The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-05-18
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFr ST "a Re Il .. COR "spundent
WAsHINGToN, Nav II, '93

more gladly welcomed by the great
non office-seekIng mass of the peo-
pie IN this country than that which
could be so operated as to bring
about congressional inactivity in
the matter of patronage. No coun-
try that has control of itself suffers
more because Of foolish and intffec-
tive legislation than does this or
dlnalv business like fragment of
the globe Every wear there assem-
bles in this city n national Con-
gress. elected ostenslbly to make
such laws AS will result in the great
est number, but whose time Is
largely devoted to efforts to secure
for constituents profitable or other
wise desirable places in the govern
ment service. The result of this
misplaced energy is often seen in
the work accomplished by Congress.
A few men are depended upon to
see that measures are correctly
framed, but the pressure of oyer
work is often too much for fallible
humanity and half digestcd legisla-
ton follows. a large proportion
of Senators and representatives ap-
pear to be content with present
conditions and that they are so is
due to the fact that they are Simon
pure spoilsmen. In some quarters
it is argued that a more desirable
state of affairs could be created bv
an agreement between the Execu.
tive and the Cabinet not to recog-
nize congressman who recommend
or solicit appointments, but to call
upon legislators when necessary to
come up and give their opinions as
to the merits or dement's of candi-
dates from their districts. But
this plan would only provide a
makeshift. Perhaps the true rem
edv may be found an extension Of
the civil service ru.es so as to in
clude every government employe,
and this enlargement of civil service
reform might relieve it of the n.y.
pocrisy and ineffectiveness of which
its critics at present complain.
The leaders in Congress and the
administration are trying to come
to an understanding as to the policy
of the next Congress bv which they
can afford danger Of party-confllct
on the money question and secure
united action on several important
questions which will present them
selves. 1t is asserted by those who
have been most active in the mat
ter that agreement will be reached
on the much-dreaded money ques-
ton. The program of the Congress
has been laid out with considerable
detail, and great hopes for harmony
are entertained. 1t Is about defin-
itelv settled that the extra session
of congress viii be called for the
middle of September.
1t is said to be che present I'M
Outstanding that the compromise
proposition to dispose of the silver
question by accompanying the re-
peal of the Sherman law with the
repeal of the 10 per cent tax on
state bank currency will receive the
sanction of the administration, and
that the men in Congress who are
fighting against anv contraction OF
the currency will be satisfied to let
go of silver if they can get the
state curreLcy- Briefly, there are
four things which it is the desire
of the Democratic leaders that the
coming Congress should dispose of
as speedily as possible. They are
the repeal of the federal election
laws, the levy of an income tax, the
repeal of the Sherman law and of
the tax on state bank currency and
revision of the tariff, making a
reduction of DATES all along the
line.
1t has been generally supposed
that the patronage of the present
administration in the ship building
line would be confined to the three
gunboats and submarine torpedo
boates authorized by the last Con-
gress. Secretary Herbert has, how
ever, authority for the construc-
ton of nine new vessels of war.
They are all small, but they help to
move us along peg or two IN the
race with Spain for sixth place
among the naval powers OF tie
world. The extra vessels which
the public has apparently lost sight
of are the four third-class torpedo
boats for the armored cruiser Maine
and battleship Texas, and the dy-
mantle cruiser No. >, authorized to
be constructed by the act Of 1886.
Secretary Herbert's decision on the
plans for the three new gunGoats is
expected in a few days. The out
lines of five different ships have
been prepared. One of these calls
for She oid-fashioned paddle wheel
for special service in the shallow
waters af Cb1uaxa rivars oro+h.r