The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1886-02-20
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER,

Arrangements Tor the great lei
ephone suit are still in progress.
Ex-senator Thurman arrived at
the city to-day to assist in pre- par
ing the papers. There is some
thing like poetic justice in Mr.,
Humans retention by the Gov
eminent in the Telephone suit.
His friends allege that he has
been kept in retirement because
he fought corporations, and now
he returns to public life to do
more lighting of the same kind.
You remember about two weeks
since, n Congressional committee
was empowered to investigate the
Pan-Electrie and Bell Telephone
affairs. The Republican members
of the committee put on their war
paint and threatened to mike some
startling discoveries. The first
step was to ask the Secretary OF
the Interior and the Attorney
General, what money has been ex-
pended by their departments in
the Telephone suit. Mr.. Lamar
replies, after careful inquiry, that
thirty five dollars for printing &c,
was the only money expended in
his department, while Mr.. Garland
says no money has yet been expend-
ed III his. Counsel has been re-
tanned for the Government suit,
but no money has yet been paid
the counsel
In an executive session OF the
Senate yesterday, Mr.. Edlnunds
presented protest signed by citi-
1ens of Vermont against the con
trmation of collector of customs
in that state, The objection to
him was that he had appointed Il
deputy whose reputation, was al
legged, was not the best. Senators
Beck and Butler thought that was
fiimsy pretext AMI said if every
Republican olicial had been held
responsible for al his deputies,
there would have been many re-
jections.
Senator Sherman made an at
tack in open session upon the
Presidents attitude with regard to
giving reasons and Senator Ed
munds expects to do the same
next week. Senator Hour and
others who are candidates for the
Presidency in 1888 are only wait
ing for the semblunce of an excuse
to score the Administration in pub
lie. They feel it is high time to
arouse the Republicans to the
fact that they are actually losing
the Post Offices. 1t is true this is
not n great issue, but there is
nothing greater on hand just now.
Either willfully or ignorantly
the real issue in the pending CON
troversy between the Senate and
the Executive has been mistaken
by certain Senators, and certain
PARTISAN papers. The attompt
has been made to place the Ad-
mlnlstration III a position which it
has never taken, 1t has been as
sumod that the President Is de-
sirous Of concealing his reasons
for removals; that he desires to
mako a distinction between pri-
vate and public papers,---between
executive and Legislative papers,
From his officials replies to the
Senate through the members of
the Cabinet, the clear inference to
be drawn is simply this; As the
Chief Executive of the Nation he
has in his possession certain pa
pers which public interest de-
mands him to- Withhold.
Expressions of opinion on the
subjectof the relations between the
President and Senate are drawn
now on very strict party lines
among Senators and Representa-
tives. Both sides appears to rec
ognize the fact that the battle can
be indefinitely prolonged.
There is growing opinion that
it is time TO consider Prcsi-
dental nominations in open sess-
ion. Some say great stop toward
true civil service reform would be
taken in this way. Nominees can