The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-04-09
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, b. C., April ), 1897

eighteen months over his time, and
when Mr. Harrison was President he al
lowed the Democrat to stay in less than
two months. In his second term Mr..
Cleveland kept the Republican four
teen months Uver his time, and PreSl-
dent Mckinley removed the Demo
crat in less than thirty days after the
Inauguration. The appointment Of
Mr.. Frank NJ. Palmer as public
printer To succeed Mr.. TIL. f. Bene-
dict wipes out nearly every yestige Of
the mugwump administration, and
there is nobody to lament over the
change.
notwithstanding the fact that the
Republican party declared FOR civil
service reform in their platform and
elected Il President who has declared
himself favorable to the policy both
before and since his election, they
have introduced a resolution in the
House which provides that all OF the
positions placed within the classified
service during Mr.. Cleyeland'S last
term shall be taken out, that they
may all be filed by Republicans.
Note their scheme: They do not
dare attempt to abolish the whole
system, but only so much of it as is
supposed to protect a few Democrats.
Up to the beginning of Mr.. Cleve-
lands last administration nine-tenths
of all the government positions were
held by Republicans. They do not
care to 60 back Of that date for that
would effect their own people too seri-
ously. At the present time seventy
five per cent Of the places within the
classified service are held by Repub-
Leans, but they are not satisfied with
that, they want the other twenty-five
per cent too, and if it is possible they
will get them.
1T is truly disgusting to see the
manner in which the thousands Of
ot1ice-Seekers from all over the c0un-
try are striving to get into Office. The
sons Of nearly all Of the eX-PreSidents
are applicants for Office. The com
non herd in their grand scramble for
Office are falling over each other like
pigs at Il milk trough, or boys On the
outside OF a base ball park hunting
knot.hOleS and cracks IN the fence
through which to watch the game on
the inside. They seem to be honest
in the belief that this government has
no other purpose than to provide SIT
uations for the Republican party.
Wherever they find IA Democrat in
office they look upon him as a diabol-
ical imposition.
Mr.. Reed passed Mr.. Dingley's high
tariff bill in the House on schedule
time after considering only II Of the
1852 pages and a great many members
have gone home for a season. The
Senate, however, will not be in such IA
hurry to pass the bill. 1t will doubt
less discuss every item of the bill,
which will possibly take till July or
August.
In the House the other day some
one asked the Republicans if they
were not going to put IA tariff on
Grover Cleveland since lie belonged to
them, and Mr.. f. W. CdImaCk, OF the
Memphis district, said that would
come up under the head OF tallow;
another member thought it would be
more appropriate to classify the item
under the head Of lard, when an en-
thusiastic farmer in the gallery cried
out: mo, under the head Of chitter-
lingS."
The people at Washington manifest
considerable interest in the condition
Of the flooded districts in the lower
Mississippi valley. President Nc
kinlcy has expressed deep sympathy
for the sufferers and will ask Congress
to make an appropriation for their
relief. The local papers print full
daily accounts of the conditions eX-
istlng in that unfortunate section.
Gen. Lees family have returned
from Cuba and it is thought that the
general will soon follow. The pre-
valent opinion here is that the pres
cnt administration will adhere to the
Cleveland foreign policy, and that
Cuba will. have to work OUT it's own
salvation.
After several days of discussion in
executive session the Senate laid aside
the arbitration treaty in a badly CON
gestcd condition, and there is now no
telling when the matter will be dis
posed Of.
There is comparatively little inter-
est manifested in the hostile situa-
ton in Crete, Although Senator
Chandler opposed the arbitration
treaty between the United States and
England because, as he said, be did
not feel disposed to enter into nego-
tiations with any power whose guns
were trained upon a community of
Christians struggling for religious
freedom.
There is a runner in political circles
to the effect that Associate Justice
Field, who Is quite aged and feeble,
may break the record by ~resignlng his
place on the bench, in which event it
is believed that Acknowledgement Nc
kenna would succeed HIM. 1t is said
that Gen. McKenna is the first Catho-
lie appointed to a cabinet position
since the formation Of this govern
ment, which announcement has Caus.
ed great weeping, w~ailing and gnash-
ing OF teeth among the A. p. AS.
Col. John S. MoSby, OF guerrilla fame,
is strongly Endorsed for the position
of consul general to Cuba, to succeed
Gen. Lee. Will wonders never cease?
Col. Fred ID. Grant, son Of ex-Presi.
dent Grant, has been rendered the
position OF assistant secretary Of wal
as a personal appointment OF President
Mckinley, and it is thought he will
accept it. The balance OF the sons OF
the x-Presidents will all be provided
for in one way or another.
There is almost as much interest
manifested at Washington in the ap-
preaching spring elections in most OF
the large cities as there is in the av-
erage national campaign. Senator
Hanna and many of the Republican
leaders have gone home to participate
in their respective municipal elec.
tions. There is no doubt that the
Democrats will make decided gains in
most Of the towns and cities Over
their vote Of last fall.
The other day In the House while
Mr.. Sherman, OF New York, was in
the chair during the temporary alb
sencc Of Mr.. Reed, two members got
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