The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-04-29
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, April 26, 1897


prominent persons who will take part
in Or view the dedicatory ceremonies.
President Mckinley and his cabinet,
the diplomatic corps, the Supreme
Court, Mrs. Grant and members of
Grant family, and delegation of
prominent Army and Navy officers
and their families went on one special
train to-day. The Senate and House
Committees, who go as the official
representatives of the legislative
branch of the Government went on
regular trains and to suit individual
convenience, but the members will
meet and remain together during the
ceremonies. Many other Senators
and Representative have also gone,
as it was agreed beforehand that no
business whatever should be trans
acted at the meetings of the House
and Senate to-day, and those to be
held Thursday, they being held merely
to comply with the constitutional re-
quirement as to the length of time
that either branch of Congress may
adjourn without the adoption of b
concurrent resolution. ~
1t is expected that President Nc
Kinley will shortly modify the civil
service rules. He has had an extend
ed conference with the Civil Service
Commission. Secretary Wilson stated
before the Senate subcommittee,
which is investigating the workings
of the civil service law and rules,
that the present rules hampered him
in selecting efficient scientific subor-
dinates, and in a written communica
ton, Secretary Gage expressed the
opinion that a modification of the
rules would be beneficial to his de-
partment.
Representative Dorr, of West Vir
ginia, has introduced bill for the
outright repeal of the civil service
laws, and he declares his intention to
do everything he possibly can to get
the bill acted upon.
Nothing could better illustrate
President Mckinley's idea of the re-
lation that should exist between the
Federal administration and the public
than the official announcement of the
selection of Judge VIM. r. Day, of
Canton, Ohio, to be First assistant
Secretary of State and eX-Repre-
sentative Bellamy Storer, of Ohio, to
be L. S. Minister to Belgium, three
days before their nominations were
sent to the Senate. President Nc
kinley believes that as soon as any
thing has been determined upon the
people have a right to be informed of
it, and acts accordingly.
Secretary Wilson is much pleased
with the reception of his effort to in
| crease the culture of sugar beets i'll
| those sections of the country where
the soil and climate seems to indicate
| success with this crop. So great has
been the demand for the seeds that
| the large supply contracted for by
Secretary Wilson when he first took
charge of the Agricultural depart
ment has been almost exhausted.
The death OF Representative Mill
ken recalls the fact that no member
of the Maine Congressional delegation
died in office before Mr.. Milliken, since
1888, when Representative Jonathan
P. Cilley, of Maine, was shot dead by
Representative Graves, of Kentucky,
| with whom he fought duel.
Senator Allison, who is member
of the subcommittee engaged in 60
ing over the Dingley bill before it is
reported to the full Finance Com
mittee-by the way, this sub-commit-
tee is not taking any holiday either
night or day this week-gave a caller
good idea OF the manner in which
the work OF revision is being done,
when he said: Here is a letter from
manufacturer of backing. How
many ingredients do you suppose
there are that enter into this manu-
facture? Well, more than q dozen.
Some of these ingredients have been
transferred from the free to the duti-
able list Some have had the. rates
increased and some decreased. Each
article has q direct bearing on this
mans business. He writes us that
backing is sold in packages of a GER
tain size, which cannot well be varied,
also that most OF the backing is isa-
ported from France, and that the in
dustry in this country is in its infancy
but is making fair progress. If we re-
tain the House rates on certain ingre-
dients he mentions, he asks that we
also make a small increase on black
ing and suggests that it will be easier
to do this than to change the rates on
the dozen articles which enter into
his product. His request does not
seem unreasonable, does it, if the facts
are as he states? Well, we have looked
into the rates on every one of the in