The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-07-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
WAsHISeroN, C.,
July -, 1886.

more bogus pension bills-making1
ninety-eight in all. This shows
| what he was doing on Monday eve
ming when he declined to remain
on the south portice of the White
House and look at the fre-worksin
honor of the Fourth. The President
is enhancinghis reputation forbusi-
ness and honesty every time he We
toes one of these bills to promote
~medicancy, and every honest soil
der will approve his course and
think better ofhim. Veteransd d not
relish Senator Sawyer's way ofclas-
styling them with impostors and
frauds.
This senator from Wis, practi-
cally has charge of the pension bust
ness in the Senate andheis remarka-
BILE from the fact that of all the pri-
vate pensionschemes thathave been
rushed through his hands, during
the present session, he has never re-
ported adversely upon single one.
In his boundless sympathy (shallI
call IT'D with the old soldiers, their
sisters and their cousins and their
aunts, he has been eager to under
take all the pension claims that
camein his way. And itisinthe fol-
lowing manner that the pension
bill sare pasred in the Senate.
That body refers them to the Com
mittee on pensions, the committee
refers them to Mr.. Sawyer, and Mr..
Sawyer distributes themamong GER
tain assistants whom he pays out
of his own pocket to investigate and
report. Mr.. Sawyer is especially
proud of one of his assistants. He
relates that this highly qualified
substitute used to be amedical gen
tleman of promise out west and
!, came into prominence as an expert
in the case of Guiteag.
! This is how pension bills are seru-
tinized in the Senate. In the major
ity of cases they I notinvestigat-
ed by even one senator. On the adj
, judication of this Guiteau expert,
they are ~favorably reported to the
, Senate, and then rushed through
: without debate, at the rate of from
five per minute, as for instance,
t when nearly 500 were passed in two
: or three hours on April Dist. And
. this is the Sawyer Pension Machine
!. at Washington of which you read.
c But you may ask, Chow do, SO
many pension schemes c tthrough
. the House Of Representatives.
$ Well it is in this wise. Alright SEES
sion will be set aside for the con-
sideration of such measures, and ii
l will be attendedby not over twenty
: or thirty members. No man attends
these meetings unless he has in
c charge a cart load of bills of this
! kind. 1t is a, regular log-rolling
e process, each man voting for the
other mems bills in order to have
: the favor returned, and the mea-
a sures pass through a combination
;, of twenty-five or thirty members
; The bill recently introduced by
Senator Edmunds extending the
o power of the President in the mat
: ter Of appointments, SO that many
c of his appointments would not be
d subject to confirmation by the Sen.
!, ate, naturally caused some sur
prise at the first thought. But while
freeing the President from Sena.
torial checks in the appointment o.
a large body of public servants, il
! takes from him the power of re
o moval or suspension. The ap
pointees would stay in office foul
u years, OR until ~impeached for mis-
+ conduct before a judicial tribunal
In other words, while throwing
C a sop to the President, Mr.. Ed
munds would at the same time cur
, tailhis prerogatives. His proposed
. legislation will not fail to receiv,
It close scrutiny, however, and b.
l. treated according to its merits. Th'
Democrats have ample reason t,
look with suspicion upon any mea
sure from the Vermont Senator, NJ
" matter how plausible its face ma,
seem to be. r
President ClevelanI's matrimon
y ial relations have in no way lesson
II ed his industry. He continues t.
V work until midnight unless some
thing unusual prevents. The onl,
changes noticed in his habits sine
the wedding are that he starts t,
t. drive an hour earlier in the after
1t noon than formerly, that Mrs
Cleveland is his companion instea'
of his faithful Secretary, and tina
he goes in the direction of his coun
u try home almost invariably.
The President continues his tri
lie weekly hand-shakings, and Mrs
d -Cleveland holds bi-weekly card re
"a ceptions. Any one presenting
:. card, however, is received. The LAT
ter are the only social events goin
re on now in the city. The new lad,
t. is very gracious and affable, an,
IS her beauty,and natural girlish way
call forth manypleasant comments
AS the heat and latcness of the sea
> son would absolve her from hold
II ing these receptions, I remarked t
lie her that l thought her very amiabl
al tor submit to the ordeal so patient
= ly, and asked if the handshakin
wasnot observation-disclosures. Sh
replied with much e%arncstness tina
- there was no submission about it
: there was not the least monotony il
ie the handshaking, and considerin
1t that the weather was so warm am
i that it was a midway reception t
which the people turned out, sh
thought the obligation was all o.
her part. juno.