The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-02-20
Washington Letter.

WAsnrSGroS. d. c. Feb. Is, 1891.
Senator Plumb does not agree with the
majority of his party upon hnanciai
matters, nor upon the tariff, but when
az comes to a question OF Government
pap, which is the keystone of the latter
dav Republican asch. he is Republican
to the backbone. He has just given
ample evidence of this by fathering the
boldest attempt yet openly made for
overriding gthesanctimonious fraud known
as the civil service law. he has INTRO
duced a Joint resolution providing that
stenographers, clerks, chiefs OF divisions,
copyists and computers IN the Census
Office shall be eligible for transfer to the
classified service in any OF the Govern
ment departments. That means that
couple of thousand Republicans are, rs
they are dropped from the rolls OF the
census bureau, which will be gradually
reduced from this time on, to be put IN
to the regular departmental service with
out going through civil service exam
inatiOn; ii also means that all OF the
Democrats now In the claSSIfled service
are to be discharged to make room for
those whose Republicanism Mr.. Porter
of the Census bureau has vouched Tor
under oath Every one knows that the
Civil Service law is a colossal humbug,
and there would be no grief If II was re-
pealed tomorrow, but that is no excuse
for such schemes TO trample under foot
q law of the land as this one IL.
He is pretty thick-skinned man who
cannot in these days be reached by pub
lie opinion. Representative DINGHY has
found it necessary to defend his silver
pool investigating committee from the
charge of not attempting 10 get all OF
the information possible out of the wit
ness, Owenby, who Was before the com
mittee last week. Mr.. Dingley's denial
is almost a reiteration of the charge.
He SAYS the committee WAS anxious TO
have Owenby testify to what he had per
sonal knowledge of, but that 1t objected
TO his giving hearsay evidence, and yet
Mr.. Dingley knows very well that the
speculations in silver of these two emil
nent Republicans, Senator Cameron and
Representative Taylor, of Illinois, were
first brought out by heresay evidence,
but perhaps that was the very reason
that he objected to any more of 1t. He
doesn't want any more Republicans
found out, and they are not likely TO be,
unless some enterprising newspaper man
does it.
Mr.. Blaine has scored another
knock down on Mckinley, Reed and
company by concluding the negotiation
of n reciprocity treaty with Venezuela.
True the trade of Nenezula isn't very
great, but it will serve to bring out the
iniquities of the Mckinley tariff law,
and for that reason, if for no other it is
| desirable.
Mr.. Cleveland's letter in opposition to
free coinage. published here this week,
shows that his backbone is as strong as
it was when he wrote the famous tariff
! message upon which the campaign OF
| 1855 was fought. Manliness always
commands admiration, whether one
agrees with it's possessor or not.
1t is stated that the House Coinage
Committee will next week report the
free coinage bill, with a recommends
! ton, from the majority of the commit
| tee against any silver legislation. 1hIs
recommendation, if made, will be
| a bit of sharp parliamentary practice, as
it will prevent the bill being placed on
| the calendar, and make it necessary TO
| obtain the consent of "A majority of that
| committee before it can be called up,
| in fact it viii be equivalent to smother
| ing the bill in committee, which was the
first programme of the Republicans,
| Secretary Tracy received a sharp dress
| ing down from members of his own par
| ty in the House this week for the man
ner in which he repremanded Com
! mander Reiter for his conduct in con-
nection with the killing of General Bar
rianda.
The Sioux Indians, having testified tC
| their objection to being placed under the
care of the war department, which was
the principal reason for bringing them
| here, have been loaded down with pres
ents and sent home, via Philadelphia
! and Carlisle.
The wrong methods in the conduct o.
| the Pension office are constantly being
| tacitly acknowledged by the authoritie'
by making changes in those methods
If II had not been for the exposure
made by such papers as the New York
Herald these changes would never have
been made II is the fearless press o
the country that always looks out for th'
real interests of the people.
After the practical killing of the eigh
hour bill and the copyright bill in th'
Senate early this week that body and tn,
House have devoted most of the time t
the regular appropriation bills. Th'
night sessions of the Senate, as was ex
pected, are fizzle. There hasn't ye
been a quorum at one of them.
The radical Republicans are brewing
some deviltry in connection with tn
Force bill, but the Democrats are wild
awake, Nj.