Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-06-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from Our Regular Correspondent J


given the country an exhibition of ex-
treme political Lpartisanship that was
never surpassed even during the ad-
ministration OF that most, partisan
president, Andrew Jackson. This is
all the more surprising because from
his judicial training fairness at least
was expected of him. 1t has been the
custom ever since there have been
medical boards to examine applicants
for pensions to make those boards
non-partisan by having them COM
posed of two members of the party in
power and one of the opposition, but
this custom has been overturned by
Lochren who boldly announces his
purpose to mako these boards entirely
Democratic, and to add insult to in-
jury he has the audacity to call this
rank injustice to the Republican party
and the veterans 'reform." Verify,
Democratic reform is but another
name for partisan narrow-mindedness
The administration has no apparent
intention OF trying to prevent the
Sunday opening of the Worlds Fair,
Notwithstanding its being direct vio-
.lation of law, and is reported that as
much was intimated to a representa-
tive of the local board of control who
was here some days ago to ascertain
what would be done by the admins
tration if the exposition were opened
on Sunday. This is not question OF
the personal preferences of the indi-
vidual members OF the administration.
1t is against law of the United States
to open the fair on Sunday, and every
member OF the administration has
sworn to observe and enforce the law,
and a failure to do so will be a viola
tion of the oaths they took upon as
suming Office. Attorney General o.
ney has given an opinion, at the re-
quest eof the postmaster general,
stating that the opening OF the branch
post Office at the Worlds Fair on Sun
day would be unlawful and it is pre-
sumed that orders will be issued i'll
accordance with that opinion not to
open the postofiice on Sunday.
The administration is itself solely
responsible for the unique position it
found itself in when the Chinese ex
clusion act was declared constitu
tional by the supreme court. 1t has
allowed those who control the actions
of nine-tenths of the Chinese in this
country to know that it expected the
law to be declared unconstitutional,
and that it was opposed to enforcing
it anyway. With that knowledge it
is no wonder that these people advised
the Chinese not to register, nor that
the Chinese so largely followed that
advice. Had the Chinese registered,
as they probably all would have done
tended to enforce the law, the admin
istration would not be in the present
embarrassing position OF being unable
to carry out the law, even if so dis
posed. for lack of funds. There is only
one redeeming feature about the stu
ation-nobody here wants the Chinese
already in this country forcibly driven
away; and nobody seems to expect
that congress will appropriate the five
or six million dollars that would be
necessary to send away those who did
not register.
Much amusement has followed the
refusal of Mr.. Cleveland to appoint a
Georgia editor, backed by ex-Speaker
Crisp, to a position because the afore-
said editor had once said in his paper
that Mr.. Cleveland was a mugwump.
81 will appoint no man to any office, !"
Mr.. Cleveland is reported to have an
grily said, "who has ever accused me
OF being a mugwump." No man Is to
be blamed for objecting to beingcalled
a mugwump, but it had been generally
supposed that Mr. Cleveland took a
sort of pleasure in being classed with
them. The amusement is caused by
the knowledge that some of the very
best places at his disposal have been
gwen by Mr.. Cleveland to those who
have openly charged him with mug
wumpery, ex-senator Eustis OF La
for instance, who is now ambassador
to France The real reason for the
failure OF the Georgia editor to get the
Office he wanted is believed to have
been his refusal to recognize and bow
down to the greatness OF Hoke Smith.
1t was long ago predicted in this
correspondence that Representative
the ways and means committee which
will have the very doubtful honor o.
ratIfying and reporting to the house
the tariff bill that the administration
is now having prepared by such emf
nent free traders as David A. Wells
and that prediction was verified th,
past week by the semi-ofiicial an
nouncement that Mr.. Cleveland haC
decided upon Representative W. l.
Wilson OF West Virginia as chairman
of that committee. When the hous
has been Republican the man who wa
elected speaker has had the naming O
the committee chairmanships, but tb
Cleveland idea is that all authority j
vested in the president. and the Cleve
land idea sjust now very much on TOP