Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-04-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
lFrom our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 8, 1889.

WAShlNdIONi ~ N'i Apiii o. ioo0'
Poor President Harrison. The New
York gang have made his life torment
for the last week They have figura-
lively Jumped on him and wiped up
the floor with him. They have pulled
him this way, that way and the other
way all at the same time. All the fac
tions have been strongly represented
here. The bone of contention has been
important Federal officers of New York
City, with the enormous patronage that
goes Herewith.
It was one ofthese same offices that
drove COnkling and Platt out of the
United States Senate and eventually
resulted in the assassination of Garfield.
With all this to think about / imagine
that Mr.. Harrison, with his pale, care
worn face, has wished the whole crowd
in Halifax more than once. AS yet he
has decided only two of these officials,
Erhardt, who allowed himself to be put
up last November as the Republican
candidate for Mayor of New York City,
when he knew that it was the intention
of his party to trade him off for votes
for Harrison. Hesis rewarded by being
appointed Collector of Customs for the
port of New York. The other is Van
Cott, who is made Postmaster in place
of the Mugwump Pearson, whose re-
appointment by Mr.. Cleveland four
years ago doubtless cost the Democrats
many votes in New York. The fight
is still on over the other appointments
and is likely to continue until they are
made, unless Harrison runs away for q
few days as he has threatened to do this
week.
A delegation of Ohio Republicans
went to the White House on Saturday
and read the riot act to Mr.. Harrison,
and told him that the Buckeye State
was bound to go Democratic at the
coming State election if he did not
give her more recognition in the dis
tribution of the offices. They evidently
did not get much satisfaction for they
came away in a very bad humor and
prophesied all sorts of bad things for
their party in Ohio.
Mr.. Cleveland passed through here
on Saturday on his way to New York
from Florida. Four of his party, Messrs.
Bavard, Villas, Fairchild and Dickin-
son, remained in this city where their
families still are.
When the Senate adjourned last week
Mr.. Harrison thought he would get rid
of some of the most persistent of the
office seekers, but he was sadly mis-
taken. Since then large number of
Republican Senators have almost lived
liz the White House.
During the recent campaign we heard
great deal of talk about the Republic
can party being the peoples party
Now let's see how the people are treat
ed. Orders have just been issued by
secretaries Blaine, Proctor and Tracy
defining the hours during which they
may be seen. The people are given
one hour, from IL to o'clock, four days
in the week, during which they may
call on these high and mighty officers.
During the Cleveland administration
any member of the Cabinet could be
seen at any hour during office hours by
any one who chose to call on him, un-
less he happened to be specially en-
gagged. =,
There is a rumor whispered around
in Republican circles that Harrison
does not propose to fill the two vacan-
cies on the Civil Service Commission.
That would be almost equivalent to
! abolishing the whole thing, as the one
Commissioners now in office can do lit
tie else except draw his salary.
The negroes of the south who have
come here to get Federal offices are very
much discouraged. Ioverheard con-
yersation between two of them from
Louisiana, in hotel lobby. One of
them said: ~ am going back home,
YOU may let Pitt Kellogg fool you into
believing he can get you something,
but after what Harrison said to us to-
day, consider the jig is up" The
negroes are not taking this neglect
easily by any means. They are kicking
and swearing vengance on the Republic
can party. 1t does seem a little queer
that out of nearly 400 Presidential ap-
pointments thus far made, not one is a
negro.
Mr.. Higgins, the new Republican
Senator from Delaware, seems to be al
most as much of political hustler as
his eminent Democratic namesake from
Maryland.
The new pension officials are begin
ming early. Already one decision of
ex-Commissioner Blacks has been over.
JTufed that will reopen thousands of
cases heretofore decided adversely.
Ex-Secrtary Whitney made a profit
of $4,000 on the house he sold to Post
master General Wanamaker. Mr..
Whitney also made something like
$4,000 on country place which he
bought in 1885 and sold last year.
The lady clerks in the Postoftice De-
partment are much exercised over a
rumor that the postmaster General in
tends to make them all dress alike, as
he does the hundreds Of lady clerks in
his Philadelphia store.
Most southerners are rejoiced to see
that ex-senator Malone has got moth.
ing, and as far as can be seen, has no
chance of getting anything.
Do YOU want to be carried to Africa
and see how the terrible slave-trade is
conducted in that country? how whole
villages are laid waste, and all the in
habitants manacled and marched off to
the marts, save those who are butchered
because too feeble, too young or too old
to be of service? We have just finished
reading finely illustrated article on
this subject. The battle scene between
the slave-traders and the doomed is
terribly realistic, and the other nuIner'
GUS illustrations give vivid idea of the
hardships of the African in his own
country. This article in Demorest's
Monthly Magazine for May will alone
,,aoro than .rnnav tha purchaSer: bu1