San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-12-03
Washington GOSSIP

] the day, as senators and representa-
tives arrive in Washington. President
Mckinley, having finished his annual
message to Congress and got II into the
hands of the printers, is devoting a
considerab BILE portion of his time to con-
ferring with prominent members OF
the party as to the legislation of the
session. He is particularly anxious
that whatever party measures are
brought before Congress shall have
the united support of Republicans,
and he is losing no opportunity to i'm.
press that idea upon those with whom
he talks. While not expecting thai
all his recommendations, financial or
otherwise, will be favorably acted up
on by Congress, he believes 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 circum-
stances vote with the Republicans in
the Senate to pass several bills that
will greatly strengthen the admins
tratiOn and benefit the country. 1t is
not deemed expedient to specify these
measures at this time, bur just wait
and see IL the president does not just
ify his reputation as harmOnizer.
1t is refreshing after reading the
numerous lingo schemes advanced just
now to find the following sensible Ian
guage in the annual report of the Sec
rotary of the navy: Additions to our
fleet may be hereafter necessary to
bring it up, in case of an emergency,
to an extent commensurate with the
growing necessities Of the country, es-
pecially in view of the development of
Alaska, which is a continent in itself,
and of the possible annexation Of the
islands in the Pacific. On the other
hand, it is 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
taken out of commission and
put into reserve in order to reduce the
expenses; and that in due re-
gard is necessary to the relation of the
expenditures to the national
revenues. The department therefore |
that the authorization of |
new ships by the coming Congress, be |
limited to one battleship for the Pacific |
coast, where, after the five now un- |
der construction, are completed, there |
will be seven; and also to a few tOrpe
do boats and torpedo boat destroyers. |
both of which are comparatively of |
little cost, and more of which are desir-
able in order to bring this swift mobile |
and handily- effective arm Of the SER
vice up to its place in the general
scheme for coast defense"
Senator Pritchard, of North Carolina,
chairman OF the committee that Is, I'M
der a Senate resolution, investigating
the workings of the civil service law,
says the committee will resume work |
during the first week OF the season of |
Congress, paying particular attention
to the internal revenue service, and
that it's report will probably be sub
mitted to the Senate early in January. |
Senator Pritchard will not attempt to
say what the report of the committee
will be, further than that he thinks it |
will probably recommend modification
ions, which he freely gives, are believ-
ed to be about what are held by ma
jority of the committee, and probably |
are in line with the report that will |
be made He said: "A too broad ex-
tension of the civil service law is cal |
culated to weight it down and render
it unpopular, thereby endangering its
continuance. A good principle to |
adopt would be that q scholastic ex-
is proper to determine the
fitness of persons for clerical positions,
but such test is not suitabl to de- |
termine the fitness of man to fill a |
position where the duties are execu- |
tive. The idea that the law is sort |
of blanket to cover everything is very
unpopular
Ex-Speaker Keifer, of Ohio is renew
ing old acquaintancPS in Washington. |
He says he isn't in active politics, but
tries to know what's going on. Of Ohio |
matters he says: Senator Hanna
will be elected, if he lives; no possible
combination can be made to beat him."
and of the silver question: 1t is a
very effete question in my section. II
is seldom that you hear any mention
of the subject in Ohio. and out in Ne
braska, where l visit my oldest son
occasionally, / observe that there is
really but little interest taken in the IL
to 1 idea. 1t is true that the Republi-
cans were beaten this year in Nebras-
ka, but it was merely rebuke, admin
istered by the voters on account of the
conduct of former Republican state Of
ficials. Later. you will see Nebraska
getting back into the Republican col
umn and the same will I've true Of
Kansas, where the furora over fire.,
silver, has, think, permanently
abated."
i write this to let you know what
| would not do: | would NOT do with.
nnt Chnmherlain's Pnin BALM In rnr