The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-02-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsH1NaroN. Do Feh =


Senator Plumb does not agree with the ma |
Jority OF his party upon financial matters, nor |
upon the tarln, but when it comes to a question |
Oh government pap. which is the keystone of
the latter day republican arch he is republican
TO the backbone. He has just given ample evil
dence of this by fathering the boldest attempt
yet openly made for overriding the sanctimo.
nious fraud known as the civil service law
He has introduced joint resolution providing
that stenographers, clerks. chiefs of divisions
copylsts and comp1ters in the Census office
snail De eligible for transfer to the classified
service In any OF the government departments.
Tnat means that couple of thousand republi-
cans are. as they are dropped from the rolls of
sne census bureau. which will be gradually re-
duced from this time on, to be put into the reg
ular departmental service without going
through civil service examination; it also
means that all of the democrats now in the
ciassined service are to be discharged to make
room for those whose republicanism Mr.. Por-
Ter OF the Census bureau. has vouched for un-
uer oatn. Everyone knows that that the civil
service law is a colossal humbug, and there
would be no grief if it was repealed tomorrow,
but that is no excuse for such schemes to tram
pie under foot law of the land as this one is.
He is pretty thick-skinned man who cannot
Representative Dingley has found it necessary
70 defend his silver pool investigating commit
tee from the charge of not attempting to get all
of the information possible out of the witness
owenby. who was before the committee last
week. Mr.. Dingley's denial is almost re-
iteration OF the charge. He says the committee
was anxious to have Owenby testify to what he
had personal knowled sc Of but hat it objected
TO MS giving hearsay evilcBc and yet Mr.
Dingley knows very wei that the speculations
In silver of those two eminent republicans
Senator Cameron and Renresentative Taylor, of
nlineis. were first bzoughs out by hearsay evil
dence. but perhaps that was the very reason
that he objected to any more of it. He doesn't
want any more republicans found out, and they
are not likely to be. unless some enterprising
newspaper man does it.
Mr.. Blaine has scored another knock down on
Mckinley. Reed and company by concluding 2
the negotiation OF a reciprocity treaty with
Venezuela. True the trade of Venezuela is nj
very great but it will serve to bring out the
iniquities of the Mckinley tariff law, and for
that reason, if for no other. it is desirable
Mr.. Cleveland's letter in opposition to free
coinage. published here this week, shows that
his backbone is as strong as it was when ht
wrote the famous tariff message upon which
the campaign of 's8 was fought. Manliness
always commands admiration, whether one
agrees with its possessor or not.
It is stated that the House Coinage committee
will next week report the free coinage bill with
Recommendation from the majority of the
committee against any silver legislation. Thi
recommendation, If made, will be bit of sharI
parliamentary practice. as it will prevent thu
bill being placed on the calendar. and make i
necessary to obtain the consent of a majority O
that committee before it can be called up il
fact it will be equivalent to smotheripg the bill
in committee, which was the first program o.
the republicans.
Secretary Tracy received sharp dressing
down from members of his own party in tn,
House, this week. for the manner in which h,
reprimanded Commander Reiter for his con
duct in connection with the killing of Gen
Barrundia.
The Sioux Indians. having testified to theil
objection to being placed under the care of tn
War department, which was the principa
reason for bringing them here, have been load
ed down with presents and sent home. via Phil
adelphia and Carlisle.
The wrong methods in the conduct of th
Pension Office are constantly being tacitly &C
knowledged by the authorities by maxim,
changes in those methods. If it had not beel
for the exposures made by such papers as tn
New York Herald, these changes would neve
have been made. 1t is the fearless press of th
country that always looks out for the real in
terests of the people.
After the practical killing of the eight hou
bill and the copyright bill in the Senate earl,
this week. that body and the House have de
voted most of the time to the regular appropri
alton bills. The night sessions of the Senate. a
was expected. are fzzle. There hasn't We
been quorum at one of them.
The radical republicans are brewing som,
deyiltry in connection with the Force BILL bu
the democrats are wide awake