The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-09-23
WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, Sept. Io, ISo.

Washington has never attempted to
entertain so large crowd as the one
now here in attendance upon the Ma
tional Encampment Of the G.. A. R.,
but it is doing it well and in the main
satisfactorily, although there are some
complaints of over charging on the
part of restaurant keepers. The city
is handsomely decorated and more
profusely than ever before. Mr.. Har-
rison was kept away by the illness of
Mrs. Harrison and his place is to be
taken on the programme by Mr.. Nor
ton, who, by the way, never smelt gun
powder in battle, having been busy
during the entire war in his New York
bank amasslng his fortune. OF course
this has caused some good natured
chahng among the old soldiers, but
they are here for good time and are
apparently having it.
One year ago, when Washington
was selected as the city to entertain
the encampment, many prominent To-
cal democrats feared that it would be
used by the republicans for political
purposes, and for that reason declined
for a time to take any part in making
preparations for it but they were as
sured that there was 10 be no politics
in it, and accepting that assurance
they allowed themselves to be on the
citizens committee and went to work
with will, and it is no exaggeration to
say that the great success of the en-
campment is very largely due to the
work Of these democrats and to the
money contributed by themselves and
their democratic friends.
But the old soldiers had hardly be-
gan to arrive in large numbers before
these democrats learned that just as
they had at first feared the encamp-
ment was to be used to help the re-
publican party. No bllme for this
can be attached to the republican
members of the citizens committee :
they have kept their promise and con-
fined themselves to look after the com.
fort of the city's guests in a manner
that is highly creditable to them, but
Congressmen and officials high up in
the administration, aided by the re.
publican National committee have
been and are now hard at work trying
to prejudice democratic members OF
of the G. A. K. against Mr.. Cleveland.
TO accomplish this purpose thousands
Of copies of pamphlet containing
garbied extracts from Mr.. Cleveland's
Pension veto messages, are being slyly
circulated among them, and a large
number Of members of the G. A. r.,
some of them said to be in the pay Of
the National Republican committee,
are continually harping on the same
subject. In addition, there are num-
bsr Of republican Senators and Repre-
senatives, chief among them being
Senator Proctor OF Vermont, who was
dug out Of obscurity and put at the
head of the War Department by Mr..
Harrison, who are openly shouting
about "Cleveland's dislike for the old
soldiers" and doing their level best to
create a prejudice against Mr.. Cleve-
land. 1t is little short of disgusting
that the encampment, which should be
a pleasant reunion of the men who
served in the army together, should be
used, and unfairly used, by politicians
to further their own ends. 1t is foul
Olot upon what would otherwise be a
very enjoyable affair, and it IS not
likely to benefit those who are engag-
ed in it.
| Secretary Charles Foster is very
much opposed to prohibiting immigra-
ton by Presidential proclamation, not
withsranding the opinion of the Attor.
ney General that it can be done le.
gally. The steamship companies have
all promised not to bring steerage pas,
sengers from Europe as long as there
| is danger from cholera. That puts a
stop to immigration. 1t also prevents
lot Of Americans now in Europe who
are unable to pay more than steelage
passage returning home. 1t seems
hard to shut out our own citizens be-
cause they are not able to pay cabin
passage, and treasury officials are try
ing to study up some plan that will be
just without being dangerous. S.ver-
al of the steamship companies have
offered to allow bona fide American
citizens now in Europe and unable to
pay more to come home as second
class passengers on their return steer
age tickets; but the officials are little
afraid to give their consent to this plan
as it would be almost certain to be
abused. Something has got to be
done, as demands have already been
made by foreign authorities to know
if these Americans are to be left over
there as paupers.
There is notable decrease among
republicans of the talk about the
South breaking up this year, and an
increase of talk about the doubtful.
ness of the republicans holding their