Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-12-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Republicans Are Confer
ring.
Recommendation Of the Secretary Of the
Navy Workings of the Civil Service
Laws-The Senatorial Situation in
Ohio.

Laws-The Senatorial Situation in
ohio.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 1897.
Republican conferences are the
order Of the day, as senators and
representatives arrive in Washing
ton. President McKin ey, having
finished his annual message to Con-
gress and got it into the hands of
the printers, is devoting a considera-
BILE portion of his time to conferring
with prominent members of the
party as to the legislation Of the ses-
sion. 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
impress that idea upon those with
whom he talks. While not expect
ing that all his recommendations
financial or otherwise, will be fav-
orably acted upon by Congress, he
believes that by good management,
some of them can be put through.
There are reasons for the belief that
a sufficient number of senators will
under certain circumstances vote
with the Republicans in the senate
to pass several bills that will greatly
strengthen the administration and
benefit the country. 1t is not
deemed expedient to specify these
measures at this time, but just wait
and see if the president does not
justify his reputation as a harmon
izer.
1t is refreshing after reading the
numerous jingo schemes advanced
just now to find the following sensi-
BILE language in the annual report of
the Secretary of the Navy: "Ad-
ditions to our fleet may be hereafter
necessary to bring it up, in case of
an emergency to an extent commen-
surate with the growing necessities
of the countries, especially in view
of the development of Alaska,
which is a continent in itself, and of
the possible annexation of islands in
the Pacific On the other hand, it
is a mistake not to recognize that
our Naval mower has moro fbos,
that the case of any emergency be-
yond our present resources is the
very rare case that until it comes
ships will be gradually taken out of
commission and put into reserve in
order to reduce expenses and that q
due regard is necessary to the rela-
ton of the National expenditures to
the National revenues. The depart
ment therefore recommends that the
authorization of new ships by the
coming congress, be limited to one
| battleship for the Pacific coast,
where, after the five now under con-
struction, are completed, there will
be only two, while on the Atlantic
there will be seven and also to few
torpedo boats and torpedo boat des-
troyers, both of which are compara-
lively of little cost, and more of
which are desirable in order to bring
this swift, mobile, and handily eff
fective arm of the service up to its
place in the general scheme for
coast defense"
Senator Pritchard, of North Caro-
lima, Chairman of the Committee,
that is, under a senate resolution, in
vestigating the workings of the
civil service law, says the commit
tee will resume work during the
first week of the session of Con-
gress, paying particular attention to
the internal revenue service, and
that its report will probably be sub
mitted to the senate early in Janu-
: ary. Senator Pritchard will not at
tempt to say what the report of the
committee will be, further than that
he thinks it will probably recon-
mend modification of existing rules.
| but his personal opinions, which he
freely gives, are believed to be about
what are held by the majority 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
calculated to weight it down and
render it unpopular, thereby endan-
: gering its continuance. A good
principle to adopt would be that {
scholastic examination is proper tC
determine the fitness of persons foi
clerical positions, but such test i
not suitable to determine the fitness
7 of man to fill a position where the
Il duties are executive. The idea tina
Q the law is a sort of blar ket to co g
) everything is very unpopular.
Ex-Speaker Keifer, of Ohio, is re
> newing old acquaintances in Wash
ington. He says he isn't in activ
IS politics, but tries to know what i
N going on. OF Ohio matters he says
I "Senator Hanna will be elected,
he lives no possible ccmbinatio
10 can be made to beat him, and c
is the silver question sit is a yer
Is effete question in my section. 1t
"a seldom that you hear any mentio
of the subject in Ohio, and out
40 Nebraska, where l visit my olde'
ne son occasionally, 1 observe thf
a.. there is really but little interest tai
If en- in the 16 to 1 idea. 1t is tru
that the Republicans were beate
~ this year in Nebraska, but it wa
merely a rebuke administered b
Ii the voters on account Of the condu
rs of former Republican state official
of Later you will see Nebraska gettin
back into the Republican colum
10 and the same will be true Of Kansa
Id where the furore over free silve
has, l think, permanently abated