San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, July 26, 1889

| and the interior department. or rather
between Commissioner Tanner and
| Assistant Secretary Bussey, have, )e-
| come emphasized by the appointment
of committee to Investigate the re-
rating of pensions. With the public
announcement of the appointment of
| the committee there comes desire n
| the part OF the government officials
most interested. Assistant Secretary
| Bussey does not hesitate to say that
| the commission is the result of the
| numerous charges made In the press
| regarding the administration of the
| pension bureau and hints that the in
| vestigation will develop some irregu-
| larties. The commission has been
directed to make a full inquiry, and
there is no doubt but that they have
been led to appreciate the necessity
of the thOrOughness of their work.
Commissioner Tanner regards at
| least one member of the commission
as personally opposed to him, and
should tie commission submit a re-
port which casts reflection upon the
commissioner, the latter will I'M
doubtedly ask congressional inves-
tigation.
The fight between the pension bu-
reau and the interior department,
which seems likely to be an interest
ing topic during the summer season,
is attracting attention in political cir
cles outside of Washington. Its eff
feet on the campaign in Ohio is quite
marked. Foraker has written four
letters 10 the commissioner, implOr-
ing him not to resign, and urging
him to stand up for the soldiers. A
liberal olicy for the veterans is urg-
ed as necessary during the campaign.
There seems to be more trouble
ahead for Mr.. Tanner. 1t is said that
the civil service commission is not
satisfied with the present administra-
ton of the civil service law in the
pension Office. Commissioner Roose-
welt. il is understood, will make re-
monStramce against the course that
has been pursued.
The case OF the clerk in the sixth
auditors Office who proposes to make
a fight against removal for purely
partisan reasons, will attract wide
attention. If he should win in this
struggle, the whole subject of civil
service reform would be broadened
out beyond the conception of it's most
sanguine agitators. The precedents,
positive and negative, are probably
against the clerk men toned, but it
does not follow from that that the
law has ever been properly con-
strued. Common sense certainly die
tates that system designed to restrict
the service of the government to
worthy persons should make some
provision also for keeping them in
place after they have been chosen.
Otherwise it is in the power of par
tisan chief at any time to defeat the
highest aim of the civil service rules,
by making removals and fresh requi-
sitions steadily, until he has filled up
his Office with the subordinates he
wants there for political purposes.
Whatever may come of the present
case, it is to the interest of the public
to have all its issues thoroughly
sifted and passed upon.
Postmaster General Wanamaker
recently appealed to the treasury de-
partment from a decision of the col
lectOr of customs at Philadelphia as
sessing duty at the rate of 80 per
cent ad valorem on so-calIed wicker
baskets, claiming that they were
dutiable at the rate of 80 per cent.
under the provisions T. L. 395 for
baskets and all other articles COM
posed of grass, osier, palm leaf, whale
bone, willow or straw. The appraiser
reported that the articles is question
are round, square and rectangular in
shape are composed of wood, hemp,
willow and silk, the latter being the
nF cbiaf ua Inc onH owl
IDENTIFY intended for use as ladies' bas-
kets, and that as they are not COM
posed of the materials specified in
7. /. 395 they were returned for duty
as fancy boxes, under the provisions
thereof in the T. /. 800. The question
of the classification of these articles
was submitted to the conference of
appraisers recently in session in New
York, and they were of opinion that
they were properly classified by the
collector as fancy boxes. The treasu-
ry department has sustained this
opinion and affirmed the solicitors
decision.
While it has never been claimed for
Washington that it is a summer re-
sort" in the usual sense of the term,
although the summers here are much
more agreeable than at many of the
noted watering places, it can be said
of the national capital that iG is thor
oughly adapted for pleasurable res
idence during many months in the
year. Its autumns are delightful; it's
winters bracing without being in
clement; its springs, perfection it
self, and even in midsummer the
heated term is tempered by cooling
breezes from river, bay and mountain,
and the city abounds in elements of