The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1889-08-24
WASHINGTON LETTER

WASHINGTON, August 10, 1882

0ON. tnc popular WemOcratlc lSep-
resentative from New York is in
Washington. He has just returned
from an extended tour of the four
new States which hewas so iniucn-
tial in making by passing the
omnibus enabling act through the
last Congress. He is enthusiastic
in his praise of the people and
prospects of the new States. He
says he talked no politics while out
there, but having an old time habit
of keeping his eyes aud ears wide
open his observations lead him to
believe that Washington will Ger
tainly go democratic, and if the
opinions of well informed people
count for anything so will Mon.
tana.
The telegraph companies so far
have the best of the very interest
ing fight which is progressing be-
tween them and the Government
represented by the Postmaster
General, who is by law authorized
to set the price TO be paid for
official messages. The old con
tract being suspended the tele-
graph companies are compelling
the Government officials to pay
cash for all their messages, and at
transient rates too. The Post
master General wants them TO ac.
cept rate of one mill per word,
but the telegraph companies say
it is not enough.
The administration IS, to speak
on the wing just now, and little is
being done in any of the depart
ments outside of routine business.
The several secretaries fit in and
out of town in a sort of "Jack o
lanternp style that is somewhat
bewildering TO the fellow who
tries to keep track of them.
As a result of an investigation,
the town is talking about what Il
yeritable :'death trap" the building
occupied by the Government print
ing office is; it is badly ventilated,
its sewerage is something awful to
think about, and il has not one
fourth of the fire escapes l.eeded
for the large number of employees.
Notwithstanding all these draw
backs the Public Printer says that
more than half Of his time is taken
up in hearing applications from
men and women who are willing to
take the chances Of working in
this dangerous Building.
Secretary Noble has surprised u
good many people here, notably
the officials in the Pension Office,
by ordering the commission en-
gagged in the investigation Of the
re-rating Of pensions TO continue
that investigation. He was not
satisfied with the preliminary re-
port made covering two months.
December 1888 and Nav 1899, and
wants II thorough investigation for
n period Of twelve months. The
Secretary refused to give out the
preliminary report but promises
that the entire report shall be
given to the press as soon as it is
completed.
1t is stated here that Ilx-At-
torney General Garland has been
engaged by the Northern Pacific
Railroad to look after their legal
interests in this city at a salary of
S25, 900 a year.
Frank Hatton is going in tooth
and nail in his fight on the civil
service law. His largest and most
startling charge is that copies of
the questions TO be asked at exam
nations in this city have been
furnished before hand to such ap.
plicants as were willing TO pay the
price asked for them. This is the
most serious charge yet made
against this liumbug, and if Hatton
can prove it, it will go far towards
getting the absurd law repealed.
The Navy department has ap-
pointed court Of inquiry to inYes-
tigate the recent accident to the
cruiser ssBoston.D IL seems about
time that something was done to
make the officers Of the Navy ex-
ercise a little more care in handl-
ing the few war vessels we have.
Hardly week passes that the
newspapers are not called upon TO
chronicle some accident, that, from
the standpoint Of a "land lubber,D
might have been avoided.
There is no truth in the report
sent out from Washington that the
French cook recently discharged
from the White House was TO
bring suit against President Har-
rison for wagesduring the summer
1t has always been customary to
dismiss the French cook at the
White House during the summer
months when no entertaining il
done, and the same course was
followed this year.
The people of the country are
just beginning to realize the scope
of the alien contract labor law con
sequently the Treasury depart
ment is being flooded with com
plants from all sections Of the
country asking investigations o.
alleged violations Of this law.
i Indian Commissioner Morgan
has issued a'circnlar TO inspectors