The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-07-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, ID. c.. July II, 1857.
The compromise silver bill has been pass
by the Senate, and signed by the T-esident. 1t
has already raised the price of silver in foreign
markets. and at such a bound as was never be-
fore known The consequence will be that the
Secretary of the Treasury, having D buy 500 0C0
ounces monthly at the market price, will soon
have all there is in the world; for which the
taxpayers will be charged an exorbitant price.
1t was expected that the majority Of the Sen
ate would arbitrarily change the rulo7 . per-
nit itself to r1sh through the purely partisan
measure, the Federal election bill. But at the
first republican, caucus meeting, some of the
members reused . adopt the shameless meth.
DDS of the Speaker of the House; and nothing
but debate on that subject has yet been done.
Mr.. Blaine has had D b:ing dowl the lash on
the majority of the Seaate % KEEP it 81 1aight
He does it through an open letter Mr.. FL Je.
He denounces the Mckinley tariff bill and says
it will not open market for another bushef
ofwheat or another barrel of ork.'
In the House bill applopriating $e@j.1. for
an additional clerical force numbering & 8, for
the Pension Bureau was called. Mr.. Enloe. of
Tennessee, thought that before any increase of
force be granted the Pensisn Bureau, it should
be ascertained whether the charges brought
against the present Commissioner were trle.
1t had been alleged that the pension office was
corrupt frsm top to bot. IN; and he himself
tslieved the ofice rsebing with corruption in
every department. He declared that every
other department bureau was open & iovesti-
cation, and was conducted ON business princi-
pies. About that bureau there appearo1 be
something sacred. or something roten; and in
his opinion, the reason the bureau had not been
Investigated was because of desire to conceal
the rottenness which was known.
Mr.. Cooper, of Indiana. said tina. facts had
come to his knowledge which substantial the
rumors which had been circu,a d in the news
papers respecting the Commissioner of PEN
sions. He was ready to prove before compe-
tent committee that the charges were true. He
eKpec' ed to prove that the Commissioner of
Pensions had outragc ously sold out l-:iing in
behalf of firm of pension attorneys in wash
ington. He was favorable D the appropriation
made by the bill; but he believed that :f the
Commissioner of Pensions would devo o-e the
time for which the government paid him to
discharge the duties of his bureau, instead of
becoming president and chief manager of re-
frigerating Institution, based, possibly, on no
substantial foundation. there would be no na-
cessity for so considerable number of clerks
1.-THE bureau should be adT'7isterc a honestly.
and charge before the country that this is not
it."
During this discussion, Mr.. Mckinley got in
q severe slap on the hard check of Speaker
Reed. A few days before Speaker Reed had
arrogated to himself the powers of a gr: nd jury.
Mr.. Cooper had made his charges aga +nst the
Commissioner in the House. and was cited to
appear before the Committee on Ru'es. } show
cause why ne had offercd the resolution to in
vestigat, the Commissioners office. Mr.! ooper
wss reluctant go before this commit e on
rules, as there was no reason why he should be
expected 20 go before secret )mmittee, where
he could call for neither persons or papers, nd
be asked to prove charges against Commissioner
Rapm which were a matt3r of newspaper noco-
riety. He felt it was prrely device D make
him show his hand. But realizing that IN view
OF Speaker Reeds tactics ia no other way was
it possible to secure any kind of an inquiry,
after some delay and persuasion of some OF t1e
other members, he consen ed } apref". He
first asked the au ocrat. Feed, why he sho! 1t
be ordered before the speakers oN i ommitl 'e,
which was not expected to consider such mat
tiers; and received asupercilious reply. Before
the committee, Mr.. Cooper made the same sta ,
ment he had made before the House The
Speaker asked if ne 6ould prove his statement
by witnesses; and he said he could. The Speak
er demanded the names Of those witnesses;
which Mr. Cooper declined J give.
And here was exhibited Speaker eds fr-
bitrary method Of dealing with public ques-
tions. stenographer had taken down Repre-
sentative &C oper's statement; and when he
asked for a record thereof. he was informed
that he could not have one.
Well, MIR. Mckinley, on taking the fcor. said
that owing to serious illness in his family he
had not been able 10 attend the above mention
ed meeting of the Committee on Rules. So far
as any investigation of Gen. Raum was con-
cerned, if any gentleman would rise in his
place and charge Irregularities or or lption,
or dishonesty or uufair dealing on the p.rt OF
the Commissioner, that would be sufficient
reason for him ~ give bis vo for an iavesti-
cation.
The bill was passed Saturday by the House
after q great discussion.