Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-03-03
NATIONAL CAPITAL.

| NATIONAL CAPITAL.
FINANCIAL PROBLEMS DISTURB
THE LAST ADMINISTRATION.
Senator German :. Calls N Turn
A COlOrcd Chaplain Detailed by
the War Department for Duty ut
| the Worlds Fair-Cheek Of Chiefs
OF DivIsiOns-Sennte Democratic
-HmWley on Pension Frauds.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. "a, 1893.
The financial situation continues
critical, but there is little probability
OF the present administration doing
anything to relieve the strain. At a
cabinet meeting this week, Secretaries
Foster and Tracy took high and pa
triotic ground IN favor OF the issue of
bonds to increase the gold reserve,
arguing that it was neither right nor
just for this administration to turn
the Treasury over to the Democrats in
a crippled condition, but Mr.. Harrison
and the other members of his cabinet
took narrow, partisan view of the
matter and refused to sanction an
issue of bonds. Iii, conceded that
Secretary Foster has the authority
under the law of 1875 to issue bonds,
| but it il not believed that he will use
it as long as Mr.. Harrison opposes it,
although personally he is in favor of
it.
There is to be a big fight made in
the House against the Sundry Civil
appropriations bill, passed by the Sen
ate this week, because of the Sherman
amendment thereto. authorizing the
Secretary of the Treasury to issue
$50, 100000 3 per cent. five year bonds,
for gold to increase the Treasury re-
serve. The fight is to be made by the
Populists and some of the free-coinage
Democrats, and if it results in the de
feat of the bill, as many think proba-
BILE, an extra session will necessarily
have to be called.
The first annual convention of the
Bimetallic League of America, free
coinage organization, was held here
this week. Is was largely attended,
all of the most prominent Populists
and = number of Democrats taking
part.
The first all night session of the
House during the present session was
held this week. 1t was brought about
by tillibustering against the bill pro-
viding for the use Of automatic car.
couplers by all interstate railroads.
The bill was not passed, but is TO come
up under suspension of the rules
next week
Senator German has manfully, al
though unsuccessfully, fought for
economy in the appropriation bills
ever since the Senate began their con-
sideration. He told the Republican
Senators this week that they seemed
determined to pile up the appropria-
tons for the purpose Of compelling
the Democrats to impose new taxes or
increase those already imposed upon
the people in order to meet the obi
cations of the Government, and he
thereby "called the turn" on the Re-
publican policy during the present
Congress.
Few people know that there is a
colored chaplain i'll the regular army.
There is, however, and he has lust
been given a very fat detail by the
War Department-duty at the Worlds
Fair. 1t would take q very smart in
dividual to tell what will be the duty
OF an army chaplain at the Worlds
Fair, other than to kill time between
pay-days. 1t has been suggested that
this detail was made because the
troops at Fort Bayard, New Mexico,
where the brother in black is now
stationed, wished to get rid of him.
Anyway, Is u snap for him.
The checklist thing ever known in
political circles has been undertaken
by the Republican chiefs of divisions
in the government departments here.
They have prepared q petition adj
dressed to President Cleveland asking
him to retain them in office by ex.
tending the Civil Service rules to the
positions they hold, and are now try
ing to obtain the signatures of clerks
in the classified service thereto. just
why any clerk should sign it is more
than can understand. The Repub. |
lican clerks should be wellesatisfied if |
they are allowed to retain their own
places, without trying to retain their
Republican chiefs; and there is GER
tainly no good reason why any Demo.
cratic clerk-there are not over MANY
OF them in office anyway-should be
willing to sign any such an absurd
petition. II your correspondent had
the power every man who signed this
petition would have his official head
chopped off quicker than you can
wink.
There is no longer any ifs, ands or
butts about the Senate of the Fifty.
third Congress. 1t will be Demo.
cratic. This has been, of course, ex-
pected ever since last November.
Still, it is gratifying to know that it is
an absolute, rock-bound fact.
When so good a Republican and ex.
Union soldier as Senator Hawley ex-
presses the wish, on the floor of the
Senate, that the new administration
Will give the pension system Thorough
Inspection and root out the frauds.
which he will not be surprised if they
ma, 1t is time for demagogues to sing
low.
The new cabinet is complete. The
selection OF Representative Herbert, of
Alabama, for Secretary of the Navy,
and MIR. Richard Olney, of Massachu-
sets, for Attorner General was well
received by Democrats in Congress.
Mr.. Herbert had been a fsvorite with
Consressmen for the Navy portfolio
rom the first; he makes the third
southern man in the cabinet. Mr..
oiney Is not SO widely known, except