Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-03-27
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette
WASHINGTON. March 81.

WASHlNGION, MarCu A|s
There has been noticeable thinning
out of the office seekers here, and such
of them as remain who have previously
held Office have been made sick at
heart by the Information given out at
the White House to the effect that
having had one large slice of pie, they
need not expect any more.
The recent decision OF the U. > SUI
preme court in the railroad traffic case
has produced g great commotion in
railroad circles, and it is understood
that efforts will be made at this extra
session to enact legislation that will
render that decision ineffective. 1t IS
hardly possible. however, they can sue
coed. 1t is observable that no effort
has been made to render imperative
the decision of the same court pronlb-
ting tax on surplus incomes.
The arbitration treaty with Great
Britain has been SO changed since 1t
was sent to the Senate that it's trainers
would hardly recognize it as their work,
and many of the Senators who support
ed it in it's original form are so opposed
10 the changes that have been made In
it that they have ceased to take any
interest in its ratification.
The names of Edward G. Spofford
and Matilda A. Madden of Alexandria
have been put on the pension roll.
No interest is now taken in the pro-
ceedings of the House, and its long day
and night sessions attract few visitors.
The tariff is duel subject. Thedemocrats
are exposing and ridiculing the absurd
tiles of the Dingley bill, but every vote
so far taken shows that the large repub-
lican majority is in favor of the trusts,
and opposed to any reduction in duties
that will tend to weaken those robber
combinations. 1t is not supposed now
that ell the provisions of the bill can
possibly be considered by the 31st inst,
the day on which, according to the rule
adopted by the House, q vote on the
whole bill must be taken.
1t is reported here that man from
Alexandria recently applied at Fort
Myer, in Alexandria county, for the
o osition of shoemaker that had become
vacant there, but that in the civil SER
vice examination to which he was SUBJ
iected, questions in astronomy were
propounded to him, which he answered
by the remark that the shoemaker
should always stick to his last.
The President to-day filled the two
vacancies at the Naval Academy by the
appointment of John Downes, ir., of
Quincy Mass, son of Lieutenant John
Downes, of the navy, and John Rodgers,
jr., son of Lieut.. Commander John Rod
gers, executive officer of the battle.
Ship Indiana. The President has fol-
lowed Mr.. Cleveland's rule of
making these appointments at large
rom sons of army and navy officers.
The President has selected these names
from list of about fifty applicants and
more applications have been coming to
him daily from all parts of the country.
A competitive examination of candi-
dates for the dictatorship OF the Bureau
of American Republics, which pays
s., 900 a year, was conducted at the
State Department this morning by
Ministers Mendonca, of Brazil; Romero,
of Mexico, and Merou, of Argentina,
with Assistant Secretary Rockhill and
the Chief of the DIPLOMAT Bureau
representing the United States. Only
two candidates presented themselves,
Joseph P. Smith, of Ohio, and Fred
erick Hilder, of the District of Colum.
bia. They were cross-questioned by
the board for 10 minutes each, after
which recess was taken to 3 O'Clock
ia order that additional candidates
could be notified to attend at that time.
When the iron schedule of the tariff
hill shall be reached in the House, Mr..
Yost of Virginia will move to amend
it by striking out the present duty of
forty cents a ton on iron ore, and rails
ing that duty to seventy-fve cents, as
it was in the Mckinley bill.
1t is supposed here that the appoint
ment of Mr.. Scott of West Virginia to
the position of commissioner of internal
revenue is favorable to the appoint
ment of Mr.. Agnew as collector for the
upper Virginia district.
TELEGRAPHIC BREVITIES.