The silver star., 1897-12-23
w WASHINGTON
LETTER.
From our Washington Correspondent.
n u WAsHENGroN, Dec. ~. 1907.

rfum VVr washington Correspondent.
wAsHEsaros, Dec. u, 1897.
That the democratic party fights
best and wins oftenest when ii is
aggressive is we'll known. There
fore the ACTION Of the democratic
CAUCUS of the House in running up
the party flag with declarations,
written so large that even he who
runs may read, against the retire
ment ofthe greenbacks, either direct
ly or indirectly; against any exten-
sion Of privileges enjoyed by Ma
tional banks, and.for the recognition
Of the belligereiicy of Cuba, and the
enactment Of just and wise bank
ruptcy law, was wise as well las good
politics. II shows the country that
if the republicans in Congress were
afraid to announce a policy for the
session in advance of the Christmas
recess, which extends from to NOR
row until Jan. 5th, the democrats
were not.
1t has been often denied on the
floors Of Congress that the logical
outcome OF the present civil service
law would be civil pension list,
but now Secretary Gage has actual
ly started civil pension list, under
the alias of, a roll of honor" to
which all Treasury Department EN-
ployes more than 70 years old are to
!, be transferred for life, at a.uniform
annual salary of 5000 eacll--that is,
they are to be, unless Congress up
sets this programme, which it is
more than likely to do. Nothing
has occurred since the civil service
act was placed upon the statute
books that will do more to open the
eyes of the people to the correctness
of the position of those democrats
who favor the repeal OF that law.
The country is to-day staggering
under the burden Of its military pen
sion list, and will not carry a civil
pension list,
Those snide patent attorneys, said
to be quite numerous. who make a
practice of getting the cash of in
ventors under the pretense of pro-
curing and selling foreign patents
on their inventions, knowing that
no foreign patent that is worth the
paper upon which il is written can
be gotten for them, and that no sale
can be made, are in a bad way.
Acting Commissioner of Patents
Greeley, who earned his spurs by
his conduct ofthe investigation that
resulted in reforming number of
glaring abuses in Patent Office prac-
tice, is on their trail, and deter
mined to break up such criminal
methods, and his determination.
ability and honest are all Of the A.
I. brand,
An attempt is to be made to have
the House and Senate Indian COM
mittees agree on legislation for the
Indian Territory, but in as much
as the Senate committee has already
agreed to a bill for apportionment
of the lands Of FIVE civilized tribes,
it looks as though that means mere
ly an attempt to get the House CON-
mittec to accept the bill Of the SEN
ate committee, which is supported
by the Dawes Commission and op-
posed by the representatives Of the
Indians.
= Although the National Board Of
Trade, which held its annual session
in Washington this week, charged
the time for holding its annual
meetings from January or February
to December for the avowcd pur-
pose Of influencing Congress. Its
members must bc fully convinced
Of the inpossibility OF getting the
gold legislation they. in common
with Secretary Gage and his side
partners Of the monetary confer
eirce, y are trying to secure from the
present Congress.
This has been red-letter week,
indeed, in the career Of Senator
Daniel. of Vn. who has been ChOset,