Thomas County cat., 1889-11-07
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. I. 16SS.-Senator
Quay laughs good naturedly every time ne
hears of his being snubbed by the president,
and he has heard it quite often this week,
owing to the appointment of Mr.. Field to be
postmaster ut Philadelphia. II Mr.. Quay's head
has any over-tender perturbsnces, they are
certainly too small to be seen by the naked
eye Take this case of the Philadelphis post
mastership. for instance. When Mr.. Field
name was first proposed for the position by
Postmaster General Wannamaker. many
months ago, Senator Quay opposed the sp-
poirtment, and 1t was at once "hung up" by
the president, and the appointment would
never have been made ut all If Senator Quay
had not withdrawn his opposition. That is q
fair sample of all the cases in which the alleg-
ed snubbing of Senator Quay have taken place.
He has not been snubbed; he is not disgrun'
tied; he is not sulking; he is not sore-headed,
and it is not at all probable that he will ever
be go afflicted. Every story alleging anv q.
these things, if traced to its origin. will be
found to have emanated from democratic
sources,
Secretary Noble has Undoubtedly made some
serious political mistakes since he assumed
the management OF his Interior department.,
but his slashing attack this week upon the
''cattle ring" which is trying to prevent the
ope ming of the Cherokee outlet to settlement.
deserves the appreciation of the country, and
will be certain to receive it. He has written
very strong letter to Gen. Fsirchifd, chairman
of the commmission now negotiating with the
Cherokee Indians for the purchase of these
lands, in which he shows the authority of the
government to acquire possession of these
lands, aud notifies the seattle barons" that
they must remove their property therefrom
on or before the first day of next June. This
will probably be surprising news to the "cat-
tie ring; which has had its own way 80 long
that it had begun to think its power greater
than the government. All honoE to Secretary
Noble for the decided and courageous stand
he has taken upon this important question.
More silly twaddle has been written about
the civil service law than any one question
now before the people, and the latest is the
silliest of all. The worshipers of the present
law are arguing in the editorial columns of
papers friendly to it, that any attack made
upon the present law by republican. will be
a violation of the national platform of the
party, because the national platform pledged
the party to reform the civil service. As Il
matter of fact, that pledge In the platform
furnishes the very best of reasons for attack
ing the present law, if, As its opponents
openly charge, it is = failure and does not ro'
form the civil service. There Is no sense in
trying to frighteu the men who oppose tho
present law by such arguments, II the law
does not accomplish q good purpose, the
people should know it, and there is no better
way to obtain this knowledge than by an open
attack upon the law upon the floor of con-
gress. If the law Is as beneficial as its friends
claim it to be- why should they not welcome
an opportunity to demonstrate that fact TO
the country.
Commissioner of Pensions Raum issued his
first orders concerning the methods Of busi-
ness in the pension office this week. One OF
tfem provides that all claims involving large
sums of money, shall, after being prepared
for adjudication, be sent to the desk of the
commissioner for his approval before the PEN
sion certificate is issued. This involves big
lot of very hard work for General Raum. The
commissioner also held q consultation with
Secretary Noble in relation to the re-rated em-
ployes OF the Office, but no conclusion was
reached.
or the thirty-six war veterans dismissed
from the treasury department during the last
administration, twenty have been reinstated,
and Assistant Secretary Batcheller says that
the others will be put back as fast rs vacancies
occur.
The civil service commission has pretty
fight on its hands now. 1t proposes to prose-
cute the Old Dominion league, an association
of Virginia republicans, because it sent cir
cular to Virginia offcehOlders inviting them
to contribute to the campaign fund. Neither
the men who prepared and sent the circular,
nor those who receive the contributions are
Office holders. but upon the letterheads on
which the circulars were printed. are the
names of three Office holders, who are officers
of the association. These will doubtless be the
ones selected by the civil service commission
for prosecution, that is, if the whole thing is
not bluff on the par: of the commission.
The latest "drop-a a.nickle-in-the-slot" ma
bhine is now here on exhibition. 1t feeds out
postal cards and stamps, and its owner wants
the gov overnment to adopt it.