Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-02-26
Washington Letter.
frnm "uf Regular Correspondent.

W A~iiiNDTuN. 1 h. l., 1856.
Arrangements for the great 1ele
phone snii are still IA progress. TX
| Senator Thurman arrived III the city
10 lay 10 assist ~ preparing the pa
pcr-. There ~ something like poetic
iuH'ico IN MI Thurman \ retention
ny the Government IN the Telephone
suit H. fti'nls a'lcge that he had
been kept ia refinement because h
tough, corpur,,Ions. and now he re-
tuIn- To public life to do more fight
ing q. the same kind.
hpu rom"mbcr about two weeks
ago, u Con ,res-ional committee
was empowered to investigate the
/ nau.i. octric aud Bell Telephone
an nr-. The Republican members of
the committee put on their war paint
aud threatened 10 mako some start
ling discoveries. Their first step
was 10 ask the Secretary OF the In
terror and tho Attorney General
what money had been expended by
thor departments in tho Telephone
suit. Mr. Lamar replies, afier care
fnl inquiry. that thirty-five dollars
Tor printing, &c., , was the only money
expended Ia his department, while
Mr. Garland says no money has yet
boon expended In his. Counsel has
been retained for the Government
suit. but no money has yet been
paid to tho colnsel.
In an executive session of the
Sonato yesterday, Mr. Edmunds
presented u protest signed by citizens
II Vermont agninst tho confirmation
of Collector OF Customs IN that
State. The objection TO him was
that he hal appointed n deputy
whose reputation, it was alleged,
WAS not the best. Senators Beck
aud Butler thought that was ilimsy
pro,ext aud said il every Republican
official had boon held responsible
for all his deputies. there would
have been many rojections.
senator sherman made an attack
In open session upon tho Presidents
attitude with regard TO giving
d" reasons" and Senator Edmunds
expects 10 do the same next week.
senator Hoar and others who are
candidates for the Presidency in
iSzs are only waiting for the sem.
blance of an excuse 10 score tho Ad-
ministraiion in public. They feel it
IL high time 10 arouse tho Republi-
cans To the fact that they are actual
ly losing the postoiliccs. Ii is true
this IL not a great issue, but there is
nothing greater on hand just now.
Elihor wilfully or ignorantly the
real issue in the pending controversy
bs,ween tho Senate aud the Execu-
tive has been mistated by certain
men aud certain partisan papers.
Tho attempt has been made TO place
the Administration in position
which u has never taken. 1t has
been assumed that the President is
desirous oi concealing his reasons
for removals; that he desires to
make distinction between private
aud public papers; between execu-
tive aud Legislative papers. From
his official replies 10 the Senate,
through the members OF the Cabinet,
the clear inference TO DO drawn is
simply this: A. the Chief Executive
Of the nation, ho has in his posses
uion certain papers which public in.
totcst demands him to withhold.
Expressions of opinion on the sub
ject of the relations between the
President aud Senate arc drawn now
on very strict party lines among
Senators aud Representatives. Both
SIDES appear 10 recognize tho fact
that the batilo can DO indefinitely
prolonged, There is IA growing
opinion that 1t IL timo To consider
Presidential nominations in open
session. Somo say n great stop to-
wards true civil service reform would
be taken IN this way. Nominees
can bo assailcd in sccre; session
without being allowed 10 know the
names of their accusors, while on
the other hand unworthy nomina-
tiona eau bo confirmed without max
ing any one answorablo for the Of
fense. They claim open sessions
will remedy both grievances by com.
pelling the best appointments, and
by assuring them OF fair hearing
before the Senate. And, indeed, it
i= an open secret that most unworthy
nominations have been confirmed in
the pas, on personal consideration
aud by foul baIgains. There is an
unwri,len law Of su-caled courtesy
allowing "a Senator To decide the fit
moss Of any nominee from his
State who had already been die
iaiei by his do.ire. Ia this wny, a
crowd of pciluicrs. forgers. ballot
boa niuiiers. thieves. aud all manner
Of Infamous characters, received high
Offices under Hayes, rs rewards
| the great frauds Of 1876, and in the