Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-05-09
News From Washington

Ia, had quite lengthy private
interview with the President on
Saturday afternoon, at the White
House, and the political knoW-it-
alls are at their wits end to learn
what passed between these
gentlemen. But it is a 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 a stenographic report
of that conversation would make
what the late Horace Greedy 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 a posi-
ton 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
conversation of those who have
lust shaken hands with the Presi-
dent to discover that nine out of
every ten of them believe him to
be a sick man. It 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 Wash
ington trying to capture some of
the loaves and fishes, have run
over to New York to see the
Centennial celebration, and the
office seekers who haven't money
enough to afford the trip have
crawled into their holes, knowing
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 the rigid
investigation of the charges, made
in the dispatches from Oklahoma,
that government officials took
advantage of their official positions
to secure desirable town lots and
homesteads before the bona fde
settlers were allowed to enter the
Territory and he says that if he
can help it no person shall hold
foot of ground in that Territory or
claim that is not open and above
board, and entirely free from even
suspicion of fraud.
Several names have been prom
inently mentioned for the vacancy
on the Supreme Court bench,
among them being Gen. ]. A. J.
Creswell, of Maryland, and Mr.. ].
L. Webster, of Nebraska, but
those closest to the administration
seem to think that Attorney Gen
eral Miller will be the fortunate
man
Several other Pension cases
that were rejected by the late
administration have been reopen
ed and granted by Assistant
Secretary Bussey. They all turn
on the question of whether the
injuries were received by the
applicant while in the line of
duty" Gen. Bussey holds, sub
stantially, in all the decisions he
has made, that any injury received
by a soldier in any manner,
except through his own neglect or
willful carelessness, between the
dates of his enlistment and dis
charge may be considered as
occurring in the Zine of duty"
Gen. Bussey seems to believe in
giving the poor soldier, instead of
the wealthy government the bene-
fit of any doubt that may arise in
considering his claim for a
pension; and, like Gen. Harrison,
he is opposed to using apothecary's
scales to weigh the merits of the
Union veterans.
Political circles were considera-
bly, excited last week by the
publication of letter written by
Col. Dudley to a friend in Indiana