Omaha daily bee., 1888-04-29
Villas Attends More to Party Pres
tige Than Public interest.
CLERKS ON THE ANXIOUS SEAT
Older Army omcers Somewhat Agi-
tatcd-AIl the Men In Congress
Want TO Go to the Ma
tional Convention.
Interior Department Abuses.
WASHINGTON BUREAU II OMAHA BEE,

Sbtt Wv 'S
removals and changes, and no one about the
establishment feels secure in his place. MIR.
Villas was brought into the interior depart
ment TO effect a complete reorganization for
the purpose of manipulating politics, and he
is going about the work with all the vigor of
a freshman. There is no doubt about his
having forced out Land Commissioner Sparks
as soon as the changes in the postofice and
Saterior departments were agreed upon, and
e9ere is also no doubt about his having forced
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs Atkins to
resign, although that officer alleges that he
resigned to enter the senatorial contest in
tennessee.
One of the first changes which affected the
people Of Nebraska was the summary re-
moval of George r. Colewin, special agent of
the land Office, who performed such radical
work in the northwest. Then followed the
dictatorial and swift order to remove the land
office from Niobrara. to O'Neill without CIV
ing anyone an opportunity to be heard, which
order was issued at the behest Of Nebraska
democrats and was intended to please the
party in the state. The domineering way in
which Villas does things is making him an
army of enemies who will retaliate. His dis
respectful letters to Senators Henderson and
II diuoth, III iVSPoioS w tpolSetiui iSobcio tb
the instance of their constituents in regard
to the Niobrara land office, is evidence of his
arbitrariness and shows the way in which he
goes about to accomplish his ends and
purposes. The designations of a number
of old officers and employees in the depart
ment are daily expected, when appointment
to the vacancies of Villas personal friends
will follow. Every reform inaugurated by
Commissioner Sparks under this administra-
ton, and every step takep by. Secretary
Lamar towards remedying the evils affecting
entries upon the public domain in the north
west, with which the BEE readers are ia
miliar, have been trampled under foot
already by Villas, and politics is to guide him
in the future. There is a great deal of com-
ment in congressional circles upon the career
of the present secretary of the interior, and
doubtless some steps will soon be taken to
btay his high-handed proceedings.
FLuTTERING MON ARMY oFFIcERs.
To:aay's Washington correspondence to
the Philadelphia Ledger says: 1.-The recent
order of the war department, directing
changes of stations for a number of regi-
ments of the army, has created u very de-
cided tiuttering among the older officers and
those who are so crippled as to be incapacit-
ated for active service. The order in ques
ton directs that these exchanges shall be
made by marching, and as this is a physical
impossibility for some of the officers, there is
naturally great CONSERVATION among this
class. What is implied by marching will be
OCUbCI viz ~ 10 hl'oNh lhdb Viz
Eighth cavalry is ordered from its present
stations in Texas to Fort Meade and other
points in Dakota. The march will be a pic
mic for the young officers, but for the old and
crippled 1t will be disastrous, and as the
routes over which this and some other regi-
ments will march are not supplied with Pull
man cars and other vehicles for easy and con-
venient travel, numerous applications for
leave of absence to cover the time that will
be occupied in the movements are being re-
ceived at army headquarters.
There are field officers who cannot mount
their horses without the aid of a stepladder,
and who could not sit in the saddle when
hoisted into it for an hour, and their company
line officers so crippled that they cannot
march five miles with their commands. Most
of these officers are anxious to be placed on
the retired list, but the limitation by law on
the list prevents it,. There are field officers,
however, utterly incapable OF performing
any strictly military duty who can be retired
upon their w application, but they hang on
for the additional pay that attaches to the
active list. General Sheridan is anxious to
have this class Of officers. retired as rapidly
as possible, and it is probable his order for
the troops to march to their new stations will
result in taking some of them from active
Service. General Sheridan believes that u
soldier should have a future as well as a
past, and that in actual service ability to
achieve results is of far greater Importance
and value than results achieved.
CONGRESS n THE NATIONAL CoNy ENTIoEs.
So many men in congress have already
been selected as delegates to the st. Louis
and Chicago conventions, that it looks as
though congress would be without a quorum,
especially during the meeting OF the latter
convention. About half of congress will be
selected as delegates, while a number of
those who are not chosen to vote IN the con-
Ventions, will want to attend them. The at
tendance here during these national meet
ings will be so meagre, and the interest in
the proceedings 80 slight, that 1t is believed
Bome kind of an arrangement Will be made
by which the important work will be sus-
pended. Senators say there should be a re-
cess taken by the senate, as it
will have nothing of pressing import
anoe to attend to-. In the house the
tariff bill will likely be under consideration
under the five minutes rule, and as this work
will be of the highest importance, it would be
impracticablo for that body to take a recess
br suspend proceedings upon that measure.
There will be very little OF Importance in
Washington during the first three weeks in
June, as the interest will be transferred to
st. Louis and Chicago. Special trains will
be run to the conventions, conveying the
newspaper correspondents, and the lobbyists
will be taken west for work, so that there
will be little doing and nothing said OF what
is done.
qnE yIcE-PREsIpENTIAL FIGHT AMONG DEM.
oCRATs.
There continues to be "A great deal OF com
ment in Washington over the wide breach
between EN-oeuduOT doc NlCDOudiu diu 1ON-
ernor Gray of Indiana, and II Is said that he
has lost the strength he once had and that
therefore he can do Gray no harm. Such men
in congress as the two senators from Indiana
Representative Bynum and the entire Ken
lucky delegation, declare that Mcdonald is
a stronger and better democrat than Gray,
and that this breach will unluestionably have
the effect OF defeating Gray for the vice-pres
idential nomination. Before the phb
lication ofMcDonald's card on Wednesday
there was a good deal of doubt entertained
by leading democrats here as TO the advisa
bility of nominating u man for the secon(
place who had long conducted an open cam
paign for it. becauseo of its unusual character
but they had no provocation for making opeI
comment. Now that Mcdonald has led on
In the fight they do not hesitate TO speak ant
will openly work against Gray. Commits
sionor of Pensions Black or First Assistan
Postmaster General Stevenson it is thought
will be selected for the place ON the tickle
with Cleveland. PERRY S. HEATH.
w IA n