The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-12-03
FROM THE CAPITAL.
Our Correspondent Talks in Sage
Manner of Things in General
About Washington.
communicated
WASHINGTON. Nov. %. 1897.

tCommunicatedl
WASHINGTON, Nov. 80, 1897.
"Walk into my parlor," says the spi-
der to the fly; "walk into my National
Bank scheme" says the administra-
ton 70 the Southern Democrats. AS
fast as the Southern Democrats arrive
in Washington, they are buttonholed
by agents of the administration, who
try TO convince them what boon it
would b. for that section and for por-
tions of the West, where banking facil-
tiles are deficient, if National Banks
could be established in small towns
with capital of S25, 600, were allowed
to issue currency to the par value of
bonds deposited with the government,
and the tax on that currency was made
nearly nominal After talking up the
advantage of plentiful supply of cur
rency at home, to meet the home de-
mand, they try to get the Southern
Democrats To pledge themselves to vote
ipi bAil IuCSC
ments to the National Banking laws.
1t is a shrewd game, and the argu-
ments are plausible when used by men
who know how their constituents are
at times Inconvenience by the lack of
sufficient currency to meet their needs,
and it is not surprising that some DEM
ocratic support for the idea has been
secured. The administration hopes to
get enough Democratic Senators to
put this scheme through the Senate,
in connection with other financial leg
isation. about which care is taken to
say nothing at this time, or if that is
not feasible, to put through bill with
no other feature. Anything that will
strengthen the National Banking sys-
TEN will strengthen the gold standard
policy.
Secretary Longs annual report con-
tains several sell ences that must have
escaped Mr.. McKinley's blue pencil by
accident. For instance, he speaks of
possible annexation of islands in the
Pacific" as though he entertained
doubts about the annexation of Haw-
ali, and he acknowledges his fear of
that growing treasury deficit by saying
that III expenditures for the Navy "a
due regard is necessary t. the relation
of the national expenditures to the
national revenue" 1t is very difficult
to reconcile the decidedly peaceable
tone of the Secretary's official talk
about only small additions to the
Navy being provided for bv this Con-
gress, and of his intention to take war
ships out of commission in order to
save running expenses, with the ac-
ton just taken by his department in
placing a large contract-the largest
made since the WARRIOR ammunition
aud guns.
Several hundred employees of the
Treasury Department find il impos-
sible to prepare for Christmas in the
proper joyous spirit, owing to the fear
that the ak will in the mea time fall
upon their official necks. The civil
service law provides that each State
and Territory shall have proportion
ate quota of the employee. Of the Gov
ernnent. Secretary G g. has just had
a list prepared showing The residence
of the employees of his pepartmrnt,
and has announced his intention to
weed out the "barnacles." This has
been Interpreted by the employ, es to
mean that dismissals ar to b. made
among the residents If those States
having more than their share IN rider
to give the places to residents of States
which have less than their >hare.
Should this b. true, many persons re-
siding, or claiming residen. e, IN near
by States will have TO 20, as tie ne"rby
States all have more Than their share,
but the heaviest blow wOuh fall upon
residents of the District OF Columbia,
which is legally entitled to only nine
clerks in the Treasury Dep ,rtmrnt, but
which has more than three hundred.
There have been several scires of this
sort before, but il isn't the sort
of things that the poor devils who have
been in government employ SD long
that they have forgot how, If they ever
knew, to make a living outside, can get
Used 10. The odd thing alb ut it, if
carried out, would be that it would
catch many more Republicans than
Democrats, but not few of them are
political hermaphrodites, making it
their business to always appear to be-
long TO the party on top, without actu-
ally belonging to either.
Representative Hartman, of Mont,
takes issue with the Republicans who
are try ing so hard to create the impress
sion that the silver question is dead.
He says it is the livest issue now before
the people, owing to the absolute failure
of the Wolcott Commission; that last
year thousands of Republicans voted
for Mckinley, believing that he would
do something for silver. and now they
know that he will not. Mr.. Hartman
makes this prediction for 1900: "There
will be 2,500, 900 free silver Republican
votes, 100000 PopulisU votes and A.
500 900 Democratic votes for the nomi-
nee who stands for the identical prin-
ciples that Mr.. Bryan stood for last
year"
Representative Livingston, of Ga,
who is one of the best friends Cuba has
ia Congress, doesn't think the outlook
good for legislation favorable to Cuba.
He thinks there will be lot of talk
but no action