Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1886-06-04
WASHINGTON LLiTsaa.
From our regular eorrespOndent.)
WASHINGTON, May 81, 1886.


A new phase is put on Presiden
Cleveland matrimonial projects 10y
one of Washington's society bellies
Said she, ''we girls have no objec
ton to ;i,e president marrying Miss
Folsom, but we hope there is nc
truth in the rumor that it Is Mrs.
Folsom and not her daughter who is
to be the bride. If MISS Fo' som came
here as the presidents daughter con-
tinued she," all the men would rave
about her, aud what would become
of the rest of us? As the pr<si-
dents wife, we would have nothing
to fear from her undisputed
charms.''
The president has been wanting to
buy a country home near the city
for some time, and, it is said, he has
decided upon ''Pretty Prospect,
which is on the Georgetown road to
Tenleytown. 1t is an antiquated
stone mansion, hidden under old
forrest trees, and an ideal retreat
for spending his honeymoon.
A sensation was raised In the gov
ernment department here during the
week. The Executive Appropriation
bill, as just reported to the house
of representatives, has not provided
| for 225 government clerks, and
consequently the force must be cut
down to that extent. Republicans
are panic stricken again, of
course, and every Republican office
holder feels that his time for dIsmis-
sal has come.
Besides these changes, others are
contemplated, which involve a re-
duction of salaries among govern
ment employees. In the depart
ment of the interior the changes go
both ways The force of the patent
office is increased; that of the pen
sion bureau decreased. Thirty-nine
more examiners and eight assistants
are added in the former, while IN
the latter the clerical force will be
reduced $50.
Speaking of his request for in
creased force, the commissioner of
patents said that the work of exam
lining applications for patents is
very much behind, and inventors
have been compelled to wait in some
cases Il good many months before
their applicants could be reached,
for the first examination. There are
twenty-five examining divisions in
the patent office, some of which are
nine months in arrears, and the re-
suit is that many inventors suffer in |
consequence of delays in getting |
their patents. Commissioner Mont |
gomery claims that with this addi- |
tional force he can, in short time,
bring the work up practically to
date, and then keep it up. The U.
S. patent office, is not only self sup
porting, but now turns into the
treasury, through fees, a yearly sur
plus of S150,0O0.
Since it has passed the notable
promiscous and universal pension
bill, it is felt that the U. S. senate
has completely lost its head in the
matter of public expenditures. The
bill gives pensions to all soldiers of
the Union Army, who enlisted for
three months, if they are from any
cause, now dependent upon their
own exertions for support.
While discussing this subject,
Senator Voorhees, thought it might
be well to consider how much the
enactment of such legislation would
take out of the treasury. He was
not opposed to any reasonable pen
sion measure, but expressed de-
sire to know where he was going be-
fores he went. Senator ingalls, was
not at all bothered on this score.
He did not care how much a meas
ure cost the government, he said,
provided he was convinced that it
was just one. And in that rasp-
ing sarcastic style which he affects,
he criticized the distinguished SEN
ator from Indiana, for stopping to
count the cost. The Republican
senator's plan may have been a
pretty one in the abstract, but Sem
ator VOORHEES, idea was more in sym
pathy with the spirit of the country
that IS becoming more practical and
5usiness-lIke every day.
Much has been said about the
failure of the present congress to .
accomplish anything, but there is
little doubt that the house of repre-
will defeat this fantastic
pension scheme. By thus checking !
the extravaganza of the Republican
senate, the Democratic house will
make record for which all people, ..
except the would-be pensioners, will
be grateful. I.