Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-11-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SPECIAL. CORRESPONDENTS.


Ohio, in regard To how the Democrats
are going to defeat Senator Hanna's
return to the Senate. Interviews
have been published every day in the
local papers. ma ing it appear that n
most tremendous revolt WAS on the
carpet in Ohio against the senator.
These interviews have beeu denied,
but still others from the same sources
are being published. The visit Of
Senator Foraker I" Washington this
week, which was purely one Of hMsi-
ness, for he came to make arrange
ments about the new house he is
building. was made IN occasion OF try
ing TO get some sort of hostile EXPIRES
sion Of opinion from him. The sena-
tor was besieg.l night and day by
newspaper men, but lie persisted in
declining to discuss tue matter. said
that the fight was over on election day.
and that he certainly was not going to
help the Democrats make fight in
the Republican party. The senator,
during his visit, discovered that lie had
to leave for Ohio 10 learn the alleged
views of the state. for when he read
the reported interviews coming from,
there, pronounced them false, forh-
knew the men who We're said to have
given them did not hold such views.
1t is clearly understood hero that the
Democratic politicians here do not
approve of the proposition that the
Democrats in the Ohio Legislature as
sist in the election of any other Re
publican in the place Of Mr.. Hanna.
It has been attempted to prove that
the Democrats will join with some Of
the alleged disgr,ntlcd Republicans to
defeat Mr.. Hanna. But tho leaders
here are urging their blowers in Ohio
to do nothing OF the kind. They CAIN
the best thing to do is to let the Re
pnblicans fight ont their own battle
among themselves.
A SECRET pENsIoN- there is any
thing which stirs up the old soldiers
it is the contemplation of tho secret
list Of "elite pensioners, which is the
title generally given to those fortunate
persons who draw FROM grateful
country the sum of $50 month or
upwards. Commissioner Evans re-
port, just issued. shows that there
were 97G, Ola pensioners Oh the rolls
June so, 1897. The appropriation for
the fiscal year was $40, 900, 900, but
the payments exceeded this by nearly
A., O0O,0 900. The report shows that
the average annual value Of each pen
sion was only $133, which means that
the immense appropriation, If evenly
divided, wonld have given each PEN
sioner between S11 and $12 per month.
The common soldiers have grumbled
against the favorites. who, they say.
generally do not need the money. II
always has been charged that i'll the
list of pensions paying $50 per month
and over would be found the greatest
frauds. These lists have always been
kept secret, and applications for their
publication have invariably been re-
fused. The facts We're open to all, but
the names were considered as conf
dental in the pension department
The reports show that there are ON the
rolls $3.50 pensioners who draw &sU
per month or over. They draw the
annual pension appropriation to the
extent OF $3, ,O!1, ,64s. There are 977
at $50 monthly, nine at $60, o5Sl at
$72, IL at $75, 81 at 800. Then there
are four widows of generals who
each draw $4,000 year, and two With,
an annual pension of $4,000. The pen
sion Office still maintains III t the
names are confidential.
ADMINISTRATIVE Nor WoRRYING---
That Congress is soon to assemble il
being made more evident every day by
the return OF senators and members
to Washington, and the anxiety dis
played by cacl to learn the feelings oi
the public in regard to important mai
ters to be dealt with by Congress thi,
session. Every day new congress
sional faces are seen at the Whit.
House. and while the members say
they are calling merely to pay their
respects. they are also making inqnir-
iesus to the feelings Of the administra'
tion in regard to certain questions. II
is plain that outside of the Cuban mat
ters Hawaii and the currency ques.
tion will be leading ones early i'll the
session. The immigration bill, as well
as the Union Pacific railroad matter,
will engross a great deal of attention,
and there is likely to be lively dis.
cussion over both. Itis accepted that
nothing will be done i'll the Spanish
question until the President sends his
message to Congress, and his recon-.
mendations in the matter are awaited
with interest. for, beyond doubt, Gov
gress will be influenced by then. II
! is noticeable that the opinion 0A-
pressed by many of the returning con
grcssmem is to the effect that d'trins
the recess Of Congress the cxtrcnae
feeling which possessed some OF them
has passed away, and the expressions
made by these returning congrcssme,,
are that this country should so SLOW
| in taking any extreme action, and they
are willing to listen to the facts to b.
laid before them before forming Ill
opinion.
A REMARKABLE FAMILY The fact
| SQAt JuStlCe Il leu HIS ibdttO UppiSH'
ton TO retire from the supreme court
bench reminds the public that III tn,
course Of nature before the lapse q
many more years the last member will
have passed from this earthly life Of
an extraordinary family which ha.
played great part upon an elevated
stage during the larger portion OF tbs
10th century. In the pulpit, at the
bar, on the bench, and in Wall street
there have been. or were until yer,
lately. distinguished members Of tb'
Field brotherhood, each in his place
very near the top. and with renowi
at once unique, honorable and splen
did. The only other family known tt
American history of which so man.
members have become hobly dis
tinguished is the Beecher family.
Mrs. Charlotte Smith, Of Boston, stu
insists that transportation for 10000