San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-03-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, March %, 1898.

Mr.. Cleveland's rules for the
Government of Presidential APP
pointments, announced from time
to time since his last Inauguration,
are entirely praise-wOrthy; but,
unfortunately for him and his
fame, there is one little draw back
to his occupying the proud place
in the cOuntry's esteem to which
such an excellent set of rules
would seem to entitle him; he
doesn't live up to them, except in
cases where the applicant hasn't
pull enough to impress him. The
rule against the appointment of eX-
office holders has been the Oftenest
reiterated, but it is now claimed
that it was only devised for the
purpose of letting down ease lot
of men who held office between 'S5
and 'S9, but who have since lost
their grip and become Ineligible
in the eyes of Mr.. Cleveland, as a
number of "eX's" have already been
appointed to some of the most de-
sirable positions.
When Mr.. Cleveland was asked
by a Congressman to appoint one
of the Presidents forty-leventh
cousins to an insignificant office
he became indignant and read the
Congressman a ScOrching lecture
on the evils of nepOtism, receiving
therefor the plaudits of the coun-
try, but it did not take long to find
out that the rule against nepotism
was like all the rest-made to be be
broken. The knowledge was OBJ
tanned by an enterprising citizen
who filed an application for the
L. S. cOunselship at Sheffield, Eng
land, one of the best in the SER
vice, now held by Mr.. Benjamin
Folsom, Mrs. Cleveland's first
cousin. He was informed that the
anti-nepotism rule did not apply
to cousin Ben," who was already
in office, so that public office is
still family snap, nOtwithstand-
ing that "public trust" business.
a portion of the reciprocity work
of the last administration is soon
to be undone. A friend of Mr..
Cleveland is authority for the
statement that he will shortly
withdraw the discriminating du-
ties impOsedIby President Harri-
son on coffee and hides from Nene-
zuela, Hayti and Columbia. 1t
will be remembered that these du-
ties were imposed because of the
failure or refusal Of these countries
to negatiate reciprocity treaties
with us, and now if they can have
the same privileges that countries
enjoy which did negotiate recep-
rOcity treaties with us it stands to
reason that some of those countries
will abrOgate the existing treaties
by which products and manufac-
lures of the United States are al
lowed entrance upon better terms
than those enjoyed by those of
European countries, as countries,
like individuals, will seldom pay
for what may be had for nothing.
There is nothing like a little firm
ness occasionally. The republican
Senators in caucus positively re-
fuse to sanction the Democratic
programme for the election of new
officers of the Senate at an extra
session, even when coupled with
Senator Germans prOtfered COM
promise, providing for the election
Of officers now and their being
sworn in July |, next. 1t was a
matter of principal with the Re-
publican Senators; they believed
that unbrOken custom Of al
ways waiting until the open
ing of the regular session should
be followed by the present Senate,
and they notified the democrats
that they intended filibuStering to
prevent the election of these Off
GERS, if they persisted in the at
tempt. The Democratic caucus
has not officially decided to aban-
don the attempt to elect officers,
but enough Democratic Senators
have expressed themselves indivi-
dually to make it almost certain
that the election will be quietly
allowed to go over to the regular
session.
Every new order issued by the
administration isn't a reform by a
jug full. For instance, the order
shutting out visitors to Mr.. CleVG-
land on Mondays, and closing the
offices of the heads of departments
to visitors on cabinent days-Tues-
days and Fridays. This is some
thing entirely new, and Senators
and Representatives are doing
some rather hard kicking about it
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