. 1t had been agreed to give them
a months extra pay because they would like to
have it, but Representatives Reagan of Texas,
Price, of Wis, Hampbill, of S. c., McAdoo of n.
j., Holman, of lnd and others emphasized their
disapproval of the theft in such manner as to
defeat it. The scheme would have eXtorted at
least 5000 600 from the taxpayers to be given as
gratuity to men who are already receiving high
salaries