Arizona weekly citizen., 1889-04-27
FROM WASHINGTON.
Another Newspaper Man Honored National Banks in Oklahoma Other Items.
(From our Regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON. April 18th, 1889 The president has honored the newspaper fra
 ternity again by appointing Robert P
 Portor, at New York, superintendent of
 the Census. MT. Portor was one of the
 founders, and is at present the editor of
 that very sprightely Republican daily,
 the New York Press. He has an inter
 national reputation as writer of indus
 trial topics, and no man has done more
 in the last ten years to populize pro
 lection tariff than he and few men bet ter qualified than he to superintend the taking of the next census could be found 1 Oklahoma is long way from Wash
 ington, but its affairs are just.now receiv- ing great deal of attention from off cials of the governments. The attorney | and controller of the currency are try
 ing to decide whether they shall grant charters for several National Banks there for which applications have been
 made. The law says such applications shall be on file one year before the
 charters shall be granted. But this
 being the opening of a new territory, is claimed to be an exceptional case. A dec-
 ision is expected in a few days. The
 postoffices department is making unus-
 al efforts to provide mail facilities for |
 N.i
 Several inspectors are now there to ex- |
 anime proposed mail routes, etc. First | Assistand Postmaster General Clarkson, | who has been over the ground, says Oklahoma is the garden spot of the west,
 and in less than six months its popula- tion will be 100000 and that in two years it will be admitted as state.
 Red Cloud, the Sioux Indian chief called on the president this week. He said that he 'only called to pay his re- spects," when an inquisitive newspaper man asked him what office he was try ing to get.
 The number of changes in fourth class postmasters now runs from 100 to 150 per day. These postmasters have no stated term but from action that has been taken by the department in a num- Der of cases it is inferred that the com missions of all those having served four years or longer are considered as having expired.
 The railway mail service is being i'm proved as rapidly as possible. Already there have been more than 800 changes therein and the good work still goes on Speaking of this matter MT. Clarkson said: 'It has been the policy of the de- partment to displace incompetent clerks and appoint experienced and efficient men who left the service during the last administration, where such are available and desirous of re-entering the service. The railway mail service requires men not only of superior intelligence, but men whose faculties are in perfect work ing order. Men who possess every re- quirement of the service are compara- lively few, and are not easily secured, but when such are found they should be retained in the service as long as possible. Efficiency in the postal ser vice can be obtained only after long struggle, and to remove such men in order to make places for political favor ties, irrespective of their fitness is a public wrong and should not be toler- ated." l
 Secretary Blaine says there are more . than $500 applications on file at the state department for the 210 United { States consulships.
 Postmaster General Wanamaker, be- lieving that the newspapers of the coun- try should be given every facility for ob- taining and disseminating the news of the day, has rescinded an order issued ', during the last administration prohibit ting trainmen carrying newspaper cor and packages of newspapers on trains other than mail trains. The issuance of this order several years ago has been the cause of great inconven- fence and complaint from newspapers published in every section of the coun- try.
 The State Department has issued a pamphlet containing all the laws passed at the last session of Congress. Persons < desiring copies may obtain them by writ ing to the Department, enclosing 5 cents.
 Owing to the unusually large number of letters received at the Pension office < since the new Commissioner, MT. Tanner has had charge, there is necessarily con- delay in getting them all an- ;wered, and the Commissioner requests that his correspondents bear with him IS patiently as possible. MT. Tanner, , speaking of the resignation of Gen. Sigel [ IS Pension agent at New York city, said: !. | It was pathetic. I remember how his .. horse splashed mud over me as I::stood n the ranks and he galloped along the inc with his splendid staff ln '61, and lere he was, broken old man offering nc his resignation. I want people to understand that Gen. Sigel's personal 'ecord in the N. Y. pension office is clear"