The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-04-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.


Mr.. Harrison would gladly, it is be-
heved, abandon the vote hunting tour
upon which he starts tomorrow if he
could consistently do SO. There are
several reasons for this condition of
mind on his part. When this tour was
first suggested he expected to be able
TO carry with him prominent party,
including a majority of the cabinet
and several Senators and Representa-
tives, but as the time drew near to
start he has bad the experience of the
biblical character who gave an enter
tainment-all had excuses to prevent
their going. Mr.. Mckinley, for whose
special benefit the Canadian recipro
city talk has been postponed until after
the Ohio election in October, would
have made a star attraction for the
party, but his own presidential aspira
tions are SO fully developed and he has
such an exaggerated idea of his politi-
cal Importance that he would not con-
sent to play second fiddle to Mr.. Har-
rison.
But, perhaps, what worries Mr.. Har-
rison more than all other causes is his
overwhelming jealousy of Mr.. Blaine,
who he thinks has already gained more
notorlety than he is entitled to though
his connection with the administration.
He fears that Mr.. Blaine will do some
thing while he is away to increase that
notorlety, and although he has Mr..
Blalne's promise to stand aside and
allow him to be renominated if he can
be, he doubts his sincerity and is afraid
of him. 1t is believed that Mr.. Blaine
is fully aware of the state of MIR. Har-
rison's mind, and that he enjoys it.
The evident intention of MIR. Blaine
to surround the present condition of
the Italian question with an inpenet-
rable air of mystery is having a bad
effect. He refused to give out any in
formation, even to stating whether he
had sent the answer to Rudini's last
dispatch. From other sources it is
learned that draft of that answer
was read at the cabinet meeting last
week and approx ed by those present,
but If 1t has been sent it went by mail
to our minister at Rome, because, If
it had been cabled over the Italian
papers would not persist in saying that
Rudini had notified Mr. Blaine Of his
attention to break off all diplom attic
relations with the United States if he
did not get satisfactory answer by
Tuesday of this week. This last of
course is bit of buncomb that is
feared by nobody.
Nevertheless, Mr.. Blaines refusalto
make public that dispatch of Rudini's
has caused many people to believe
that 1t was not of such a conciliatory
nature as we had been led to believe
it was by the cable synopsis of it that
came from Rome, and which, by the
way, is all the information we got con-
cerning it. Americans are not fond
OF mysteries either in their public or
private affairs, and Mr.. Blaine would
better take them into his confidence.
Mr.. Harrison's attempt to placate the
disgrunteled negroes is not brilliant
success He appointed a negro, H.
G. Parker, Of Missouri. to alternate
Commissioner at-large for the Colum-
bian exposition, but the negroes are
worse than ever, because, at the same
time, he appointed white man, r.
w. Furns, of Nebraska. to be Com
missioner at-large. They say that if
Mr.. Harrison wished to recognize the
negro he should have appointed him
Commissioner and the white man al
ternate as the negroes had no repres-
entatlve on the commission, and the
alternate is simply fifth wheel, un-
less for some reason the Commission
er for whom he is alternate becomes
unable to move.
Republicans wink knowingly when
anybody says anything about Secretary
Iracys declared intention of conduct
Ing the working forces at the various
navy yards without regard to partisan
PohtiCs, Mr. tracy may be perfectly
honest in his intentions but either the
republicans do not believe it or they
think they can out-wit him. They
certainly do not anticipate giving up
the Navy Yard patronage.
Secretary Foster has gone to New
York to take hand personally in
making Harrison machine of the
Federal office holders in that city.
That's one of the things he went In
the cabinet to do.
Again it is thought that a successor
TO U. S. Treasurer Huston has been
orralled This time it is Mr.. f. N.
'edecker, of Indiana, a gentleman
imposed to be influential with the Ger
mans in the State and able to offset
my adverse influence which Mr.. Hus-
ton may be disposed to attempt to use