Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-09-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON LETTER.
written and compiled for the HERALD
WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. lathe
President, when he returns to the White
House tomorrow, will find all the men,
beers of the Cabinet, except three-Secre-
tary Blaine, who is still in Maine, but
who is expected to return to Washington
inside of three weeks; Secretary Proctor,
who has gone on tour of inspection of
the military post in the West, and Sec
rotary Foster, who has gone on little
ocean fishing trip-at their desks. Owing
to the Presidents neaIness to Washing
ton and his keeping almost constantly az
work during the Summer there has been
no large accumulation of routine busi-
ness in the Government departments dur
ing his absence. The field therefore Is
clear for him to devote his attention to
the more important business of selecting
a successor to Secretary Proctor and pos
sibly one also for Attorney General Miller,
it being very generally believed here that
Mr.. Miller will be one of the nine Justices
of the new Circuit Court, all OF whom
must be decided upon before Congress
meets; the filling of a number ,of other
important vacancies, and the preparation
of his annual message to Congress, which
for various reasons will be an unusually
important document this year. 1t Will
readily be seen that the President has q
very busy season before him.
A gentlemen who is in position 10 De
conyersant with the plans of Secretary
Proctor says that he will not retire from
the Cabinet until bis Senatorial term be-
gins and that lie is certain that the Presi-
dent will not give any serious considera-
ton to selecting his successor until he
has had an opportunity to confer with the
party leaders both in and out of Congress
and get their suggestions.
There is no Disgusting the fact that the
harmony of the recent Republican State
Convention IN New York and the undis-
puted strength of the ticket nominated
and the platform adopted has badly
frightened the Democratic leaders. and 1t
NAV smash the millionaire Flowers boom,
as he has never been regarded as strong
candidate. Republicans from New YORK
who have been in Washington since the
Convention are enthusiastically conndeRt
of carrying the State.
Secretary Tracy has iSsned an ordar
which puts in practice in the nsvy the
method adopted by Secretary Proctor for
the Army more than year ago, of ascer-
tanning periodically the fitness of officers
for their various professional duties, In
in order that they may be By the depart
ment designated to perform the duties tor
which they have the most natural
aptitude. This is done by a series OF
questions embracing about everything
concerning an officers official life which
are to be answered in writing, by those
INN ediately above and in contact with
them, twice year, in June and December
Secretary Tracy IS making one OF the
best heads our Navy department has ever
had.
Treasury officials are trying to deyise
some means of keeping the expert &C
conntants at work on the books of the
Keystone National bank at Philadelphia,
the funds ordinarily available Tor such
purpose having been exhausted, and the
examination temporarily stopped just at
a most interesting stage. 1t is thought
to-day that the matter can be arranged so
as to complete the investigation, but 1t
is first necessary to get an opinion from
the legal advisers of the department.
1t is said that Senator German was
asked to accompany the Democratic show
which left here yesterday bound for the
Pacific coast in special car which will
stop for exhibition purposes at various
important points between Chicago and
the coast and that he replied: "No, thank
you, haven't yet reached the prize OK
stage of political existence" He may
have used the language, but he could not
have safely gone no matter how great his
desire may have been, as be has a fight
for political existence on his hands in his
own State that will leave him no time tor
side-shows during the next six or seven
weeks.
The new Window 81 silver certificate
which is to take place of the Hancock
note which has been extensively counter
feited will be put in circulation Oct. L.
1t IS by artists said to be the handsomest
note ever issued by this or any other
Government. Upon it the big brown seal
which has been used on all United States
currency will be replaced by the small
red seal whichehas been used exclusively
for national bank notes. The ugly brown
seal is to be entirely discarded.
Secretary Tracy has decided to have
the Neipsc, the Adams and the Ran
ger, wooden vessels, repaired at once,
and the necessary orders have been
telegrsphed to the Mare Island navy
yard, where they all are. If it were not
that the need of more vessels in the
Pacific isimperative these old boats would
probably have been condemned instead of
being repaired.
The members of a committee appointed