The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-08-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.


Washington, July 20, 1889.
The attorney General, having had
his turn paying Mr.. Harrison visit at
Deer Park, and having given the
rumor Of his appointment to the Su-
preme Court fresh start has returned /,
and Secretary Window has gone up 10
talk business to the President. He
will remain several days as his family
are spending the summer there.
The harmony among the Virginia
republicans does not seem to be so com
plete as it did. Several of the Anti
Malone people have been here
clicking as hard as ever intimat.
ing that il will be necessary to give
them something nice in the shape of
40 office in order to make them as har-
monous as Mr.. Brady who got a "a, 500
position. 1t is also said that Langs-
ton, the negro who Is now contest
ant for seat in congress from the
fourth district ('black belt'O threatens
to make trouble unless he is we'll taken
care of. On the whole the democrats
here do not think there will be much
trouble in their carrying the State
as usual.
This is free country, aud yet every
now and then the law steps in, in some
shape or other ss to give foreigners a
somewhat queer idea offreedom. One
of these cases has just been brought
TO light by a decision of the Treasury
department that book keeper brought
from England by an English firm with
a branch house in New York City
must be sent back to England, as his
being brought owe, here under contract
was a violation of the alien labor law.
1t was Gen, Grant, believe who said
the quickestsway to get an obnoxious
law repealed was TO strictly nforce it.
w. Elam, who was editor of the
Richmond, Virgins, Wing, as long
as General Malone put up the money
to keep the paper going, has been ap-
pointed Chief of q division of the Iu-
terror Department.
A commiite from St. Joseph, Mis-
souri,. brought Secretary Rusk gorge
GUS invitation to attend the "New Era
Exposition" TO be held in that city dur
ing a portion Of September and Octo
Der. As the Exposition is to be held
in honor of the establishment of the
department of Agriculture, the Score
tary told the committee he would at
tend if possible.
All sorts of rumors are current in re
gard to the startling discoveries being
made by the Commission now investl
| eating the reraling of pensions by thu
pension office. The most of these
rumors are undoubtedly bas'd d on the
frightened talk of the implicated EN-
ployes of the pension Office, for numbe
of the commission are not likely to d.
any talking until their official repor
has deem handed in to Secretary NOBLE
1t is generally believed that there ha
been a good deal of crookedness il
this business aud that quite a larg,
nul ,ber of the emplo, es of the offic,
have be,u engaged in it, but wealhe
they can be punished further than l.
3e made to disgorge the money iile
gally obtained is a question. The re
port of the Commi. .sion is anxion.l
looked for here. The people want +
know whether the facts are to b
shown up or the white wash brush aF
piled.
Commissioner Tanner now denie
tha, he ever said he was opposed t
the policy of paying so SO and 81 pc
month pensions, and has ordered bi
pension firm of Now York and Chicag
10 stop sending out circular whic
quotes newspaper interview wherei
the commissioner is made to expires
those sentiments. The same thing wa
published here when Mr.. Tanner fri
took Office.
The Civil Service law is gettin
some very hard knocks around Wash
ington Just now. Ex-post,naster Gen
eral Frank Hatton who is now the edi
tor of the Washington Post is leadin,
The opposition, and the state republ
can associations are al doing all the
can to assist him. Hatton charge
that the law always has been and
now being jnggled with the appo nj
ing powers. He wants the law re
pealed but pending that he woald lik
10 see it strictly enforced.
The administration is having livel
time with the patronage in the South
Every appointment made raises a 10
of "kickers." The fight for the con
troll OF the patronage, IN Louisiana i
red hot between representative-elecl
Coleman and Herwig, the Lousian
lottery men. 1t is to be settled at tn
convention which is to nominate
candidate for Congress to run in tn
district of the late Representative Ga,
Herwig and Coleman both ha.
been candidates and the winner is t
be regarded by the administration q
the party bos' in the Stste.
, The papers have been signed aware
ing the contract for the oonstructin
OF coast defence vessel, to cost 800
100 to the Union Iron Works of Sa