The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-03-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Mar. FL, 1892.

a IL may nave had upon his Presidential
4 prospects, one cannot doubt after hear
ing his enthusiastic description of the
hospitable reception he met with every
where he went that it was one of the
most enjoyable trips he ever made.
The Senator says that the sensational
stories about his having attempted to
dictate to the democratic members
OF the House Committee on Elections
how they should vote in the New York
contested election case of Noyes VS..
Rockwell, which has been reported in
favor of Noyes, the republican contes-
tant, are absurd. Personally he would
like to see Mr.. Rockwell keep the Sc at
but he has no doubt that the commit
tee acted on the evidence produced
before it in deciding against him, and
he has no criticism TO make. This
knocks big hole in one of the most
sensational stories of the session
The free wool bill will be laid aside
/ in the House until after the free coin
age bill is disposed of, which will be
2 tbs week, according to the original
resolution. There was considerable
talk few days ago of an extension by
agreement of the silver debate, but
nothing came OF it, because a MAORI
ty seemed to think such an extension
entirely unnecessary, as it is not prob
able that any amount of debate would
result in the change ofone single vote.
There is another clash between Sec
retary Noble and Commissioner of
Pensions Raum, and report is cur
rent that Mr. Noble informed Mr..
Harrison that he must choose between
his resignation and the removal of
Raum, and that Mr.. Harrison told the
Secretary that he would have asked
tor Raum's resignation long ago were
1t not for the Congressional investiga
on now being made Of the Pension
ffice, and requested him to be patient.
he immediate cause for the Secre
rvs anger was recommendation
lade by Raum, which he found on
his desk when he returned to Washing
ton last week, for the appointment of
his daughter to be his private secretary.
Mr.. Noble sometimes uses "cuss words
and 1t is said that he said of Raum
when he read that recommendation al
most identically what the late William
H. Vanderbilt said upon a certain oc
casion of one Of his sons-in- law, Col.
Elliot F. Shepard. Commissioner Raum
had very humiliating time before the
investigation committee, Saturday. He
was compelled to acknowledge that
Secretary Noble had turned down his
attempt to make his daughter his pri-
vate secretary, as well as that his son,
the young man who made such a gor-
geous failure as an Office broker, had
been refused permission TO practice
before the Interior department, not
withstanding his per2onal appeal in his
behalf to Mr.. Harrison.
The river and harbor bill, which was
reported to the House today, contains
a number of new and important pro-
jects, among which are the Hudson
river improvement, the ship channel
connecting the great lakes, the i'm
provement Of Mobile harbor and of
the Savannah river. 1t carries in round
figures twenty and half millions.
General Nelson Miles, at present
here, has added his quota to the usual
war scare which is always produced
when the appropriations for the Army
and Navy are being considered by
Congress, by newpaper interview in
which he enlarges upon sour defence
less condition" and the danger of war;
Treasury oltiCials-minor ones-for
the first time acknowledge that the de-
partment finds it difficult to meet cur
rent payments, and others say that it
does not meet them, but postpones
them from day to Gay by every means
In lis power
Secretary Foster returns to his de-
partment just in time to find a nice
little family row on between Assistant
Secretary Nettleton and the migration
Commissioner, over the question of al
lowing pauper Immigrants to land up
on the guarantee of some society ol
association that they shall not become
public charge. Assistant Secretary
Nettleton, while acting Secretary
wrote the New York Superintendent
of immigration very sharp letter ask
ing why he had followed such a prac
tce, to which that official replied b,
quoting from letter from the Com
missioner of immigration authorizing
him to DO so. Then Mr.. Nettletor
wrote another, stating that the Com
missioner had exceeded his authority
and that no ore could grant such au
,hority, except the Secretary. 'Ih'
trouble with Il G Ger mission er Of Imi