Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-26
wnshtnvton Notes.
INV telecranb TO the Dispatch.

WASHINGTON, Nav % Bond offerings to-
day aggregated 1886, $50, ali AS, at los, and
all accepted.
Advertisements for proposals Tor the con-
struction Of three cruiser. for the navy were
to-day issued from the Navy Department un-
der authority OF the act Of Congress Of Sep
tcmber :. 1874. Bids will be opened August
!. 1889. These vessel, are to he OF 1000 tons
displacement. and are 10 exhibits maximum
speed Of at least eighteen knots an hour for
four consecutive hours. They are to be to-
ished within Two years from the date OF con-
tracf. and payments will be made in twenty
equal instruments rs the work progresses.
Tie cost OF the vessels. excluding any pres
MUM that may be paid for increased speed
and cost OF armament, bnt including equip
mcnt, Is limited TO an amount not exceeding
500, 600 each. The proposals are divided
into four classes. The first being for yes
sci In accordance with the plans Of the Secre-
tnTv Of the Navy; second, for the plans OF
the contractor; third, being for the secre'
tary's bull and contractors machinery, and
the fourth for the contractors hull and
secretary's machinery. Thi, last class is an
innovation IN naval advertisements.
The Comptroller OF currency to-day au-
thorzed the First National Bank OF suffolk,
w.. To hcgin business. Capital. $4,000.
THO secretary OF the Treasury today mace
the following appointments: j. g. shep-
pard, superintendent Of The public building
1t Birmingham, Ala; David e. Rose, dis
burslng agent for the public building at
Abingdon, w.: william r. Kerr, superin-
tendent OF the public building at Key West,
Fla. =. B. Moore. discussing agent for the
public building at A,hevIlle, y. &.
President Harrison. A,torncy.G Mil
Ter. Private. secretary HaI'ord, General
GeQrge b. Williams, Of This city, and Repre-
sentative Anderson, ~ Kansas, left here this
afternoon for trip down the Chesapeake
bay. 10 is supposed they viii spend to-mor-
row in Hampton Roads oil Fortress Monroe.
The party will return Monday.
The tivll-Seryice Commission has changed
It's rules by providing that hereafter the lit
OF eligibles TO appointment in the Govern
nent service and their Standing snail bee
made public. The President to-day aD-
proved The change. Commissioner Roosevelt,
in an interview to-day, explained that the
change was partly the result OF the opinion
held By the commission That IN our form OF
government publicity Is good thing unless
special peasOns 10 the contrary exist, and
partly owlrg II the fact that the secrecy
heretofore maintained had failed Of li' OBJ
ject. II was intended that the rule oi Sc.
crecy wss adopted to prevent political pres.
sure being brought ~ bcsr I'm favor OF any
particular individual. Il has proven by eN-
perlence that the politicians have been able
to gain the knowledge OF the standing OF
the people IN whom they were interested,
and that they made use Of this knowledge 10
obtain preference for given individuals.
The commission thinks that the present
change may prevent the possibility Of dis
crminatiou. Mr.. Roosevelt says: " real
iZe that many OF our methods are more or
less on trial even vet, and the commission
has to make experiments all the time,
and 1t Is absolutely inevitable thar
there should be occasional mistakes.
when we find we have made such
mistake We shall simply reverse our ictlon.
Now 1t is exactly so in this case. IL vas be-
lleyed with what seemed good reasons by
the original commission that secrecy IN TIE
matter Of the eligible list would work well
Now we sre inclined TO think that On the
whole it has worked injustice, and the COM
mission is going, therefore, 10 make an ELI
gible list and the standing Of each applicant
public and try how 1t works, reseryng TO
Itself full liberty TO alter the course II it Is
found TO work badly. We recognize st the
outset that there are certain disadysn-
taees connected with publicity. hut
we think tho numerous advantages
OF publicity more than cOunterpai-
ances ITS Disadvantages. II the commission
finds that any serious evasion OF the spirt
OF the Law occurs through improper pie'-
sure being brought 10 bear on the appoint
ing powers in consequence OF the list beng
made pubic, then We shall try TO establish
some regulation 10 check the evil. At any
rate, remarked Mr.. Roosevelt in conclusion.
for the time being we are convinced that we
want 10 have everything made AZ public az
possible 20 as 10 do away even with the pos
sibility OF an accusation Of isyoritsm or
underhand work in the examinations and
assignment OF the elgibles.