Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-02-18

He never brought the blush Of shame
to woman. Such was "Honest Ole
Abe "-Telegrdph.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MONITOR
Washington, Feb. IIth.
There is the lively music of a great
row in the democratic camp, and its
ultimate result is difficult to foretell.
/ The presidents removal on Saturday
of Civil Service Commissioner Edger-
/ ton is the talk of the town, and es-
pecially of Mr.. Edgerton himself
Mr.. Edgerton says, "The civil SER
uice laws have never been enforced
during this administration, and the
president has never made a thorough
attempt to enforce them. Mr.. .Thomp-
son, whose domination the president
has sent to the senate, will not be
confirmed, and if Mr.. Oberly is NOM
mated he will not be confirmed.
These two men are incompetent and
politically dishonest"
1t has been known for long time
that President Cleveland desired Mr..
Edgerton to resign, but it was not eX-
pected that he would peremptorily
remove him. The bargain, if bar
gain it were, between the president
and Messrs. Thompson and Oberly
seems void of purpose. And how
Oberly came to consent that Thomp-
son should be nominated instead of
himself is a question. Oberly had
the first claim, as ever since his re-
tirement from the civil service COM
mission he has desired to fill the va
cancy his retirement made, if he
could only get Judge Edgerton re-
moved. The only possible solution
is that Thompson was more accepta-
BILE for nomination as being more re-
spectacle.
Commissioner Edgerton, right or
wrong in this case, represents the bet
ter element of the democracy. He is
seventy-six years old, and was in con-
gress and an advocate of civil service
reform in the days of Pierce and Fill
more. His appointment was well re-
ceived by both parties, and, though
his methods may be slow, there is no
doubling his sincerity. He is a man
of education, and his practical talents
are exhibited in his business meas
ures. If, as is now proposed, Presi
dent Harrison should appoint him the
democratic member of the commits
sion,it will be heavy blow at Cleve-
land. In fact, how the whole affair
can be regarded as other than bad
blunder on Mr.. Cleveland's part, 1
am at a loss to understand.
The tariff calculations furnished by
the treasury department to the COM
mittee on ways and means reached
the committee on Saturday and were
Immediately rushed off to the printer
without consideration or review. They
will be in print, however, by to-mor-
row, and the committee will probably
report bill to the House this week.
Chairman Mills is busy on what he
denominates a showing of few of
the incongruities of the senate bill.
The republicans in the committee will
probably submit detailed report but
will merely y recommend that the House
concur in the substitute of the senate
bill for the Mills bill.
The Window boom for the treasury
portfolio seems to have fallen to the
ground, and that very large and
loose jointed individual seems to be
doomed to remain in political retire
ment, at least, so far as any chances
in the next cabinet are concerned.
The latest cabinet slate made in
Washington is: Secretary Of state,
Blaine treasury, New or Mckinley;
war, Alger; navy, Wanamaker; post
office, Platt; interior, Thurston
Encouragement, Estee: agriculture,
Miller.
On Saturday, Minister Phelps ar
rived in New York, and is expected
IN Washington tonight. He states
that he will neither confirm or deny
the story that he left England be-
cause no minister was sent to this
cauntry TO succeed West, and he re-
fuses to talk on the Samoan question,
thus leaving the American people to
get out of the difficulty as best they
may, without the light of his daring
intelligence. This is wrong in Ed
ward j. Phelps. He is kind enough,
however. to inform a waiting and
anxious world that he has not resign
ed. Resigned, of course not. A
green seaman's grip in the shrouds is
discounted ny Minister Phelps grip
on office. He will hold as long as
possible.
The superintendent of the Wash
ington monument proposes to close
the stairway leading to the top Of the
structure to visitors and restrict tour
lists to the elevator. The purpose is