Evening journal., 1897-05-22
THE DRAMA AT WASHINGTON.


I'D TO the time OF this writing the i'm
portant affairs OF state at Washington,
which must be settled before the coun-
try can hope to get taste OF prosper
ity. represent a very STACEY aspect. The
Mckinley party has been in office over
six months now without having accom-
plshed a single benefit to the deceived
people who elected the ticket. or
course. a new administration cannot
iunomt,to harness like a city fire en-
gintThe ,e. We grant that. But at the
end cDs months we find our Federal
goverA 1t almost as unsettled as on
the first day Major Mckinley was inau-
gurated as president-we find the in
terests OF our seventy million people
suffering from the curse of misgovern-
ment. and no effort being made TO re-
lieve their growing distress, because
our dilatory public servants are more
interested In a string OF ridiculous po-
lFtical dramas.
The present play, which is delay
ing the progress OF official action, Is or
should be entitled civil service, the
hungry office-seekers and the ruler and
mis- supporters" President Mckinley is
now standing at the turning of the
ways. and he will soon be forced TO
take a definite position one way or the
other in regard to the civil service
regulations. He will either nave 10
stand by the commissioners and uphold
the classified service regulations as
they exist to-day, or take sides with the
spoilsmen who favor and insist upon a
modification OF the present rules. Since
March A, Washington has been crowded
with hungry and impatient office-seek-
+. ers. These men besiege the congress-
men and senators from their states
daily, and demand that something bs
done for them. The congressman in
turn seek out the different Cabinet Off
GERS and heads Of departments and de
mand positions for their constituents
They are told the places that they ash
for are under the civil service, and they
cannot have them. The congressmer
and senators then go to the president
and protest against the civil service
regulations and urge him to take some
action either to modify or upset the
strict rules in force in the department
tai service.
The president has had a number o
conferences with the civil service com
missioners at the White House, an,
this has caused reports to be freely cir
culated about Washington to the effec
that he proposed to modify the exist
ing regulations, and that he wOul
have the cooperation Of the commits
sfoners in making these changes. Sue
reports are unwarranted. The commits
sioners are entirely satisfied with tn
rules as they exist to-day, and, in thei
opinion, the Investigation of the civ
service system now being made by tn
special committee appointed by tn
Senate for this purpose will, instead {
hurting the system, result in vindica'
ing 1t from the aspersions that hay
been cast upon It by the spoilsmei
But still the wrangle goes on. and
likely TO continue to block the progrei
Of the needs Of business interests at II
capitol.
The present dispute over the Dingls
tariff bill is another drama of legisli
tive and executive action. Only pla
progress has been made so far. Coz
gressmen who have talked with Pres
dent Mckinley in regard to the Sena
measure, say the president, althoul
not entirely pleased with the propos'
alterations, is so anxious to get sor
sort Of tariff bill through that he
not inclined to criticise the bill fix
up by Senators Aldrich and Allison.
other words, after all the criticism Z
new adj inistration circulated in rega
to the jugglery in the Senate of I
Wilson III, it is now plain to see th
the senators have also padded I
Dingley bill to their taste, and that t
major nd his tariff-healers who h
such flAed ideas on the question "
have to be contented with what I
Senate provides.