Arizona republican., 1896-11-29
A SEASON OF EXCITEMENT.
Preparations for a Lively Win
 ter in Washington.
Interest in McKinley'S inauguration Bound to GroW-An Army of Off, fice-Seekers Expected-int ing Capital GoSSip.


 ing winter promises to be one of the liveliest in the history of the National capital The proceedings of the con- gress naturally will attract many peO- pie. The advance guard of the office seeking army will of course take pos session of the second and third-class hotels and boarding houses long be- fore March. The fear of the civil ser vice regulations will not deter them. Then the arrangements for the inau- guration of Mckinley will absorb pub lie attention.
 Society already has started in to make the season memorable. Nearly all the houses that have become noted in this administration for their hos pitality are now open. There have been dinners and receptions and the number of this class of entertainments will increase to a remarkable degree in the next fortnight. Secretary of the Interior Francis has leased the splen- did mansion of ex-Senator Sawyer on Connecticut avenue and this winter it will be the scene of some wonderful
 
 as he came into office in the closing months of the administration he is de- termined, apparently, to make up for lost time. by securing a reputation as lavish entertainer. The society crowd is glad to know that the Sawyer house is to be added to the list of de- sirable places to go to. In former days it was one of the most popular houses in town. The season will open with the New Years reception at the White House, which is always an enjoyable affair. From that time until the be- ginning of Lent the social pace will be rapid.
 The report is being circulated that Mrs. Cleveland is adding to her various other accomplishments by taking a thorough course in F4sench She has for a tutor one of the most proficient linguists in this city He regards Mrs. Cleveland as an apt pupil. The fact is regarded as giving additional proba- bility to the statement that it is the intention of MT. Cleveland, upon re- tiring from the presidency, to follow the example of General Grant and make an extensive tour abroad en- circling the globe in the course of his travels. He has never been beyond the confines of the United States, ex- cept in brief visit to Cuba, and is said to have an inclination toward such a journey.
 When Major Mckinley comes to Washington to be inaugurated he will stop at the Ebbitt house, instead of the Arlington, which has always been the abiding place of persons about to be inaugurated president of the United States. They have suite of rooms there that are known as the presi- dents room, and for generations the inaugural prOcessions have started from that place. The Ebbitt is patron ized chiefly by western people and off, cers of the army and navy. It is com fortable, but not luxurious Major Mckinley lived there during his en- tire congressional career, and always occupied the same rooms, and when ever he has visited Washington since he was defeated he has always occu- pied his old rooms It is not expected that they will be assigned to him when he comes to be inaugurated, because there are others in a different part of the house which will undoubtedly be more convenient. But he goes to the Ebbitt because he considers that his Washington home ,and if it was good enough for congressman it is good enough for president-elect.
 Comptroller Eckels has a right to hope that Major Mckinley will allow the gold Democrats to hold office till their commissions expire. One of the chiefs of divisions at the treasury yes terday winked solemnly when the sub- ject was mentioned to him, and drew down a copy of the revised statutes, from which he read the law that the comptroller of the currency retains his position for five years from the date of his commission. He can be re- moved only on the preferring of form al charges, in which the serHte must concur Comptroller Edward s. Lacey resigned with the advent of MT. Cleve- lands administration, but MT. Eckels will be entitled to serve for fully 8 year after the inauguration of Mr. Nc Kinley. The statute also shows that Mr. Eckels' silver. enemies were lit. tie previous when they charged that bankers had promised to see to it that the present comptroller should be looked out for by the Republicans The law looks out for MT. Eckels al right for fifteen months more.
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 Private Secretary Thurber's inten tion is to retire to his law office il Michigan at the close of Presiden Cleveland's administration. At leas that is what Don Dickinson says Th'