The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-04-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Bogus s.-BIaine's Cunning.
EdmnnIS1 Cnn rrIn

Bogus RefOrms.-Blaine'S Cunning
EdmOnds' Cnagrln.
Special Correspondence COLUMBIA HERALD:
Mr.. Blaine has lost none of his old
time cunning. He wishes to give the
country the impression that he is run
ming the Department of State entirely
independent of Mr.. Harrison, and to
help that idea along he waited until
after Mr.. Harrison had gone to his
grand vote hunting tour before he de-
Iivered copy OF the reply OF TINS GOV
italian government to Marquis I'M
periali, the Italian charged affaires i'll
this city, for transmission to Rome,
although, have 1t on excellent au-
thorlty, that reply had been entirely
written, and approved by Mr.. Harrison
and the cabinet as long ago as last Sat
urday.
This reply is one of the longest and
most elaborate documents ever sent by
this Government to q foreign nation,
and it informs the Italians IN unmis-
taxable language that the United States
does not propose to interfere with the
regularly constituted State Courts un-
der any circumstances, and that when
it shall have been proven that any cltI-
zen or citizens of Italy were among the
members of the "Mafia' lynched at
New Orleans it is willing to take up the
nnestion of paying to his or their
families a money indemnity. 1t is in
short a thoroughly American letter.
Mr.. Blaine has many faults but lack OF
Americanism isn't one OF them, thank
heaven.
"1Teddy' Roosevelt is the happiest
man In Washington since he found out
that his Civil Service Commission was
to have added to the number of people
over whom it tyraniZGS about six hun
dred employees of the Indian service,
mostly connected with the Indian
schools. A non-partisan Indian service
may be very desirable, but it will never
be accomplished as long as the agents
and their Nemployes-nOt under
"Teddy's" supervision--are republican
strikers, as they are now.
Another bogus reform is the alleged
| attempt CT Secretary Tracy to clear the
| navy Yards of the country of partisan
| Dolitfcs. He has issued an order de-
claring the positions vacant after june
| 1, at New York yard and after July l.,
at the Norfolk yard OF all foremen ana
| mechanics, and ordering an examining
board of Naval officers to convene at
these yar,.s respectively May IL and
June 8, for the purpose of examining
| aprlicants for the vacancies. "Why,"
| said a Naval officer, this thing is a
| frand ON its face, and, in my opinion, is
only cotton up to get rid OF some men
| whose open discharge is not desirable.
If there are incompetent foremen ana
master mechanics employed why not
discharge them and, il it is the desire
of the Secretary, have their places filled
bv competitive examinations, but what
| ssuse is there in requiring men who
have proven by years of successful
work upon which they have been en-
gagged, in some cases, for half life
time."
The workingmen are after Secretary
Tracy with a sharp stick, because Oi
what they claim to be violation OF the
contract labor law by CommOdore
Folger, of the Washington Navy Yard
in employing upon the recommendation
of an English official, two foreigners as
machinists, within week after thell
arrival in this country. Secretary
Foster will be asked to investigate the
matter as soon as he comes back from
New York, whittier he mas gone tC
brace up the Harrison forces.
The romans of the big hearted demo
cratic veteran, Representative Spinola
who died here Tuesday morning, were
; taken to New York for interment Wed
nesdav morning, accompanied by {
Congressional committee ami delega-
ton of New Workers. he Will pt
missed in the House.
The true inwardnesS of the resigna
: tiOn of Senator Edmunds has leaked
out, It is chagrin There was time
when his word was law with his re
publican colleagues i'll the Senate, bu
at the last session his suggestions were
not only ignored, but he was actually
snubbed on several occasions by
majority of the republican senators
and in such ways as to make 1t plalI
that his power over them was gone
, never to return. That was more thaI
the old legislative tyrant could stand
so he resolved to go himself to escape
further modification.