Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-05-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
News of Interest from the Gay
Capitol.

President Is Very Busy.
Washington, May 24th.-When
it comes to expressing their sym
pathy for Cuba, or showing their
confidence in President Mckinley,
the Republicans of the House stand
with the President. They know
that it is not necessary to pass the
Senate resolution declaring that the
belligerency of the Cubans should
be recognized, in order to convince
the country Of their sympathy for
Cuba. They also know that the
adoption of that resolution at this
time would unnecessarily embarass
the President, who is working out a
policy that will be Of some practical
benefit to the Cubans, which it is
far from certain that the recogni-
ton of belligerency would be. This
being the situation, it is not likely
that the House will act upon the
belligerency resolution or take any
other action relating TO Cuba, until
President Mckinley has had time
enough to formulate and announce
his policy. The real friends of Cuba
want more than a recognition of
belligerency they want to see the
island Independent and to that end
they are steadfastly working, mean
while, the money appropriated by
Congress for the relief of estitute
Americans in Cuba, is being used
for thatpurpose by the United States
Consuls. There is no good reason
for any undue haste in taking the
next step, especially when haste
might defeat the very object sought,
the ending of bloodshed in Cuba.
President Mckinley has promised to
act in short time, and Republicans
are willing to accept that promise
and wait.
Republican Senators held q eau
Gus today, in order to smooth down
little differences as to modes of pro-
ceedure during the tariff debate, now
open. There was a general inter.
change of opinion, and, while there
was no attempt to bind anybody, a
general understanding was reached
that no time should be devoted to
lengthy speeches by Republicans.
AT the caucus of Democratic sena-
tors, it was decided to open their
fight on fhe tariff bill by moving to
strike out the entire internal rev.
enue section of the bill, in order to
try to curry favor with the brewing
interests. Republicans do not be-
lieve the motion will carry.
The Bryanites are constantly talk
ing about the increase of free silver
sentiment in the country and saying
that the result of last November
would be reversed were there a
National election held now. OF
course everybody knows that sort
of talk to be mere bluff and buster
If proof was needed, it is furnished
by the fact that the Democratic
leader of the House - Bailey, of
Texas-and other prominent demo-
Gratis have gone into the first con-
gressional district of Missouri to
speak and work for the election of a
Democratic successor to the late
Representative r. p. Giles. The sill
yer sentiment is growing so fast in
the silver State of Missouri, that
stump speaker of National promin-
ence are needed to make sure that
the Republicans do not carry a dis
trict that last November elected a
silver Democrat. Facts like this are
more convincing than low talk, Just
as a man is always judged to larg-
er extent by his actions than by his
words.
President Mckinley has been SC
occupied with other matters that he
has not had time to decide what tc
do about revOking the extensions OF
the civil service rules, made by Mr..
Cleveland, but he has heard the
complaints of many prominent Re
publicans concerning the injustice
of the most of these exte ensions and
there is very little doubt that when
he takes the question up, some, il
not all, of these extensions will
have to go. Some idea of how some
of these extensions are regarded by
prominent officials, who know by
experience just how they are work
ing, may be had from the following
vigorous language used by Assist
Secretary Ryan of the Interior
Department . The civil service
law has been perverted and dragged
into mire to serve partisan ends
bat even that is not the worst of it
A new administration has come int
power, pledged to carry out policies
which in many important respects
are directly contrary to those of the
last administration, and it finds itseli
confronted ON the very threshold b!
an army of official incumbents hos
tile, OF at the very least, Indifferent
to its aims and purpOses-an arm,
intrenched behind newly devised
rules and regulations which wer
never contemplated or dreamed o
by the trainers and supporters o
the civil service law, whose design
WAS TO elevate and improve the eff
cheney of the clerical service in tn
executive departments of the Gov
ernment." Mr.. Ryan was a mem
Der of the House when the oivil ser
vice bin WAS passed and he vote
for it, and still believes in it, but h
thinks the partisan barnacles put up
on it by Mr.. Cleveland will have t.
be soraped off or the country wi
become Disguised with the entir
law. More evidence of the partisal