Fergus County argus., 1886-12-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.


was quiet, as IT usually Is. Ihe only
public demonstration contemplated
was a parade by the fire department,
but that was spoiled by the torrents
OF rain. There were family reunions
and dinners that represented the high
est culinary skill Of each households;
religious services at the churches:
closed government departments and
liberated clerks, while at orphan asy-
lums and public institutions the in
mates enjoyed additions to their or
dinary bill of fare, through the gene
rosity of the charitable.
The city has sombre appearance
now on account of the Arthur mourn
ing. Flags fly at half mast from humid
reds of staifs, and public buildings are
heavily draped in black. 1t is quite
an item of expense to the government
to put up official mourning. 1t took
twenty men three days to drape the
patent Office alone. Each OF it's big
pillars. and there are fort eight in all.
required forty yards of bunting. All
together about 5000 yards were used
for the interior department at a cost
not far from 81 500. When this de-
partment was drapcd for Gen. Grant
the cost was nearly 81 700. But a
great deal of new material was pur-
chased at that time, some OF whic.
az
ricks. and some of which is now being
used for the third time OF course the
expense of draping the interior de-
partment is greater than that OF any
other. because it includes the patent
ofife, Indian office, pension bureau,
bureau of education, the geological
separate buildings. The cost OF drap-
ing other departments is about $50
or Sl75 each. The superintendent of
the post office department, for in
stance, is disposed to econonize. He
buys the bunting and employs his own
men and carpenters to do the work.
looking after it himself The bunting
used costs thirty cents "a yard. It
remains up for thirty days and then
it is taken down and such OF it as j.
not tattered and faded by the wind
and rain is packed away for the. next
occasion OF public sorrow.
The President has completed por-
tioI,s OF his message to congress. ami
has read them to tire cabinet. The
message will be shorter this year than
hast, which is a kind OF reform that
will be approved by everybody. The
Presidents friends as well as his al
leyed encnie. are kent hIIsv hennii,a
what the newspapers accuse them of
saying and thinking and planning and
attempting. Ills cid law patrner, Mr.
Bissell, who has just been here. denies
ever having sous',t to influence the
President ir making appointments.
lie says Mr.. Cleveland, whom he knew
as sheriff. mayor, and governor, al
ways discharged the duties of these
offices without much advice or assist
ance, and he will he equally successful.
in his present trust. He also denies
having advised the President to sell
his country place rs quickly rs possi-
bile because of the gossip about the.
syndicate formed over his property
to advance real estate in thai direc-
t,on.
And Se,r,tor Eimands. the Presi-
dents so called bitter foe, denies some
things. lie denies that he is prepar-
ing an attack to be made this winter
upon the Presidents : civil service pol
icy, and he'slys the attempt to criti-
cize Mr.. Cleveland in connection with
the purchase of his country home is
unfair. The extensive improvements
in the direction OF Oak
View have become IA pihiic necessity
and the subject came up in congress
long before the President had ever
seen the place.
One of senator E.lnpmi- constitu-
ents * indignant N the allc.ai ion that
the senator intends to become IL can
dlidate ior the pre- ,ilency in lsss. lie
says the senator has u loftier ambi-
iion; namely: to represent Vermont
III the United States senate; and
that the Green Mountain state will
allow him that privilege as long IA he
lives. Why asked he, "should IA
great statesman want "a small posi-
tion, like that of dispensing petty Off
ces. to which the presidency has desen-
This reminds me OF what Mr.. How
ard, .Ir., says about journalism and
politics. lie thinks Mr.. Cumming. tine
New York journalist recently elected
TO congress. j. taking II step in the
wrong direction by forSaking an hon
orable position in that sphere i'm order.
to 90 10 congress. Mr.. Cummings ex-
plains lis REASON for coming to CON
-rI * 10y saying that he simply wants
to ret behind the -cencs in politics in
order To make himself more coullc-
tent and useful in journalism. lie
has no intention of giving up his
work. The experience will
bc ri great advantage To Mr.. Cum