Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-12-04
FROM WASHINGTON.
MESSAGE FINISHED.
Schemes Advanced on the
Navy.
SENATOR PRITOHARD ON OWL
SERVICE.

From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, November %, 's7.
Republican conferences are the or
der of the day, as Senators and Re-
representatives. arrive in Washington.
President Mckinley, having finished
his annual message to congress and
got it into the hands of the printers. is
devoting considerable portion of his
time to comforting with prominent
members of the party as to the legis-
lation of the session. He is particular
" anxious that whatever party meas
ures are brought before Congress shall
have the united support of republicans
and he is losing no opportunity to inn
press that idea upon those with whom
he talks. While not expecting that all
his recommendations, financial or
otherwise, will be favOrably acted up
on by Congress, he believes that by
good manage ment, some of them can
be Tut through. There are reasons for
the belief that q 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, but just wait
and see il the President does not justi-
fy his reputation as a harmonizer.
SENSIBLE LANGUAGE.
1t is refreshing after reading the
numerous lingo schemes advanced
just now to find the following sensible
language IN the annual report of the
Secretary of the Navy: Additions TO
our fleet may be hereafter necessary
TO bring il up. in case of7an emergency,
especially IN view Of the development
of Alaska, which is n continent in itself
and of the possible annexation of is
lands in the Pacific, On the other
hand, il 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 4;
that until il comes ships Will be grad
ually taken out Of commission and
put In to reduce running expenses land
that due regard is necessary to the
relation of the National expenditures
to the National revenues. The de-
partment therefore recommends that
the authorization Of new ships by the
coming Congress, be limited to one
battle ship for the Pacific coast. where,
after the five now under construction
are completed, there Will be only two,
while on the Atlantic there will be
seven and also 10 few torpedo boats
and torpedo boat destroyers, both oil
which are comparatively of little cost,
and more of which are desirable in
order TO bring this swift, mobile, and
hAndily effective arm OF the service up
to ITS place ia the general schsme foI
coast defense"
CIVIL SERVICE NOTE.
Senator Pritchard, of North Carroll.
ma, Chairman of the Committee that
is under u Senate resolution, investi.
eating the workings of the civil service
law, says the committee will resume
work during the first week of the ses.
sion OF Congress, paying particular at.
tentiOn 20 the internal revenue service
and that its report will probably bs
submitted to the senate early in Jan.
uary. Senator PriIchard will not at
tempt to say what the report of the
committee will be, further than thai
he thinks it will probably recommend
modification of existing rules, but his
persona opinions, which he freely
gives, are believed To be about whn
are held by majority of the commit
tee, and probably are in line with tn.
report that viii be made. He said
"a too broad extension of the civil ser
vice law is calculated To weight j
down and render it unpopular, there.
by endaEgerlng its continuance.
good pI inciple To adopt would be tina
a scholastic examination is proper t.
determine the fitness of persons 70
clerical positions, but such a test j
not suitable 10 determine the fines
OF man TO fill a position where tn
duties are executive. The idea tina
the law is sort of blanket to cove
everything Is unpopular"
FREE SILVER UNPOPULAR.
Ex-Speaker Keifer, of Ohio, is re
newing old acquaintances in Washing
ton. He says he isn't in active poi
tics. but tries to know what's going OF
OF 0hIo matters he says: Senate
Hanna will be elected, if he lives n
possible combination can be made I
beat him" and OF the silver question
1t is very effeIe question in my SCI
ton. IJ is seldom that you hear an
mention of the subject in Ohio, an
out in Nebraska, where L visit my oil
est son occasionally, l observe thi
there is really but little interest take
In the 10 10 l idea, IJ is true that Il
republicans were beaten this year
Nebraska but it was merely rebul
administered by the voters on acconl
of the conduct of former republics
state officials. Later, you will see N
braska getting back INTO The repuD
can column and the same will be Jrl
OF Kansas, where the IurOre over fr
silver, has, think, permanently aba
ed"