Gloucester County Democrat., 1897-04-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April %, 1897

The chief pie distributor and his assist
ants having gone to New York to take part
in dedicating the monument to Gen. Grant,
the pie hunters who hadn't the money or
the railroady passes TO accompany them
are taking rest, About half OF Congress
has also gone, as 1t was previously agreed
that the House and Senate should meet to-
day, and Thursday only to adjourn.
II is becoming apparent that the admin
istration is preparing TO let down some oi
the civil service bars to the Office pastures.
Mr.. Mckinley has been talking over the
matter with the civil service commission
and two OF his cabinet--Gage and Wilson
have publicly advocated modifying the
Civil Service Rules as applied to their de-
partments.
Some surprise was expressed by Ohio
men who were not inside the game, so to
speak, when Judge Day, of that State, who
was supposed to be preparing to go TO
Cuba, as a special Commissioner, allowed
himself to be nominated first assistant Sec
retary of State. They knew that Judge
Day had resigned two Judgeships, both
paying more salary than any of the assist
ant Secretaries get, and that he WASH
exactly the sort of man who would care to
be anybody's assistant. Well, he is to be
Sherman's assistant only in name. so lar
as the matters he will handle are concern
ed, he will be Secretary of State, and II
Mr.. Sherman, who is giving visible EVIL
dence that he feels his age, gets tired OF the
worry and resigns, the portfolio Will be
given to Judge Day. What Mr.. Sherman
thinks of this program would make inter-
esting reading, but unless he concludes to
add another volume to his RecOllections'
the public will have to be content with
guessing. Had Sherman not been IN
Hanna's way in the Senate, he would never
have been made Secretary of State, and ne
would not be persuaded to withdraw it
should he tender his resignation.
Senator Foraker won his fight against
Bellamv Storer, of Ohio, without having to
ask for votes in the Senate to reject his
nomination to be assistant Secretary OF
State. Storer was nominated Minister to
Belgium instead, and Foraker has no oD-
iections to his going there.
Had % members who were present Dut
did not vote, supported Representative
Bland's appeal from the decision OF tne
Speaker, refusing him recognition to oner
his resolution calling upon the Attorney
General for information rs to what steps
had been taken to protect the interests OF
the Government in relation to the sale OF
the Union Pacific Railroad, the Speaker
would have been defeated, as the vote
stood 81 for sustaining the speaker, ana
rs against. Such a close call as that
ought to convince Mr.. Reed that he has
got to be little careful or he will get
heavy throw down some day.
The death of Judge Holman, OF Indiana,
so closely following that of ex-senator
Voorhees,, another distinguished son OF the
Hoosier State, is deeply felt by the old
timers in Congress. Notwithstanding his
fame as an Ohiector to bills carrying appro-
priations he believed to be unnecessary, no
member of the House had more personal
friends. That he valued the good will OF
his associates was strikiDgly shown several
years ago. He was very poor and when
approached by publisher with liberal
offer, he decided to write book covering
his personal "reminiscences during his long
membership in the House, and actually
began the preliminary work. About that
time John Sherman's book was published,
and when he saw the antagOnism that was
thereby aroused, he concluded not to wIlte
book When demonstrated with he SAID:
" 1 cannot do it. Every book of reminls-
cences that comes out only makes trouble
for the writer. He is bound to say some
thing. even if he is innocent of any mean
intention, that will cause heartburning and
misunderstanding. l must not let the end
of my life be clouded in such way"
Senator Jones. of Arkansas, said, speak
ing of the future of the Gold Democrats !:
Some will remain in the Republican
party and the others will return to us. 1t
is too early yet to predict what proportion
will renew their allegiance to Democratic
principles, but l think very desirable
number will. Those who are willing to
support Democratic principles will be wei
coined back. We shall be glad of the as
sistance of any man who believes as we do
and votes with us, that is sound Democracy.
The Gold Democrats may not be permitted
to vote at the primaries in some places, but
that is local matter determined by local
sentiment. Generally speaking, the DEM
ocrats who left the party last year, because
of the money question, will be permitted to
identify themselves with the organization
again, if they will support our platform"