Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-03-01
W4SL7l gs<1TON LET TER.


Washington, Feb. 22th, 1897.
The investigation now being con-
Quoted by the Senate com mittee on
public lands may lead to scandal in
volving Mr. Cleveland, althoug every
patriotic American will hope not. The
investigation is of land patent re-
Gently issued by Secretary Francis to
! Mr.. Perrine, Mrs. Cleveland's step
father, and his associates. The patent
covers %, 900 acres of land in Florida,
and if it has been legally issued, the
present occupants of the land will
have to move or to make terms with
Mr.. Perrine. The original grant of
this land was made to DIR. Perrine,
father of the present Mr.. Perrine, and
his associates, in 1841, and the con-
tention of the settlers on the land,
who are represented by Elk Congress
man Brookshire of Indiana, is that it
was forfeited by failure to occupy it
within the legal limit. The odd part
of the issuing of this land patent is
the manner in which it has been hur-
ried along since Mr.. Francis became
Secretary of the Interior, and the ap-
parent anxiety of Assistant Attorney
General Lionberger, who was put in
Office by Secretary Francis, to get the
patent issued for the land before the
close of the present administration.
The committee may find the transac-
ton all right, and that the relation
ship of Mr.. Perrine to Mr.. Cleveland
has not figured in the matter, at all,
but there is lot of ugly gossip about
it just now, and it will probably get
into court anyway.
The smart alexis who have been
circulating reports as to the intention
of the House Committee on Coinage
to smother the Senate bill authoriz-
ing President Mckinley to appoint
delegates to any international none
tary conference called by any other
nation, or to one called by himself if
in his discretion he sees fit to call it,
got knock down blow when the COM
mittee reported the bill favorably to
the House with two amendments, one
broadening the autho. ity of the Pres
ident by authorizing him, if he sees
fit, to appoint one or more specia
commissioners or ENJOYS to negotiate
with other nations for the calling of
such conference, and the other re-
pealing the Act Of 1895 for the same
purpose, SO as to prevent any COM
plication that might arise from two
acts on the same subject.
Congress- did sensible thing in
the title of "Private Sec
rotary to the President'' and making
the title of that important and USE
full official "Secretary to the Presi-
dent" Of late years, especially du-
ing the first term of Mr.. Cleveland
and President Harrison's term, this
position has been filled by men who
have been in reality confidential adj
visers Of the President, and it was
farcical to designate them as private
in view of the popular |
ideas of the duties performed by a |
private secretary. The change was
made in compliance with a request of |
President elect Mckinley.
While no republican i'll Congress
believes that the reelection of Sena
tor Kyle, by the aid of republican |
votes in the South Dakota legislature,
was brought about by any deal, there |
is general belief that Senator Kyle |
will, if necessary, help the republican
of the Senate to pass a tariff bill |
at the coming extra session. And
owing his re- election to republican
votes will not be likely to make an
to other republican meas
ures. So long as a straight out re-
publican could not be elected, there |
is no occasion for republican grumb-
ling at the re- election of Kyle.
Nothing but praise is heard of the
that are being made
for the Inaugural parade by General
Porter, Chief Marshal. His idea of
the parade attractive by it's
quality, rather than imposing and
tiresome by it's quantity and length,
is generally approved. According to
Gen. Porter's arrangement, $4,000
men in line will pass a given point in
one hour, which will bring the entire
l. s@l-