The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-03-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON Feb. 24tll. 1898.

The financial situation continues
critical, but there is little probability
of the present administration doing
ANYTHING 10 relieve the st. ain. At a
cabinet meeting this week Secretaries
Foster and Tracy took high and pa
triotic ground ia favor OF the issue of
bonds to increase the gold reserve, ar
guiHg that IL vas neither right nor
lust for this administration to turn
the Treasury I'VE 10 the democrats
IN Il crippled condition but Mr. liar
l1son and the other members OF his
cabinet took a narrow, PARTISAN view
of the matter aud refused to sanction
an issue OF bonds. 1t is conceded that
Secretary Foster has the authority
under the Law Of 1915 to issue bends,
but it is not believed ia he will use
it as long a. Mr.. Harrison opposes il,
although personally he Is in favor of it.
There is to be IA big fight made III
the House against the Suudry Civil
appropriations bill, passed By the Sen
ate this week, because of the Ser
man amendment thereto, authorizing
the Secretary Of The Treasury to issue
$50, 600, 900 3 per cent tive-year bonds.
for golt to increase the Treasury re-
serve. The fight is to bt made by the
Iopulists and some of the free-coinage
democrats, and If it results in the de-
feat of the bill, as many think proba-
Die, an extra session will necessarily
have 10 be called.
The first annual convention Of the
Bime allie League of America. a free
coinage organization, was held here
this week. 1t was largely attended.
all of the most prominent popnlists
aud a number of democrats taking
pant therein.
The first all-night session Of the
House during the present session was
held this week. 1t was brought about
by fillibusterlng against the bill pro-
yiding for the use of automatic car
couplers by all interstate railroads.
The bill was not passed, but it is to
come up under a suspension of the
rules next week.
Senator German has manfully, al
thonshunsuccessfully, foughtfor econ
omy in the appropriation bills ever
since the Senate began their consid-
Grafton. He told the republican Sen
:itors this week that they seemed de-
teImined 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 i'll 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 in the regular army.
There is, however, and he has just
been given a very fat detail by the
War Departnlent-duty at the Worlds
Fair. 1t would take a very smart in
dividual to tell what will be the duty
of al 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,
It's Il snap for him.
The checklist thing ever known in
political circles has been undertaken
by the republican chiefs of divisions
i'll the government departments here.
They have prepared a petition ad-
dressed to President Cleveland asking
him to- retain them IL Office by extend
ing the Civil Service rules to the po-
sitions they hold, and are now trying
to obtain the signatures of clerks in
the classified service thereto. Just
why any clerk should sign, is more
than ! can understand. The republi-
can clerks should be we'll satisfied if
they are allowed 10 retain their own
places. without trying to retain their
republican chiefs aud there is GER
1ainly no good reason why any demo
cratic clerk-there are not over many
of them in Office anyway-sllonld be
willing to sign any such an absurd pc
tltion. Ii your correspondent had the
power, every man who signed this pc
tition 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 democra-
tic. This has been, OF course. expect
ed EVER since last November. Still, it
is gratifying to know that it is an alb
solute. 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 il thor
Ough inspection and root cut the