The Press., 1897-02-25
Washington Letter.
Washinoton. Feb. 9sd, 1897.

Washington Letter.
 Washington, Feb. 2sd, 1897.
 With all its boasted dignity and delib- eration the senate is not above bit of clap trap now and then. In view of it's studied ignoring of the inhuman outrages in Cuba, right at our doors, so to speak, it's latest effort in this line-the adoption of g resolution expressing sympathy with Greece for its stand in behalf of liberty in far away Crete-was about it's worst. As long as nothing is to be done for the cause of liberty in Cuba, it would seem to be good taste to say nothing about liberty elsewhere.
 The house committee on coinage has favorably reported the senate information al monetary conference bill, but 1t has added amendments which may cause the bill to fail, not because of opposition, but for lack of time. It is the opinion of nearly everybody that there is only meagre chance for any legislation other than that which can be put on some ap- proprfation bill as an amendment to get dCb0u uDOn HI bDS SuO11 bAAAAO VI the session. There is much work yet to be done on several of the appropriation bills, and disposition, especially in the | house, to wrangle over small items.
 An amendment offered to the sundry civil appropriation bill in the senate, may \ have far-reaching effect upon the feder- al off1ce-holders, if 1t should be adopted. There is no doubt about the meaning of this amendment. It is intended to open the way for the appointment of a large number of men in political sympathy with the incoming administration. There are, however, a number of republicans who regret that this amendment has been brought forward. They claim that the president already has the authority il proposes to confer, and they like not the intimation carried by the amendment thai
 he has not.
 There will be some very spirited talking in the house when the naval appropriation bill, just completed, is taken Up, but time and the rules will prevent it's being long drawn out. It is expected that the princi- pal fight will be made against the item o $720, ,000 for armor plate for vessels previ. ously authorized. The objection to the items is that it virtually authorizes con tinuance of the monopoly ofthe Bethlehem and Carnegie companies, notwithstanding the proof before the committee that thes companies sold to Russia for $249 tol exactly the same grade of armor that they charged the U. s. $55O ton for. Tn, ignoring of the offer of the Illinois Stee Company, ,one of the largest concerns of its kind, to enter into contract to furnish the government all the armor plate will require for the next twenty years al a uniform price of $24O ton, Is not liked at all. Representative Hall of Missouri, a member of the naval committee is expect ed to lead the fight against this item O
 the bill.
 It Is already evident thata strong effor , is going to be made to induce Presiden
 Mckinley to revoke President Cleveland
 recent order abolishing nine pension agen
 cies. Tennessee and Kentucky republi
 cans are already taking steps to bring tn matter to President McKinley's attention just as soon as he assumes office, and the
 will probably be joined by others iron y states in which agencies were abolished A senator who has not committed him self said: "If the arguments advance, l. for the abolishment of half of the pension ] agencies are good, then all of them shoul, , be abolished, and the checks for pension be mailed direct from Washington a least, that Is the way 1t strikes me now. 6 may think differently when have time t, . look deeper into the subject than hay U been able to do up to this time"
 The senate committee on public land l. has begun an investigation of the issuing . . by the interior department of lanC
 patent for 23, 900 acres in Florida to Mir Perrine, the present husband of Mrs Cleveland's mother, as the heir of D u Henry Perrine, deceased, to whom tn, D original grant was issued The settler u on the land claim that the original gran . was legally forfeited nearly forty year ago, and threaten to carry the case int U the courts unless the patent is recalled. The acceptance of the presidency o Washington and Lee University by Post
 master General Wilson will place tha @ gentlemen back into an element that i s far better suited to him, mentally an - physically, that the hurly burly of activ' . politics which he entered when he becam IT 8 member of the house few years ago @ He was not cut out for a politician, an 3 must have realized it many times, whil | in the educational field he will be thor v oughly at home. He has made no person j. al enemies during his public careel 1 although he has often been on the unpopu q lar side.
 The warships of the European powers ,ioE, H..