Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1889-12-20
$500 PER ANNUM
WASHINGTON LETTER.
lFrom our regular correspondence
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA. 1889

proposes to use all of the influence At
his command to assist Senator Paddock
IN getting his bill passed, which pro-
vldes for relieving the railway mail SER
vice from the operation of the civil SER
vice law. The bill which has alreadv
been introduced in the senate, stands a
good show of passing and some people
think THAI Senator Vance's bill for the
repeal of the entire civil service law
may also be passed. Speaking of the
civil service law Senator Paddock says:
81 look upon the system as q humbup.
which in Its operation perverts the main
idea Of republican form of govern
mcnt." Senator Vance says OH tho
same subject ut is losing strength in
both parties, because it has given no re-
suits that are creditablc."
The president is now in Chicago, but
he Will return to Washington in time to
hear the address which Chief Justice
Miller is to deliver before congress next
Wednesday, when that body celebrates
the one hundredth anniversary of it's
organization.
The first week of it's existence con-
gress did little else but organize, and
there is little probability that it will get
fairly down to business until after the
Christmas recess. Very little can DC
done in the house before the committees
are appointed, and if fSpeaker Reed an
nouhces them before the holidays he
will do wcll--bcttcr than the most of hiY
predecessors.
The biggest sort of IL sensation was
created at the capitol last Thursday by
the announcement that G.. +. Silcott,
cashier, of the sergeant.at-a arms Office OF
the house of representatives, had ab.
seconded with something like s75, 900.
1t was particularly y embarrassing to Mr..
leedcm, the retiring sergeant-at-arms,
who was just preparing to turn tho
office over to his newly elected success
sor, Mr.. Holmes. The money taken
was the salaries of members of the
house, and just who will have to lose IT
isnot yet settled, owing to the slip-shed
way this Office has conducted its bust
ness for years. A committee of tho
house, assisted by several expert ac-
countants from the treasury depart
ment, are engaged in making 81 thor
ough investigation of the scrgeant-at-
arms office, and their report, which Is
expected early this week, is anxiously
looked for. Mr.. Silcott was brought
here from Ohio by Mr. Leedom six
years ago, and since that time i: is estl-
mated that at least s3O,OOO,OOO have
passed through his hands, He owes his
downfall to fast women and fast horses,
combination that rarely fails to ruin
any man who follows them for any
length of time.
A vigorous attempt is to be made to
get congress to take up and decide the
question of the Columbus worlds expo.
sitisn before Christmas. If it is to be
held in 1892, time is getting precious.
Senator Edmunds, although net op-
posed to holding an exposition to celc-
brate the four hundrcdth anniversary
of the discovery of America. would pre-
fer seeing the money spent in the estab-
fishing great national university.
The national wool-growers associa-
ton, which was in session here last
week, sent committee to Secretary
Window to protest against certain prac-
tices relating to the admission of certain.
classes of wool. The secretary inform
ed the committee that he was now en-
gagged in making an investigation of
this subject, and assured them that full
justice would be done to the wool inter-
csts ofthc United States.
Secretary Noble has given permission
to 35 Sioux Indian chiefs to visit Wash
ngton. They want to talk to the Presi
dent about the sale of their lands, which
they recently haye agreed to. They are
expected here next week.
Speaker Reed has announced the CONF
mittees on rule, accounts and enroll
melt bills. The committee on rules,
which may virtually be said to control
all legislation, consists of Speaker Reed,
Representative Mckinley and Cannon,
and ex-Speakers Carlisle and Randall.
Secretary WINDOWS annual report to
congress would have made his reputa-
ton as one Of the ablest 1inanciers in
the country, if he had not been So rated
before. 1t is a document that the ablest
of his predecessors weuld hrve been
justified in feeling proud Of Its crown
ing feature is the original and ingenious
system it proposes as a solution of the
never ending controversy between the
friends Of gold and silver as a basis for
currency. Everybody is talking about
it, and doubtless those congressman
who pride themselves on their financial
knowledge are burning the midnight
oil studying it. Whether it will be
adopted is question that cannot be