Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
LFron our rerular corespondep.. !

widely known. perhaps, as "Sunsep
! Cox, the popular Democratic represen-
tative from New York Is In Washing
ton. He has just returned from an ex-
tended tour Of the four new States
which he was so influential in making
by passing the omnibus enabling act
through the last congress. He Is en-
thusiastic in his praise ofthe people and
prospects of the new States. He says
he talked no pOlotics while out there,
but having an old time habit of keeping
his eyes and ears wide open his obser-
vations lead him to believe that WASH
ington will certainly go Democratic,
and II tho opinions of we'll Informed
people count for anything so will Mon
lama
The telegraph companies so far have
the best of the very interesting fight
which is progressing between them and
the government represented by the
Postmaster general, who is by law au-
thorized to set the price to be paid Tor
official messages. The old contract be-
Ing suspended the telegraph companies
are compelling the government oinnS..s
to pay cash for all their messages, and
at transient rates too. The postmaster
general wants them to accept q rate OF
one mill per word, but the telegraph
companies say 1t is not enough.
The administration is, so to speak on
the wing just now, and little is being
done in any of the departments out side
of routine business. The several secre-
taries fit i'm and out of town in a sort
of Jack 'O' Lantern style that is some
what bewildering to the fellow who
tries to keep track of them.
As the result of an investigation, the
town is talking about what veritable
death trap" the building occupied by
the government printing office is; it is
badly ventilated, its sewerage Is some
thing awful to think about, and it has
not one fourth of the fire escape needed
for the large number of employees.
Notwithstanding all these drawbacks
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 work.
ing in this dangerous building.
Secretary Noble has surprised good
many people here, notably the officials
in the pension office, by ordering the
commission engaged in the investiga-
ton of the re.rating of pensions to con-
tinue that investigation. He was not
satisfied with the preliminary report
made covering two months, December
1883 and May 1889, and wants a
thorough investigation for 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 COM
Ipleted. ...
1t is stated here that Ex.Attorney
General Garland has been engaged by
the Northern Pacific Railroad to look
after their legal interests in this city at
a salary of So, 900 year.
Frank Hatton is going in tooth and
nail in his fight on the civilservice law.
His largest and most startling charge is
that copies of the questions to be asked
at examinations in this city have been
furnished before hand to such applicants
as were willing to pay the price. asked
for them. This is the most serious
charge yet made against this humbug,
and If Hatt0n can prove it, it will go
far towards getting the absurd law re.
pealed. .
The Navy Department has appointed
court of inquiry to investigate the re-
cent accident to the cruiser "Boston." "
1t seems about time that something was
done to make the officers of the navy
exercise little more care in handling
the few war vessels we have. Hardly
q week passes that the newspapers are
called upon to chronicle some accident,
that, from the standpoint of 'land
lubber,n 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 Harrison for wages during
the summer. 1t has always been Gus.
tomary to dismiss the French cook at
the White House during the summer
mouths when no entertaining Is done,
and the same course was followed this
year.
The people of the country are just be-
ginning to realize the scope of the alien
contract labor law consequently the
treasury department is being flooded
with complaints from all sections of the
country asking Investigations of ofalleged
violations of this law.
Indian commissioner Morgan has is'
sued circular 10 inspectors In the In
dian service instructing them to see
that Indian traders are men of gooG
character. Ifthese traders are at present
men of good character many of then
have been sadly maligned.
The Capital is now at Bar Harbor
Maine; from whence several Presiden
tial appointments were announced BY
telegraph Saturday. They were al
under Mr.. Blaine's department.