The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-06-05
Ghe OTTAWA free UraasT.
From Washington.
xon 0nr Regular correspondent.)

WASHINGTON, May "A, 1886.
A new phase is put on President CleyC
lands matrimonial projects ly one Of Wash
in toms society bellies. Said she; awe girl
have no objection to the President marryin
Miss Folsom, but we hope there is no trutl
in the rumor that it is Mrs. Fosum and no
her daughter who is to be the bride. II Mis-
Folsom came here as the Presidents daugh
ter" continued she, call the men woulC
rave about her, and what would become o
the rest of US? As the Presidents wife, w
would have nothing to fear from her undis
puted c,,,arms"
The President las been wanting TO eny
country home near the city for some 'ime
and. it is said, he has decided upon pretty
Prospect" which is on the Georgetown roaC
to Tenleytown. 1t is an antiquated stone
mansion, hidden under OLD forest trees. AM
An ideal retreat for spending his honeymoon
A sensation was raised in the Government
Departments here during the week. The
Executive appropriation bill, as just reported
to the House Of representatives, has not pro
yided for 225 Government clerks, and con
sequenuy the force must be Gu, down to that
extent. Republicans are panlc.stricker
again, of course, and every Republican Of
fceholder feels that his time for dismissal
has come.
Besides these changes, others are contem'
plated, which involve reduction Of salaries
among Government employees. In the de-
partment of the interior the changes 60 both
ways. The force of the Patent Office is in
creased; that of the Pension Bureau de-
creased. Thirty. mine more examiners and
eight assistants are added TO the former
while in the latter the clerical force will be
reduced 100
Speaking Of his request for increased
force, the Commissioner Of Patents said thai
the work of examining applications fol
patents is very much behind, aud inventors
have been compelled 10 wait IN some cases
q good many months before their applica'
tions could be reached, for the first exami
nation. There are twenty-five examining
divisions in the Patent Office, some Of which
are nine months in arrears, and the result i.
that many inventors suffer in consequence
OF delays in getting their patents Commis
sioner Montgomery claims that with this ad
ditional force he can, in short time, bring
the work up practically to date, and ther
keep il up. The U. S. Patent Office is no
only seif-supporting, but now turns INTO thu
Treasury, through fees, yearly surplus o
$4,000.
Since it passed the notable, promiscuou'
and universal pension bill, it is felt that thu
u. s. Senate has completely lost its head il
the matter Of public expenditures. The bill
gives pensions to all soldiers of the UnioI
Army, who enlisted for three months. if they
are, from any cause now dependent upor
their own e1ertions for support.
While discussing this subject, Senator
Voorhees, thought it might be well to con
slider how much the enactment Of such leg
isation would take out Of the Treasury. III,
was not opposed to any reasonable pension
measure, but expressed desire to know
where he was going before he went. Senator
ingalls, was not at all bothered on this score
lie did not care how much measure cos
the Government, he said, provided he was
convinced that it was just one. And il
that rasping sarcastic style which he Affects
he criticized the distinguished Senator from
Indiana for stopping to count the cost The
Republican Senator'S plan may have been 6
pretty one in the abstract, but Senator Voor
hees' idea was more in sympathy with til,
spirit Of the country that is becoming more
practical and business like every day.
Much has been said about the failure O.
the present Congress 70 accomplish anything
but there is little doubt that the House Of
Representatives will defeat this fantastic
pension scheme by thus checking the ex
iravagance OF the Republican Senate, the
Democratic House will make record foi
which all the people, except the would be
pensioners, will be grateful.