San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-05-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent. ]
WASHINGTON, Apr. 10th. 1889.

Chief Justice Fuller has announc-
ed that the United States Supreme
Court would cease to hear argum ents
on tho 20 inst. and adjourn from
then until the 13 of May and then
adjourn for the term.
All the laws passed by the last
Congress have been published in
book form by the State Department,
and copies may be obtained for 55
cents each.
Owing to the funeral of the late
John p. Usher, who was Secretary OF
the Interior from 1868 to 1865, that
Department was closed yesterday.
This is q senseless and useless Gus
tom, and is besides very costly to
the Government.
Postmaster General Wanamaker
is being roundly abused by the 800
applicants for positions as special
agents of the Post Office Depart
ment, because he has sent all the ap-
plications to the civil Service Com
missioners, and notified the appli-
cants that they must stand a Civil
service examination. These posi-
tions are much sought after, and the
impression had got out among the
Republicans that no examination
would be required.
John Sherman had o candidate for
Controller of the Currency, but he
got left and the prize went to Ex-
Congressman Lacy, of Michi gan.
Another fat plum has been captur-
ed by O newspaper man. The for
tunate individual is Robert P. Por-
ter, Editor of the New York PRESS
who has been oppoin ted Superin-
tendent of the Census. Harrison is
certainly making himself solid with
the Republican editors and is doubt
less laying the wires for a renomina-
ton.
Applications have been made to
the Controller of the Currency for
charters for several national banks in
Oklahoma, and that official is much
perplexed as to what he should do.
The law requires applications to be
on file one year before the charter
is granted, but this being a new
country the applicants think an ex-
ception should be made in their fa-
vor. The question has been referred
to the Attorney General for On opin-
ion.
Several years ago the Postoffire
Department issued an order prohibit
ing train employees or trains other
than mail trains carrying letters,
packages etc. This order was par
ticularly hard on newspapers, as it
often prevented their receiving i'm
partant correspondence and also pre-
vented them from sending out pack
ages of papers. In RESPONSE to gen
eral requests from publishers the Or
der has been rescinded.
The Postoffice Department guilo'
tine is now working on fourth class
postmasters at the rate of $50 a day.
Extra clerks have been detailed from
other branches of the Department to
help those in the First Assistants
Office so as to increase the number
of dismissals and appointments.
In the railway mail service it is
almost as bad. The number OF re-
movals in six weeks is over 800.
Secretary Noble says every precau-
ton has been taken by the govern
ment to prevent lawlessness in Okla
homa. and that the attempts of the
alarmists to scare people away from
the new territory are absurd.
It is said that Senator Farwell
stole q march on bis colleague, Sena-
tor Cullom, in getting j. A. Lexton
appointed postmaster at Chicago.
If this be true Mr.. Cullom will be
more disgruntled than ever.
The Ex-Congressman seems to
have the call this week. Mr.. Hep
burn of Iowa, has BEEN appointed
Solicitor of the Treasury.
1t is reported that Mr.. Harrison
has stated that no postmaster in the
presidential class will be moved,
without cause, until his commission
expires. 1t is also said that he has
decided that oil commissions shall
date from the date OF confirmation.
Both statements should be taken
with grain of allowance.