The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-09-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.


The Blaine-Harrison business is be-
lieved to be nearing crisis, and the
prediction is made by shrewd observers
that within the next sixty days one of
them will announce that he will not
accept the Presidential nomination of
his party. if it be rendered to him.
Mr.. Harrison is decidedly averse to
being that one, and his friend, Secre-
tary Foster, will visit Bar Harbor with
in ten days for the purpose OF trying
to make Mr.. Blaine take the position
OF loyalty" towards his chief which
Russell Harrison's newspapers have as
signed to him. by writing a letter for
publication over his own signature
stating that he is not willing to become
candidate and that he is for Harri-
son. One would suppose from the
talk Of the personal friends of these
two men that the republican party
was their personal property and that
when they had decided what they
wished to be done that party must sla-
vishly obey that decision. This sort Of
thing must be aggravating to self-re-
specting republicans, who must think
it is high time for the party to go out
OF existence when it is confined in its
choice of candidates to two men.
Representative Herbert, of Ala
bama, who is understood to be a can
didate for the vacancy on the Inter
State Commerce Commission made
by the death of Hon. w. l.. Bragg, of
the same State, is in town. Alabama
has several other candidates for the
vacancy, among them Judge Morrill,
and Col. Shorter. There are also lots
of candidates from other states, includ-
ing ex Senator Reagan and Represen-
tative Culbertson, of Texas, and ex-
Congressman Hammond, of Georgia.
The appointment will 60, by law, to a
democrat
Mr.. Wanamaker has a grand scheme
to get something for nothing. He has
sent a circular letter to all postmasters
at county seats to visit all the postoffi.
ces in their counties, at their own ex-
pense, and report their condition to
him. That's case Of cheek.
There is well founded suspicion
that the State department, is trying to
pull the wool over the eyes, of the
colored brother with regard to the va
cant position of U. S. Minister to
Hayti. 1t is stated semi officially that
the department on account OF circum-
stances which it deems inadvisable to
make public, will not fill the vacancy
for some time to come, but that the
appointment will probably eventually
60 to a colored man. This is expect
ed to quiet the colored voters until af-
ter the fall elections, when Mr.. Blaine
will carry out his intention of selecting
white man for the place, trusting to
luck to bamboozle the negro voters
with other halfway promises before
the time comes to hold another elec-
ton. 1t is not certain, however, that
this plan will succeed, as many OF the
more intelligent negroes are fully
aware of what is going on, and if they
can only agree upon any one of the
many negro candidates for the place,
it is impossible for them to compel
his appointment before the fall cleo
tions are held.
A smile crosses the face of the av-
erage naval officer when he hears any
one speak of Secretary Tracy's efforts
to have the mechanics in the navy
yards appointed on their merits and
not on their political pull" The fact
of the matter is that naval officers gen
orally take no stock in this alleged re-
form One of them said on the sub
ject; ''Bah it is simply nauseatng to
sensible people who know anything
about the manner in which the best
assignments in the navy are made, to
be told that the mechanics in the ma
Wy yards are to be appointed solely on
their merits as developed by compet-
Aii'S Shotiiiiaticiio. IL ID hOt I)IODdDlC
that such reform is really intended
by the same authorities who, unless
they are wofully ignorant, must know
that it is the officers who know how to
intrigue, and above all those who pos
sess that mysterious something known
as political pull that receive all of
the best assignments in the navy, and
not the officers who have made the
best records. This is true from the
acting Admiral down, and until it is
changed shall be slow to credit the
Secretary of the Navy with any sim
cere reform intentions. no matter what
orders he may issue"
The admin stration will have a bitter
pill to swallow in recognizing the Con
gressional party as the legal govern
ment Of China, as it must now be. 1t
should prove warning to the State
department which should compel our
ministers abroad to keep their fingers
out of the internal affairs of the coan-
tries they are accredited to.