The Press., 1897-04-15
Washington Letter.
Washington, April 18th, 1ss5


 Representative Jerry Simpson did not | succeed in making Speaker Reed appoint | the house committees 80 that general Legislation could proceed while the house | Is waiting for the senate to act on the tariff bill, but by his continued protest he forced out the announcement from Rep resentatIve Dingley, the floor leader, of the republicans, that in not appointing the committees, Speaker Reed was follow ing programme adopted by him and his party leaders, and a virtual endorsement of that programme from Representative Bailey, of Texas, the democratic floor leader, who said that the democrats pre- ferred no liglslation on the part of the re- publlcans to bad legislation, which they could not prevent if the republicans choose to put it through. These statements re- suited in clearing the atmosphere very much, so far as the house is concerned.
 Unless Postmaster General Gray changes his mind, there will be no changes made among the postmasters whose income does not exceed $1O0 year, no matter noW IOHk bhb Ol1ACD uh6 DSSA ncIu b1 buS same person, except in cases where a ma jority of the patrons of the office, ask for change. Mir. Gary has notified a num- Der of representatives that this policy will be strictly adhered to. The result will be that the postmasters embraced in this classification will always be in politl- cal sympathy with a majority ..of the pa- irons of their offices. That policy is fair enough to be made into a binding law.
 The fact that some of those who were prominently identified with the Cleveland administration have picked up some very nice plums under this administration is not altogether pleasing to the politicians who have failed to pick up anything for themselves. Ex-Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Dabney has been made chief ture at the salary of $4,5O0 year, and Ex-Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Hamlln has been given a legal job In con- nectlon with the seal fisheries, for an in- definite period, at a compensation of about $15 a day.
 I lLOuk UhS EblbGl6u bIle OuIy bId-that of the Illinois Steel Company, to furnish armor for $26O ton, If they were given contracts for all the armor plate used by the government for the next twenty years-submitted under the act of the last congress, limiting the price to be paid for armor plate for naval vessels to $500 a ton, because he had no authority to make conditional contract, and the whole matter has been referred back to congress, and may result in the establishment of government armor making plant, unless the Carnegie and Bethlehem companies recede from their present position or can persuade congress to raise the limit in the price to be paid for armor.
 It begins to look as though the vacan- cies in the senate committees would be filled. The new senators, who have no committee assignments, made so much fuss about 1t that something had to be done. It Is not probable that either of the parties can have their way about these committee places. In fact, there has been a combination agreed to by commit. tees representing the populists, democrats and silver republicans under which the republicans are allowed three-tenths oi the vacancies and the combination retains the rest, but this agreement has yet tc be ratified.
 If Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, who has been appointed Assistant Secretary oi Navy, doesn't kick up the biggest sort oi shindig in that department, he will dis appoint all the Washington prophets Said one of these prophets: Il cannot conceive Roosevelt as 8 subordinate any where. He Is an able man, although he cannot have his own way, or a way that he regards as good as his own, there is bound to be trouble. Notwithstanding this sort of talk, which Is general iI for the public service if a Roosevelt coulC be made assistant to the head of ever, one of the government departments. Ther' Is not 8 single one of them that stir-ul would not benefit, although 1t migh made things disagreeable to a few individ uals.
 The sudden death of ex-Senator Voor hees, of Indiana, removed prominen figure in American politics. He wa nearly seventy years old and had been il bad health for several years.