The Progress., 1893-05-20
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Notes Of Interest Gathered from About
the National CAPITAL.
wAsHNGroS, D. c.. May I6. 1895.

tlonallty or onS SneW CnlneSe exclusion
law, although o have listened to the
hubbub raised early in the week over
President C!eveland's notice that no
more personal interviews would be
granted candidates for appointment
to office a person not acquainted with
the clustering methods of small-fry
politicians might have considered
that tho most important happening
of the age. In the opinion of a num-
Der of able lawyers with whom your
correspondent has talked the lawyers
representing the Chinese in this
country and the Emperor of China
| had the best of the argument from a
legal standpoint, and that, of course,
/ is the standpoint from which the
Court will make its decision, which
is expected to be handed down some
time next week If the Court should
uphold the constitutionality of the
law it is not believed here that any
steps will be taken to send the un-
registered Chinese home, until Con-
gress appropriates the money to pay
the expenses.
Mr.. Cleveland's decision to hear no
more personal appeals from place
seekers is not of the slightest public
Importance, nor is it the first time
that he has taken the same steps.
He issued a similar notice in 1885.
In this case to use little slang, it is
believed to be ''put-up job" between
the president and senators and rep
resentatives of his party to ''freeze
out" the large number of office-seek-
ers who have come to Washington on
thier own hook, and were acting en-
tireIy indepent of the aforesaid Sen
ators and Representatives 1t acted
all right so far as the White House is
concerned, but the crowd has swoop-
ed down upon the members Of the
cabinet to such an extent that they
are considering the advisability of
also refusing personal interviews to
office-seekers.
Administrations may change, but
! the department money-lenders, OF
"Shylocks," as they are best known
are always with US. The case of g
colored man employed as a laborel
in the interior department is just now
5 making a small scandal. The aver
age department 'Shylock' has beer
content to loan the employees money
at per cent month, but this fel
low has been getting 20 per cent ;
month for his money, and has beer
5 making, it is said, something lik'
=, $3.50 a month, in addition to his mod
est salary of $40. Secretary Smitl
has been asked to investigate thi
Napoleon of finance.
President Cleveland is understood
to be half persuaded to call the pro
posed extra session of Congress tC
: meet in June, instead of in Septem
? Der. If this programme is carried
out it is expected that Congress vii
remain iG session until late in July
and then take recess until October
escaping the months of August anC
i September, which are usually til,
S most disagreeable months in Wash
a ington.
The long drawn out Investigation
of the Weather Bureau has come to al
! end, but owing to the mass of testi
D mony taken no report will be mad'
5 for several days.
D Secretary Herbert has in single
week received the praise and the cen
sure of many disinterested people
something that rarely happens in Sc
short time 10 an executive officer o
3 the government. The official ac
t that brought out the praise was hi
q decision that no more naval officer
would be allowed while on leave o
absence and drawing two-thirds pa.
. to enter the employ of private per
4 sons OF firms. This is real reform
:, for the practice was bad one from
$ every point of view, and has bee
growing at an alarming rate. Tn
act for which he was censured wa
the appointment of Medical Inspec
tor, J. Rufus Tyron to be surgeon
general of the navy, vice Brown
this week retired, over the heads O
IS inspectors who are his seniors i