The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1889-02-21
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, February 18th is

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, February 18th 1889.
Editor Herald:
Senator Henderson has introduced a
bill, which, if adopted, will give women
the right to vote in any state or territory
for delegate or representative to Con-
gress. OF course there is no probability
of the bill passing at the present session.
The last official act necessary to pro-
claim the election of Harrison and Nor
ton to the presidency and the vice presi-
dency respectively, took place in the hall
of the House of Representatives Wednes-
day afternoon, when the Senate and
House assembled in joint sessiont to count
the votes of the several states as cast IN
their electoral colleges. Senator Ingalls,
presided over the joint session and every
thing went off smoothly in the presence
of as many people as the galleries and the
floor Occupied by ladies' would hold.
Ex-senator Ferry, who presided over
similar session when the vote of '76
Hayes and Tilden) was couuted, was an
int -ested spectator.
The report that Gen. Harrison had set
tied on Representative Thomas ofIllino!s,
tor Secretary of the Navy, has aroused
considerable opposition to Mr.. Thomas.
Senators Chandler and Hawiey are cut
spoken against him.
The cabinet talk here this week is al
guess work and l take it for granted
that you can guess as well as the next
one 50 l will spare You the Washington
guesses.
Mr.. Cleveland tried hard 10 provide for
two of his friends under the next admin
istration when he nominated Assistant
Secretary of the treasury Thompson to
be Civil Service Commissioner in place Of
fdr. Edgerton, removed; and Assistant
Postmaster General Stevenson to be as
sociate justice Of the Supreme Court Of
the District of Columbia. 1t was very
cleverly arranged and but for certain lit
tie unforeseen circumstances might have
succeeded. Here was the little scheme as
arranged, for Mr.. Thompson: The renov-
al of Edgerton leaves only one Civil Ser
vice Commissioner and he is republican.
The law says that not more than two
members of the Commission shall belong
to one party which makes it necessary
that one of the vacancies now existing
shall be filled by democrat. Why not
Thompson? The answer to that ques-
ton is that the Senate will not confirm
him and the reasons are, first, because of
his South Carolina record as bulldozer of
| the worst sort; second, the vigorous op-
position of the senator's from Indiana.
AS for Stevenson his political record in
| the post Office department is such that no
| republican senator would vote to confirm
him, so that Mr.. Cleveland fails once
more to accomplish his purpose.
| Ex-senator Mcdonald is one of the lob
byists employed to fight against the Ok
lahoma bill in the Senate. Whether he is
employed by the Cherokees or by the
cattle syndicates is not positively known
but some people say that he is getting
pay from both.
Senator Plumb, speaking on the naval
| ap preparation bill, took occasion to pay
Secretary Whitney. high compliment
| for his administration of the navy de-
partment. He was followed by Senator
| Hale, who stated that while he had no
desire to take away any of the credit due
| Mr.. Whitney for his excellent manage
ment of naval affairs, yet he gave credit
| to Senator Chandler for laying the found
alton of our present navy. This question
of a frst-class navy is one that contains
| no politics; every patriot sees the neces-
sity of having it and have it we will in a
tteev years more.
Mr.. Colman has the honor ofbeing the
first Secretary of Agriculture. His official
life as secretary will be extremely short
but his record as Commissioner of Agri-
culture has been such a good one that
the Senate thought he deserved the honor
of confirmation.
President-elect Harrison cannot be
blamed for trying to get a man free from
Wall street connections as his Secretary
of the Treasury, and the difficulty of get
ting such man from New York is shown
by what followed The appointment OF
Manning and what follows Faircl,ild's
retirement. Mr.. Manning went out to
become president OF New York bank
and Mr.. Fairchild has already accepted
the presidency of a financial institution
in the samecity.
Protection to American interests is the
proper thing" these days. The Senate
has passed bill appropriating $250,OOo
for the protection of interests in the 18TH
mus of Panama. If any European or
other nation does not want to get into
trouble it had better carefully keep off
the tail of Uncle Sans coat.