The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-06-01
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Talk About the Capital---What
the Politicians Are Doing---Re-
forms to be Made in the Man
agenent Of Financial Affairs.

az III = l11oLC1c11 al Oil %
GCorrcsp Oudcncc Of the Cold Leaf
WASnINGToH. MAY 30.-There is
hardly a reform Of national importance
which would be more gladly welcomed
by the great nOn-Oliice seeking mass
81 the people in this country than that
which could be 50 operated as to bring
about congressional inactivity III the
matter Of patronage. No country that
has control Of itself suffers more be-
cause Of foolish ana Ineffective leolsla-
ton than doe, TIL, ordinarily business
Ike fragment Of the globe. Every
wear there assemblies in this city
national Con9rc-S. elected OstcnslDly
to make such laws &, Will result IN
the greatest GOOD to the greatest num-
Der. but whose time Is LARGELY devoted
L. efforts t. secure for constituents
profitable or otherwise desirable places
in Tie government service. The result
81 TIL, misplaced energy l. often seen
III the work accomplished by congress.
y few men are depended upon to see
that measures are correctly framed.
but Inc pressure OI over "oih - o!toli
too much ior talILblc humanity ana hail
d.gc>tcd LEGISLATION follows. y large
proportion Of senators and representa-
t.Vc> appear to be content WIN lEc
present conditions and that they are so
!, due to the fact they are Simon pure
sPGii~mcu. III some quarters 1t is ar
-ucd that a more desirable state OF at
Ia.r9 could be created by an agreement
between the Executive and the Cabl-
net not to recognize con9r osmcn who
recommend OF solicit appointments,
but to call upon legislators when nee
c--ary to come up and give their opin-
IONS as TO the merits or dement's OF
candidates from their districts. But
this plan FrOyldca only makeshIit.
Perhaps the true remedy may be found
N an extension Of the civil service
rules 30 a. to include every government
cnpIoyc. and This enlargement Of civil
service reform Ini-ht relieve it of the
hypocrisy and iucll'cctlvcncos of which
il, critics complain.
The leaders in congress and the ad-
in.ul~tratiom are trying to come to an
understanding as to the policy Of the
next congress, by which they can avoid
danger Of party conflict on the money
Guc- ton and secure united action on
several important questions which Will
present themselves. 1t is asserted by
those who have been most active i'll
the matter that agreement will be
reached on the much dreaded money
question. The program Of the congress
has I,ecn laid out with considerable
detail, and Great hopes for harmony
are entertained. 1t is about definitely
settled that the extra session Of con-
9rc,s Will be called by the middle Of
September.
1t IS said to be the present under
standing that the compromise PROPOSE
ton to dispose of the silver question
by accompanying the repeal of the
Sherman law with the repeal of the 10
per cent tax on state bank currency,
viii receive the sanction of the admin
~trHtiOn and that the men in congress
who are fighting against any contrac-
ton Of the currency will be satisfied
To let 90 of silver if they can get the
state currency. 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 Sher-
man law and Of the tax on state bank
currency and Il revision OF the tariff,
making reduction Of duties all along
the line.
Ii has been generally supposed thai
the patronage of the present admins
tration in the ship building line would
be confined to the three ounboats and
submarine torpedo boats authorized
6v the last congress. Secretary Her
bert has. however. authority fOf the
construction of lime new vessels of
war. They are all small. but they
will help to move us along a peg or
two in the race with Spain for sixth
place among the naval powers of the
world. The extra vessels which the
public has apparcntly lost SIGHT of are
the four third-class torpedo boats for
the armorcd cruiser Maine and battle
ship TcxaS. aud the dynamite cruiser
No. >. authorized to be constructed by
the act Of 1856. Secretary Herbert's
decision on the plans for the three new
4tmboats is expected in few days.
The outlines Of FIVE different ships have
been prepared. One of these calls for
the old-fashioncd pcddlc wheel for spe-
cial service in the shallow waters of
Chinese rivers; another calls for q COM
positc shaft and the others are pat
termed after the NacEirs tyne.