San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-04
WASHINGTON LETTER,
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April 20.

With the presid ept on Saturday after
noon, at the white house, and the po-
litical know-it-alls are at their wits
end to learn what passed be-
tween these gentlemen. But it
is q secret. General Malone refuses
to be interviewed, and the president
is, of course, out of the question. But
all'the same you may be certain that
stenographic report of that CONVEX
sation would make what the late
Horace Greeley was wont to call
mighty interesting reading.
Private Secretary Halford says that
Gen. Harrison is in as good health as
he has been for twenty years. Mr..
Halford is in position to know about
the presidents health, and of course
we must believe what he says, and
yet one has only to stand in the White
House door and listen to the CONVEX
satiou of those who have just shaken
hands with the president to discover
that nine out of every ten of them be-
lieve him to be a sick man. 1t is to
be hoped that will turn out to be one
of those numerous instances in which
appearances are deceptive
Nearly all of the congressman who
have been lettering in Washington
trying to capture some of the loaves
and fishes, have run over to New
York to see the centennial celebra-
tion, and the office seekers who had
not money enough to afford the trip
have crawled into their holes, know
ing that no appointments can be
made while the president and all the
cabinet are away. Things really look
strange around the white house to-
day, owing to the absence of the
usual crowd.
Secretary Noble has given orders by
telegraph for rigid investigation of
the charges, made in the dispatches
from Oklahoma, that government Off
Gals took advantage of their official
positions to secure desirable town lots
and homesteads before the bona fide
settlers were allowed to enter the Ter
ritory, and he says that if he can help
it no person shall hold a foot of
ground in that territory or a claim
that is not open and above board, and
entirely free from even a suspicion of
fraud.
Secretary Blaine had an attack of
lumbago last week, but he has entire
ly recovered, and just before leaving
for New York with the presidential
party expressed himself as feeling
particularly well. He is to respond
to the toast, "the house of representa-
tives," at the centennial banquet in
New York tomorrow night.
Several names have been promi-
nently men toned for the vacancy on
the supreme court bench, among
them being Gen. J. A. J. Creswell, of
Maryland, and Mr.. J. l.. Webster, of
Nebraska, but those closest to the
administration seem to think that
Attorney General Miller will be the
fortunate man.
Several other pension cases that
were rejected by the late administra-
ton have been reopened and granted
by Assistant Secretary Bussey. They
all turn on the question OF whether
the injuries were received by the APP
plicant while in the cline of duty"
General Bussey holds, substantially,
in all the decisions he has made, that
any injury received by a soldier in
any manner, except through his own
neglect or wilful carelessness, between
the dates of his enlistment and dis
charge, may be considered as occur
ing in the cline of duty" General
Bussey seems TO believe in giving the
poor soldier, instead of the wealthy
government the benefit of any doubt
that may arise in considering his
claim for pension. And, like Gen
eral Harrison, he is opposed to using
apothecary's scales to weigh the mer-
it's of the Union veterans.
Political circles were considerably
excited last week by the publication
of letter written by Col. Dudley to
friend in Indiana who had asked the
colonel to assist him in getting GER
tain appointment. The following
paragraph in the letter was the impo'.
Uant one: perhaps there is no one
man in the country who has done as
much for Gen. Harrison during the
last twenty years as myself, but be-
cause our democratic friends down In
Indianapolis have started the hue and
cry on me, brother Ben does not seem
to feel that he can afford to recognize
me as an acquaintance and conse-
quently don't take dinner at the
white house as might be expected"
Republicans here have found it hard
to believe that the president has snub-
bed Col. Dudley, and yet they find it
difficult to place any other construc-
ton upon the letter recently pub
lished.
STPIKE