Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-03-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
(Regular Correspondence of the Standard.)
WASHINGTON, March 13, 1891.

| (Regular Correspondence Of the Standard.)
WASHINGTON, March 13, 1891.
Mr.. Harrison was fortunate in being
out OF town this week. He escaped
the first exuberance OF the Blaine
howlers, who have gone completely
wild. because the alleged reciprocity
treaty has been formerly accepted by
the Brazilian government, instead OF
being rejected as had been rumored
and because the British government
has agreed to submit the Behring Sea
dispute to arbitration, reserving the
right to insist upon the payment of
damages by this government for what
1T calls the illegal seizure Of vessels
sailing under the British flag. Before
crownins Mr.. Blaine king of the world
OF diplomacy the Blainiacs should pro-
cure copy OF the dispatch of Lord
Salisbury, sent to the British Minister
here last Summer, which was part
of the correspondence submitted to
Congress at the last session. They
will find that the proposition then
made by Great Britain to arbitrate was,
with the exception that it included
the Canadian fisheries dispute, sub
stantially the same as that now ac-
cepted by Lord Salisbury. If there
has been any diplomatic victory won
in these negotiations Mr.. Blaine was
not its winner.
Notwithstanding the statement that
Mr.. Harrison had concluded not to
make the appointments of the nine
United States Judges until Congress
met again the Republican supplicants
for these lifetime positions are pa
tiently waiting for him to return to
the White House in order to renew
the seige. His ostensible reason for
going to Maryland was to shoot wild
ducks, but think that his real reason
was to escape the opportunities OF the
lame ducks" OF his party. 1t is
thought here that he will make these
appointments before going to the Pa
citic Coast in search of votes in the
next Republican National Convention,
and the vote hunting jaunt is to be-
gin, very appropriately, in the neigh
borhood of the first OF April. Attor-
ney General Miller is said to be study
ing the law under which these Judges
are to be appointed, as doubts have
been expressed OF its constitutionality
Secretary Foster is in Ohio, but
there is quite Us much CONSERVATION
in the Treasury Department as there
usually is upon change OF admins
tration, and the impression is general
that many heads are to fall in order
to make places for Fosters machine
Republicans. Treasurer Huston is
expected, to return to Washington to-
morrow, but he will not, they say at
the Department, again resume his
duties, although his resignation has
not been officially accepted. There is
a we'll defined rumor here that Mr..
Harrison will try to get rid of Huston
by rendering him an important foreign
mission. Private Secretary Halford
says there is nothing in it, but it finds
many believers nevertheless.
Last night at the hotel, at which
Hon. William r. Morrison lives, there
was a gathering of Illinois Democrats
exchanging congratulations upon the
election OF Gen. Palmer to the U. S.
Senate, and no one expressed more
pleasure than Mr.. Morrison, who had
been prominently mentioned as a can
didate in case of the withdrawal of
Gen. Palmer.
Republicans here take special de-
light in the knowledge that the ex-
travagant appropriations of the last
Congress will made deficit in the
Treasury which the incoming Demo-
cratic Congress will have to provide
for. either by reducing expenses or in
creasing taxation, and they actually
have the "gall' to express their de-
light to Democrats. Perhaps when
the Democratic House begins to show
up some OF the financial crookedness
OF the majority in the last Congress,
as it is almost certain to do, these
fellows will not feel quite so grateful.
The Treasury Department has mott
fed the claim agents that all pay
ments under the direct tax act will be
made to the States in trust for citizens
thereof from whom they were collected
and that no one will be allowed to ex-
mine the direct tax records of the
department unless authorized by one
OF the States to do so. This is black
eye to the fraternity of claim agents,
and it would be safe to bet that copies
of the department records were in the
possession of favored individuals be-
fore the order was issued.
The illegal sealers in Behring Sea
will have lively time this season. as
pending the arbitration the ships of
Great Britain will assist those of
the United States in putting an end
to the business. Dem.
We would suggest to Buffalo Bill"
that he might add new feature to
his Wild West" show, which is now
in Europe, by employing the ex-mem-
bers of Congress to repeat daily, for
the edifcation Of the adherents of the
" efiete monarchial systems" the
" riot act" which they have enacted
so often during the lifetime of the uu-
lamented Fifty-first Congress. The
expense would not he great, as most
of the repudiated politicians would be