The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1893-03-24
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, MARCH 20 1898

President Cleveland was fifty six years old
Saturday, and his numerous callers did not
forget to tender congratulations and wish him
"many happy returns The day was not
celebrated in any way at the White House,
unless the unusually hard days work put In
by the President and his assistants can be
called a celebration. That the rule against
the appointment of ex-oftcials is not an IRON
clad affair was demonstrated when Represen-
tative Springer, of Illinois, at the head OF
delegation, presented the name of Mr.. l.. W.
Chambers, who was postmaster at Jackson
vile, ILL.,, under Mr.. Cleve!and's last admins
tration, as a candidate for reapportment.
The President at once reminded MIR. spring
er of the one term rule. "But MIR. l'resl-
dent" replied Mr.. Springer. This is an eXcep
tional case. Mr.. Chambers was the best post
master The town ever had aud lie citizens gen
orally wish him reapp tinted. Besides, he
was not allowed to serve out his term"
"Ahr' replied tur, Cleveland, ''that makes
quite difference. Please put the facts in
writing and submit TO me.'
His thor oughness with everything that
comes before him is what surprises those who
come in contact with President Cleveland
more than any other one trait i'll his charac-
ter. case in point came under my personal
observation several davs ago. The President
made an appointment setting time early the
next mo, nlng to h-ar an appeal Tor executive
clemency for q condemned murderer, whose
crime-the deliberate murder OF his young
wife and her brOther-WaS one OF the most
brutal ever mmitted in Washington. AT
the time the President knAw Ii tie more about
the case than that last appeal to the Supreme
Court of the United States in half OF the
prisoner had failed day or two before, Out
lie sent for a complete record OF the case and
when he met those who came to make the ap-
peal he was as familiar with the case as they
were, although he had been compelled to re-
main up nearly all night to acquire the knowl
edge. OF course they were surprised to find
all of their arguments SO well met by the Pres
ident, but after seeing how thoroughly posted
he W. on the case they were not surprised at
his refusal to interfere with the carrying out
of the sentence. This is only one case, but
it furnishes fair sample of the methods OF
the President. 1t was because he did not
possess the knowledge about Hawaii that he
deemed necessary to intelligent action that
the treaty was withdrawn from the Senate and
Congressman Blount sent to Hawaii in
search of the desired information. He is new
er precipitate in anything; hence his reputa-
ton for making few mistakes, and for being
safe man.
So many sensational stories have been told
and printed during the last week about the
President being disappointed at the committee
assignments OF the senate, and about those
assignments having been made by majority
of the democratic caucus in defiance OF Mr..
Clevelands wishes, that have taken special
care to obtain the sentiments of the democrat
ic Senators regarding those stories. As the re
suit, it can be positively stated that the Pres
ident made no attempt to interfere in the
slightest manner with the committee assign
mentS. which were made i'll the usual way,
in accordance with the wishes of majority OF
the democratic Senatorial caucus; Therefore
he could not have been disappointed. There
can be no doubt that the President regrets
that the financial views OF majority of the
democratic Senators do not entirely accord
with his own, but neither he nor they antici-
pate any clash on that account, as all good
democrats have precisely the same end in
view-the prosperity Of the country; and that
legislative progr ANNE can be arranged upon
which all can unite is not doubted in either
the White House or the Senate.
Representative Enloe, of Tennessee, who
has for long time been fighting the many
abuses for which Pension Commissioner Raum
was responsible, has the satisfaction of know
ing that he was directly the cause of Raum's
resign alton being asked for and received by
Sec. Smith. Mr.. Enloe has no candidate for
the office: all he wished was to see Raum
'sfired out" of the office which he has in vari
| Gus ways disgraced and he did not rest until
that was an accomplished fact. 1t is expect
ed that the new democratic Commissioner Of
Pensions will be appointed within the next
two weeks. Meanwhile, Deputy Commission
or Davidson is acting head of the Bureau. As
to the new man, Secretary Smith says he is
determined to get the best man in the coun-
| try for the place. The right sort of a man at
| the head of the Pension Bureau will have an
unexcelled opportunity to make national
reputation, by saving some Of the millions
that are annually squandered upon fraudu-
lent and und.serving pensioners, and tha;'s
| the sort of man who will be selected.
Secretary Morton has started in we'll. One
| of his first official acts was the dismissal of
forty-odd employees whose work he consider
ed unnecessary.