, 1889-07-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
NAsHIEGT y. June IS 1889.

The president is very busy this
week getting his work out of the
way as far as possible that he may
be froer to enjoy his vacation at Deer
Park. Heretofore he has been tax
ing rest by snatches-a day. two
days, or three at tims 1t is only q
few of these short trips, even, he has
been able to take. When he gets
the family to Deer Park he proposes
to reVerse the order Of thIngs--to
work by snatches. He will come to
Washington only when duty de-
mands, Duty may Re more tyranical
and exscting than be now expects,
but he is looking forward to spend
ing most of what vacation he can
take in complete rest with his family.
! Representative Owens, who has
! Just come in from visit to his peo-
pie IN Indiana, was at the White
House yesterday and had some very
pleasant things to say about the
! feeling III Indiana about the ad-
ministration. He says that there
was at first some discomfort there
because they thought the president
was not making appointments fast
enough; but Row they have come to
look at the situation differently
They have perfect confidence in the
strong common sense Of Gen. Harri-
son, and see now that his policy is
the wisest. They are content TO
abide by his action and feel that the
state may always take pride in the
administration of her favorite son.
His course they feel has avoided any
scandal which might have been agi-
tated by the partisan press had u
free and liberal distribution of pa
tronage followed on his taking his
seat. In two years they expect the
country will concede this to be ono
OF the cleanest and nblest admins
trations there has been. The people
perior to patronage, personal ambi-
ton for place. and all that, is the
sense that Indiana has president
whose administration she may be
proud cf.
well done, good and faithful
servant" WAS never more promptly
or significantly spoken TO the sue
cesstul envoy than it has been to
William Walter Phelps, whose re-.
turn from his brief stay in Germany
as Samoan commissioner is greeted
With SO genuine welcome from his
countrymen, and who hands to the
administration his accounting for a
lesser stewardship only to receive
back his commission for q greater
one. This could not have happened
if MIR. Phelps had not given satisfac-
ton to his chief by his management
of the trust committed to him. That
he has done this without raising any
feeling of animosity at the court Of
Berlin is also evident; for Rothing
should have been further from Mr.
Blaine's desire than to have him go
back with letters plenipotentiary if
his relations with the German gov
ernment were not of the most friend
ly and agreeable sort. In his new
position Mr.. Phelps will doubtless
refresh and increase the honors
which his former essay in diplomacy
brought TO him.
Commissioner Tanner, of the pen
sion bEreau, left Washington Tues
day for Ottawa, Kans., where to-day
he will deliver an address at the
Chautauqua assembly, in session at
that place. He will also speak at
Crete, Neb., on July 4th, and on the
immediate days will speak at Coun-
Gil Bluffs, Lincoln, possibly at Be-
atrice, and Omaha, where he will
be the guest of Paul Van Derdort
past commander-in-chief Of the
Grand Army of the Republic The
commissioners had declined these
several invitations on account of the
pressure of public business, but at
the earnest solicitation of many
prominent men of the west finally
accepted them. He is expected to
be absent from Washington abou.
ten dsys.
The commission of Commodore
Sicard, chief of the ordinance bu-
reau of the navy, will expire accord
ing to the date of his appointment,
although as it was some months after
the first of July when his appoint
meut was confirmed, there is ques-
tion as to whether his term will not
run for q corresponding time. Ap
plications for the place have already
appeared. 1t is said that among
them are Captain Ramsey, in charge
of the New York navy yard; Cap
tain Howison, chief of the steel
board. Captain Meade, in charge Of
the Washington navy yard; and Cap
tain Folger, who is connected with
the naval ordinance shops here.
The parlor of the Riggs House last
was filled night with gentlemen who
are citizens of New Hampshire, and
came il response to call for meet
ing to perfect arrangements to ten
der Senator Chandler congratnla-
tory reception and banquet upon his
arrival here next week. After the
appointment of committee on ar
rangements, an informal discussion
followed tu enable the committee to
ascertain whether it was desirable to
combine a banquet with the recep-
ton, but there seemed to be a differ.
ence OF opinion and the matter WAS
left to the discretion of the commit
tee. Senator Chandler is expected
to arrive the latter part of the week,
and the reception will take place the
early part of the following week at
the Republican League club house.
X.
! LETTER LIST.