The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-12-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent,
WASHINGTON, Dec. Is, r8o,

spent CnrlStHlaS Gay IN washington |
with their families. The day has been
a quiet ore at the White House, Il
large part of it devoted to the child. |
rem and their Christmas tree which |
was put up Saturday evening, although |
Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland informally en-
tertaned several personal friends both |
at lunch and at dinner. The idea of
going to Lakewood, N. J., for a few
days has been abandoned, but the
President hopes to get little reciea.
ton this week on a short hunting trip.
In view Of the misstatements which
have been made concerning the atti
tude OF Commissioner Lochren toward
the pensioners the following from
speech he made in the case of Judge
Long, Of Michigan, whose pension was
suspended by him, which is pending
in Washington court, is worthy Of
attention: ~ am not anxious to
worry or to cut off my old comrades
with whom l fought and carried
musket am anxious that they
should get all their dues. Yet, at the
same time, as an officer of the law,
have sworn duty to perform, to see
that they do not get more than they
are entitled to-"
By the way, speaking of pensions, it
was lately decided by Commissioner
Lochren that no retiring official of the
pension Office could do business as
pension attorney before that bureau
until he had been two years out Of Of
flee. Had Gen. Raum made simi-
lar decision the bank account of "Cor-
porar Tanner, who was so uncere-
moniously kicked out of that Office BY
Mr.. Harrison and who is said to have
made a fortune as pension attorney,
would be very much smaller than it is.
1t is, however, wise decision and it
would be we'll il it were made rule in
all branches of the government service,
us 1t is well known in Washington that
many officials make use of their posi-
tions to accumulate information which
they turn to valuable use as attorneys
after they leave the government SER
vice ; and cases have been known in
which they have undertaken as attor-
neys to have decisions wrongfully
made by them as officials reversed by
their successors in Office, the inference
being that the decisions were inten.
tionally made wrong in the first place.
Secretary Lamont scotched sensa-
tional story, that he proposed COM
pellirg the clerks of the Record and
Pension devision of the War depart
ment to again take up their quarters
in Fords old theatre, by making the
following statement: "There is no
purpose or disposition on the part of
any officer of this department to. quar-
ter any OF its clerks or employees IN
any building not determined to be per-
fectly safe. On that point there is no
question for uneasiness. The 5000
appropriated by Congress for repairs
TO the old Ford's theatre building has
been expended under the direction of
the Chief of Engineers Of the Army,
as directed by law, and the building
has been restored to the condition it
was In before the commencement of
the Improvements in progress at the
time of the accident, with some conse-
quent Strengthening of its foundations.
While it is probable that it would
serve its former purpose, the commits.
sion OF experts appointed by the de-
partment to examine and report as to
the safety of the building find that
certain additional work should be done
before it shall be occupied by clerks.
This report will be referred back for
an estimate of the cost of this new
work, and when returned the matter
Will be submitted to congress for its
direction as to further alterations"
Just before the Senate adjourned for
the recess Senator Voorhees, offered a
resolution against the quartering of
clerks in this building again.
The number of Congressman who
went home to spend their holiday was
unusually large this year consequently
there is just now decided lull in the
talk about the tariff, Hawaii, etc.,
which has been constantly going on
ior months and which will take fresh
start next week when the absentees
will again be on hand prepared for the
hard and long struggle that is before
them. "
a sub committee of the House
Ways and Means committee will spend
the most of their holidays in working
upon the Internal Revenue bill, which
1t is hoped will be ready to be report
ca 10 the House when It again assem-.
pies, Several democratic members of
tne Senate Finance committee are al
SO at work on the tariff, so as to be
prepared to receive the Wilson bill
wnen 1t is sent over from the House.
he work of the Senators has been so
lar mostly confined to the gathering of
nj 4.