Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-12-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WdsYtinoton. NoU. 20. 1897.
'Eo1AI CORRESPONDENTS OF THE MONITOR.

/
der of the day, as Senators and Repre-
sentatives arrive in Washington.
President Mckinley, having finished
his annual message to Congress and
got it into the hands of the printers,
is devoting a considering portion of
his time to comforting with prominent
members of the party as co the legis-
| lation of the session. He is particu-
larly anxious that whatever party
! measures are brought before Congress
shall have the united support of re-
publicans, and he is losing no oppor-
tunity to impress that idea upon those
with whom he talks. While not ex-
pecting that all his recommendations
financial or otherwise, will be favor
ably acted upon by Congress, he be-
lieves that by good management,
some of them can be put through
There are reasons for the belief that
sufficient number of Senators will
under certain circumstances vote
with the republicans in the Senate to
pass several bills that will greatly
sire ngthen the administration and
benefit the country. 1t is not deemed
expedient to specify these measures
at this time, but just wait and see if
the President does not justify his rep
utation as harmonizcr.
It is refreshing after reading the
numerous jingo schemes advanced
just now to find the following sensible
Of no
Secretary of the navy: "Additions to
our feet may be hereafter necessary
to bring it up, in case of an emergen-
cy, to an extent commensurate with
the growing necessities of the country,
especially in view of the development
of Alas ka, which is continent in it
self, and of the possible annexation
of islands in the Pacific. On the other
hand, it is a mistake not to recognize
that our Naval power has more than
doubled within the last few years;
that the case of any emergency beyond
our present resources is the very rare
case; that until it comes ships will be
gradually taken out of commission
and put into reserve in order to reduce
running expenses; and that a due
regard is necessary to the relation of
the National expenditures to the Ma
tional revenues. The department
recommends that the authorization of
new ships by the coming Congress, be
limited to one battleship for the Pacific
coast, where, after the five now under
Of re 0onoroInfnd fhQra
will be only two, while on the Allan
tic there will be seven; and also to a I,
a few torpedo boats and torpedo boat |
destroyers, both of which. are COM
paratively of little cost, and more of |
which are desirable in order to- bring |
this swift, mobile, and handily effect |
i've arm of the service up to it's place |
in the general scheme for coast de- |
fense.''
Senator Pritchard, of North Carroll |
ma, Chairman of the Committee that |
is, under Senate resolution, investi- |
eating the workings of the civil SER
vice law, says the Committee will |
resume work during the first week of |
the session of Congress, paying par
ticular attention to the internal reve
nue. service, and that it's report will |
probably be submitted to the Senate
early in January. Senator Pritchard |
will not attempt to say what the re-
port of the Committee will be, further |
than that he thinks it will probably |
recommend modification of existing
rules, but his personal opinions, which
he freely gives, are believed to be
about what are held by a majority of
the Committee, and probably are in
line with the report that will be made.
He said: GA too broad extension of
the civil service law is calculated to
weight it down and render it unpopu-
lar, thereby endangering its continu-
ance. A good principal to adopt
would be that a scholastic examina-
ton is proper to determine the fitness
of persons for clerical positions, but
such test is not suitable to determine
the fitness of man to fill position
where the duties are executive. The
idea that the law is a sort of blanket
to cover everything is very unpopu-
lar.n
Ex- Speaker Keifer of Ohio is re-
newing old acquaintance in Washing
ton. He says he isn't in active poll |
tics, but tries to know what's going |
on. Of Ohio matters he says: "Sen- |