The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-07-26
WASHINGTON LETTER,

WASHINGTON. ID. C., July 81, 1888.
Secretary Carlisle is again on duty, having
returned from the ten days vacation which is
probably the only one he Will get tor many long
months to come. as the general belief, fully
shared by himself. is that be has now entered
upon long period Of the hardest work of his
Lille, His department deals exclusively with
the two great questions that will occupy the
time of Congress-the tariff and finance-and 1t
is his desire to be prepared to furnish all of the
Information on both subjects that will from
time to time be asked for from the time that
Congress takes up these questions until it dis
poses of them, and when that will be is ques-
tion that no wise man will try to answer al thi S
time.
Not the slightest bit of sensation. was caused
by the alleged news. receivdd here early in the
week. of the disabling of the U. S. s. Mohican
by shot from poaching sealer flying the Ha-
waiian g. for The very simple reason that no.
body believed word of it. The department
hasi had reports from Behring's sea dated a
Amonth later than when the alleged disabling
took place, which make no mention whatever
of any such incident That's why nobody be-
lieved the story.
The number of pensioners absolutely dropped
fro4n the roll since March last, is 245 but in
the same period s. 090 have been suspended pend
ing further investigation. Judging from past
experience in such cases it is estimated that q
large majority of the latter will finally be drop
ped. The work of examination is being pushed
as rapidly as possible and will be confined for
long time to pensions granted under the act
of 1890.
Now that Secretary Lamont has taken four
years lease on Washington residence the ru
NOR mongers will probably cease starting sto
h lnl Al.
Cabinet He will live in good company. as his
house is next door to that of Senator Brice's.
and within a stones throw of the White House
The Secretary came here this week to consult
with Secre etary Gresham in regard 10 several
matters under the State department which were
unsettled when the President left town, and
while here he signed the lease for his house
Although accompanied by Mrs. Lamont, whose
face is almost as well known as his own, the
Secretary spent several hours in Washington
and got safely away before the newspaper men
knew of his visit. However. it wou.d d not have
made much difference. as Lamont is past
master in the art of talking without saying
anything. whieh Tallyrand said was the first
requirement of diplomacy.
During the short time Secretary Lamont re-
mained in town he found time to decide that
Army officers who desire to attend the Worlds
Fair must pay their own fare like other people
and that permissions granted officers to attend
the Fair do not carry free transportation
While this will upset the plans of numerous
Army officers who have been calculating to
take in the big show at Uncle Sans iexpense
Its business is manifest to all. The salary of
Army ficers who will visit the Fair goes right
along and they certainly should be willing to
pay their own expenses,
Attorn ey General Olney has been accused OF
not looking very favorably upon the practical
side of politics. !. e.. putting out the opposition
aud putting in members of his own party. but
Lefore leaving w ashiDgton for short vacation
he showed tnat accusation to have been unde-
served, by notifying number OF the assistants
to the Attorney General with salaries ranging
from $3.50 to So QUO that their designations
were desired. and it is stated by those who
knew hat every republican connected with the
Department of Justice. outside OF the classified
service is to be made TO walk the plank.
good many guesses have been printed about
the chair manshIps Of the important committees
of the next House, and one of them was that
Repres entative Bland would not az ain be ch ii .
m an of The Coinage committee. Now. it can be
stated upon excellent Authority and without
violating al nvbody's ntidence that Mr.. Bland
ILL be chairman Ct that committee in the next
House unless be declines to serve again, and
there is no apparent reason why he shO uld do
that.
Speaker Crisp is not expected here until about
August 5, two days before iCCngress assemblies.
and movement is now on foot to pO$tpoue the
democratic House caucus for the nomination
OF officers until the morning OF the 9TH Ms it
will only require few minutes for il to trans
act its business The canvass for sergeant at
Arms and Doorkeeper is going on quietly and
all of the candidates are claiming 10 b. safe,
There is prac icAlly no contest Ior the other
places-Ulerk, Postm aster and Ch plain