Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-04-24
Washington Letter.
To the Standard.

the Presidents rumored marriage are
among the subjects that one hears
discussed on the streets here now. AT
the Capitol our lawmakers are talk
ing about Interstate Commerce,
secret sessions. the fisheries question,
and appropriation bills.
An enthusiastic meeting was held
at Wizards hotel a few evenings
since, at which representative bust
ness men of Baltimore and Washing
ton discussed the projected EXPOSE
ton to be inaugurated here in 1889.
An address was presented, which is
to be scattered broadcast over the
country, setting forth the plan of the
great Worlds Fair. Congress is to
be asked to establish number of per-
manent Exhibition buildings in the
city on the Mall, for the products of
North, South, and Central America,
and the Empire of Brazil. The Mall
is that extensive area of parking ex-
tending from the Capitol tothe White
House, including the Smithsonian,
Agricultural, and Monument grounds.
1t is the intention to strip the pro-
ject of all local purpose, and to make
it national and international, politics
being ignored in the interest of all
countries. For instance, it is sugges-
ed that building be erected for the
display of working models in the in
terest of inventors, and that there
shall be national art gallery sus-
tanned not only by the Government,
but popularized by requests from
private individuals. 1t is expected
that one and perhaps both Houses Of
Congress will take some favorable ac-
ton on the subject this week.
AS to Senators and their secrets,
those who have in the debate branded
the secret sessions as farcical, childish,
cowardly, and treacherous, are Plat,
Logan, Butler and Riddlebeger. Sen
ator Logan was wondering how exc
cutive secrets leaked out. Newspaper
men always got them in some way.
Senator Riddleberger gave his idea
of how they were exposed. 81 have
private secretary" saidhe: 81 walk
down the avenue with him, he asks
me a question or two, and being
smarter than ] am, he knows more in
five minutes than | learn in a week.
Then he gives it to somebody else
and the newspaper fraternity gets it."
Hon. Mr.. Whitthorne, who has
been appointed to succeed Judge
Jackson in the us. Senate, will need
no introduction to the halls of Con-
gress. He served with distinction in
the lower House during the Forty
Fourth, Forty-Fifth, Forty-Sixth
and Forty-Seventh Congresses. AS
chairman of the Naval Affairs Com.
mittee he was very earnest and sue.
cessful in exposing the rascalities OF
the Navy Department under Grant
and eX-Secretary Robson.
There has been great improvement
in the ways of doing business in the
Government Departments here under
the new regime, and there are evi
dences of new life. Still further re
forms are looked for through the pas
sage Of bill that is exciting gooC
deal Of interest. 1t provides for re
classification of the civil service al
: Washington, and its purpose is to ar
rage the force of the Departments sc
7 that the same kind of work will re
ceive the same pay. Under the pres
I ent plan there are clerks drawing
$720 to $40 who are doing the SAM
work in regard to quality and amour
I as clerks who get from$1, 200 to 81 go
a year.
The last classification was made il
1854 when there were only 7l9 clerk
in the departments, now there arr
8,03l. Under this arrangement ther
are four classes-class 1, receiving
81, 200; class ., 81, 400; class 3, 81 500
and class i, 800. Clerks have bee
: employed and assigned to these classe
with but little regard to their grade
Consequently there is a great deal G
waste to the taxpayers in the De
4 partments. But as there us is II
: fixed limit to the revenues of tn
/ Government and the burdens of tn
taxpayers, the waste isnot perceived
While the new Administration is sci
5 ting the Governmental house in OF
= der, it proposes to subject the me
and women employed here to a thol
ough inves tigation, weed out the il
competent, and redistribute the other
n so as to enable them to do the great