Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-06-05
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, May 25, 1891.

W ~ OihSA"A SitOAVo NOhOCih-
ing Secretary Blaine's health.
He is said to be mending so
slowly that his physicians have
forbidden him to converse with
any one about public affairs,
and Mrs. Blaine is to keep
newspaper men away from him.
The announcement that the
Secretary is going to Maine for
a long rest, and may not come
to Washington this summer, is
regarded as confirming the
common belief that he is a
sicker man than the public
know of. While Mr.. Blaine's
health is undoubtedly preca-
rious. there is nothing to justi-
fly the cruel and sensational
articles recently published in
New York, that his mind is
giving away. Whatever the
Secretary's ailments may be,
they are entirely physical, and
not mental, as is abundantly
proven by some of his recent
state papers on the Behring
Sea and Italian matters.
The tests of the pneumatic
guns on the cruiser Vessuvius
are over, and her fate as a
dynamite" cruiser is settled.
The guns were a failure, and
the vessel will undoubtedly
soon be stripped of them, and
converted into an ordinary
torpedo cruiser. 1t is an open
secret about the navy depart
ment that the recent tests
were ordered, in order to have
an official pretext to disman-
tie the vessel. Not an officer
could be found willing to risk
his life by his presence at an
actual trial of dynamite shells,
and consequently there has
never been such a test. There
will be no more dynamite
cruisers built.
Ex-senator Blair, the minis
ter selected for, but not ac-
cepted by China, is not max
ing much fuss about not being
sent to the flowery kingdom.
His salary of $4,000 a year as
the duly commissioned minis
ter to China commenced on
the 9th of last March, when he
took the oath, and will be
running on until President
Harrison revoks his commits.
sion, or Mr.. Blair resigns
which he is not likely to do
Owing to a peculiar provision
in the diplomatic and consular
appropriation bill, which ena.
bles two men to draw salary
for the same Office at the same
time, Mr.. Blair's appointment,
did not deprive Minister Den.
by, who is still in Pekin, of his
compensation, which, under
the law, would only cease
when his successor actually
relieved him. There are con.
stantly overlapping and dupli.
cate salaries arising in this way
in the diplomatic service, and
o neutrality-suspicious. of about
$3.50, a year is made tc
meet them. But it is not of.
ten that q minister is allowed
to hang on to his salary and
nothing else for so long a time
as in the case of Mr.. Blair.
Lincoln Post, Department
of the Potomac, G. A. R. o
this city put in a very pointed
and vigorous protest a few
days ago, against the proposed
HBlue and Gray" exhibit o
United States and Confederst,
flags, guns and relics at tn,
Worlds fair. The post unani
mously adopted resolution
protesting against the scheme
insisting ''that we were RICH
in 1861 and 1865, and our op
ponents were wrong; there
fore, if honor is due to anyone
it is due only to those VIII
saved the Nations life," ant
further insisting that ther,
was room for the display O
only one flag within the con
fines Of the United States-th,
Stars and Stripes. The de
partment encampment yer,