San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our Regular Correspondent.


new presidential custom with regard
to their people, and many an eye that
has heretofore been languidly closed
under the dizziness of the routine SER
vice life is now wide open and spark
ling in anticipation of a possible event.
| This new custom, or rather the indi-
cation that points to the Establishment
of such, is the designation of an officer
| of the army, whenever the President
goes anywhere, as his special aide.
| When he went to New York to attend
| the centennial celebration, LIEUT.. Jud-
son of the engineer corps, personal
| friend of the HarrisOns, was designa-
| ted in this capacity, and now in Bos-
| ton, LIEUT.. Col. Mansfield has been
made Especial aide for the occasion.
| What the duties are is somewhat
vaguely understood, but the belief
here is that this individual is to be
on hand in uniform wherever the
President may happen to be, to lend
little official glitter to what might
otherwise be rather sOmbre, broad
clOth-lined scene, and to be of gen.
eral utility whenever possible. mas
much as the President is likely to go
almost anywhere and at any time,
and as the especial aide seems to he
local officer in every case, it thus
happens that every officer of the army
with a certain rank has now the
chance to become such, ust as every |
American youngster is tOld that he
may sometime become President OF |
the United States, and the usually |
gray tones of army life are now suf- |
fused with q rosy hone, that points !
to chance to come into the president |
ial field of vision. This, to Il service |
M is an event OF Importance, for |
the is many good billet becoming |
vacant at all times, and unless one T.
comes up above the surface once in a .
while there is danger of being lost in
the whirl.
The signing of the Sioux treaty by |
ChefGaIl, who has hitherto strenuous
ly opposed it, was the beginning of
the end. The influence Of the chief
was powerfully effective in bringing
up the laggards, and the work, ON
which the commission has been so
long and labOriousIy engaged, was
soon finished. Probably no commits
sion of a similar character has ever
encountered such serious difficulties.
More than once its members have
been seemingly upon the point of
giving up the undertaking in despair,
but their patience, tact and good
judgement have triumphed at last.
Much of the success OF the commission
is no doubt due to the efforts of Cen
eral Crook, whose knowledge of the
Indian character enabled him to over
come several menacing emergencies
as few others could have done. The
result of all which is that the Indians
will have land enough left for them
selves and under favorable conditions
to their welfare, while the Govern
ment gets about l 900 acres that
has long been coveted by the whites
and which will speedily be placed on
the market and eagerly taken up.
The reservation embraces a splendid |
tract of land, &c orally well watered, |
ana. for the most part, of admirable |
soil in its adaptation to Wheat-raising. |
In location it is quite as desirable as |
Oklahoma or the Cherokee Strip, eX-
cepting for the inclemencies of win
ter, but this objection is more than
counterbalanced by other advantages
not to be found further South. In
any event it will soon be brought
under cultivation and add immensely
to the population and wealth of the
new Northwestern commonwealth.
Commissioner Tanners method of
displacing and renewing spoke in
the wheels of the Pension Mill, an
exercise in which he finds frequent
relaxation from the labor of dispens-
ing Uncle Sans bounty, is very char
acteristIc. do you want to see the
wheels 90 arOund?n he said to a WISH
tor the other day. The visitor was
willing. 'BradIey:n called the COM
missioner. Bradley is the stenOgra-
pher. He came quickly in response
to the call Write" commanded
the commissioner. Bradley's pencil
was sharp. The commissioner die
ia ed: ITO the honorable Secretary
of Interior: Dear Sir: [ have the
| honor to hereby recommend the dis
missal of Capt. William Smith, prin-
cipal examiner in the pension office
after two weeks leave of absence. |
make this recommendation that |
may further recommend the appoint
ment of Mr.. Christian Excl to fill the
vacancy thus created. Mr.. Excl for
merIy held this office and was re-
moved by my predecessor, after two
weeks notice, 20 make room for Capt.
smith,
This letter was signed and dis
patched to the Secretary of the H.
terror with an invitation to prompt
action. 1t was learned at the Interior
department to-day that the appoint
ment of Mr.. Excl had not yet been
| made but that il was on the WaV and