The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1893-04-21
WASHINGTON LETTER


/ WASHINGTON, April 10, 1893
President Cleveland has remarkable
capacity for standing long hours of hard
work, and it has been put to severe test
since his Inauguration, as it has been the
exception rather than the rule when be has
been able to retire before O'Clock in the
morning. and he is always at his desk
again before O'Clock. Feeling the need
Of little undisturbed rest, he, In company
with Secretary Gresham, left Washington
Saturday afternoon and they will NOS re ;.
turn until tomorrow. HIS destination was
not made public for fear that he might be
followed by some of the importunate Office
seekers, anxious to personally present their
claims. They went to see Ambassador
Bayard at his home in Wilmington. Dela-
wore.
| The investigation of the weather bureau,
now being publicly conducted after Office
hours at the department Of agriculture, is q
very nasty mess 20 far as it has gone, and
it promises to grow even MASTER. The
property of the bureau has, according to
the testimony. been stolen and sold to junk
dealers whenever certain of the minor Off
cials needed little extra whiskey money, |
and the stealing was done in broad day
light; the employees Of the bureau being
used TO load it upon agons- About every
thing seems to have been included in the |
tnefts, upon one occasion a stone step being |
taken from the buiINing itssif. The pin
eipal men implicated tins isT are the fore
man of the press room ans the captain Of
the watch. but others higher up are said to |
have received portion of the money. and
it is expected that the evidence will prove |
it. Secretary Morton is determined to get |
10 the bottom Of fith and to see that every |
guilty man is punished. regardless Of who
he may be or who nay be his friends.
Major General Scho6@ld and Major Gen
eral Miles have had . squsbbIs al long
range over the trouble in Indian Territory.
The quarrel Is understood to have occurred
over the carrying cut Of an order for the |
detail Of an army oihcer to investigate the
trouble. No e troops will be sent there
unless the secretary of the interior requests |
il.
President Cleveland said he intended 10
gel the very best man in the country, who
was available. to be commissioner Of pen
sions, and the general appreciation of the |
nomination Of Judge William Lochrrn. Of
Minnesota to the position indicates that be
succeeded. Judge Lochren Was not an ap-
plicant for the position, indeed. be at first
declined TO accept it. but Withdrew his OBJ
iscsions when his party duty and Ioyalty
were appealed toby the president. His
war record is Of the braysst, and although
be Is not member Of the G A r. no mem
Of that organization has 50 far as known
had word to say against his sPsiaI fitness
for the position He was bern in Vermont,
but has resided in Minnesota since 1857,
with the exception Of the time be served m
the army. He viii take charge Of the pen
mon hurean. about May lst.
Secretary Morton found not only indi-
viduals employed by the agricultural de-
partmert who wers not rendering services
in anything like fair proportion to tae
salaries they receive, but whole division
OF employees who have been practically paid
for doing nothing for more than year.
This was the quarantine division Of the
bureau Of animal industry. which Secretary
Morton has Just abolished Quite howl
has been raised By the republicans because
the chief Of the abolished division happen
ed to be the late Mr. Blaine's br4ber, al
though it Ia dificnIt TO understand why
that should have made the slightest differ
enoe- Surely they did not expect that q
democratic administration would feel called
upon to take care Of the poor members Of
the Blaine family.
Postmaster General BiseIl has decided
that no fourth class pcssmastersshall be re-
moved, except fer cause. until they snail
have served all or nearly all Of four year
term. This is new rule. as these officials
have never been considered to have a fxed
term. but were removable at the pleasure
of the department TIE change is under
stood to have been male By the direction
Of the president and after all il will make
no difference in the end. because there are
20 many who have served four years OF
more that By the time they are removed
nearly all Of the rest viii have become re
movable under the new rule.