Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-02-25
WASHINGTON LETTER



In-chief NJ the g. A. R., who was 10
this week to attend the
annual encampment of the Depart
ment OF the Potomac. said Of Gen.
Alger, the next Secretary of War:
Il was on Gen. Ayers stan when
he was commauder-in-chief of the
Grand Army and knew him very
we'll. There isn't man In the Grand
Army who doesn't believe that Gen,
Alger was a brave and good soldier
and we are delighted OF seeing him
made Secretary of War. 1t is mat
ter OF considerable congratulation to
us that both the President and Sec
rotary of War will be members OF
the Grand Army. We have done
very we'll in the matter Of Presidents
since the war. President Mckinley
will be the fifth, the others having
been Grant, Hayes, Garfield and Har-
rison."
Some fears are expressed that one
or more of the regular appropriation
bills may fail to become laws before
the expiration of the Fifty-fourth
Congress, but so far as can tie learn
ed they are not shared by the veter-
ans who compose the Senate and
House Appropriation Committees.
One of them speaking OF the matter
said: "The life OF this congress Is
rapidly drawing to close, but with
the exception Of the General Def
cheney bill, which is always purposely
kept back so as to include items
that may get overlooked, and so as to
give the departments time to as
certain all the DEFICIENCIES. We have
the appropriation bills, which have
not yet become laws, well In hand,
and unless one of them should be
vetoed during the last few days OF
the session, 1 feel certain, that they
will all get through, although one or
two of them will, as usual, have a
tight squeeze, but there will be little
or no time to devote to anything else
from now o."
Although Senator Pettigrew, Of
South Dakota, denied the charge
made by Senator Chandler, that he
betrayed the sound money convention
that sent him to the st. Louis con-
vention by boiling that convention,
and supporting the silver mono
metallist candidate for President, his
denial left the charge just about
where it was when first made. 1t
has been repeatedly stated in Wash
ington that Senator Pettigrew pledg-
cd himself to number Of Republi-
cans TO abide by the candidates and
platform OF the st. Louis convention
before he was elected delegate; also
that Mr.. Pettigrew would not have
been elected delegate, IL he had not
made that pledge. If he wishes to
convince people that his subsequent
action was blameless. he should be a
little more specific. Stating that a
convention which had just come out
fat. footed for sound money sent him
to the national convention knowing
that he would bolt the convention II
it declared for sound money, as Mr..
Pettigrew in substance does, Is not
convincing enough.
Although Senator Frye is the sec
ond member of the Senate Committee
on Foreign relations, he will not sue
coed Senator Sherman as Its chair
man after March Sd. Senator Frye
is chairman of the Committee on
Commerce and has, 1t Is understood,
stated, that he would not care to
undertake the ardous duties OF chair
man of the Foreign Committee In
addition to those of his present chair
mauship, which he prefers to retain.
Consequently it is considered certain
that Senator Davis, Of Minnesota, at
present third member Of the COM
mittee, will be made chairman when
Senator Sherman retires. Mr.. Davis
is thoroughly equipped in general
knowledge for the position, and his
Americanism Is Of the true blue
brand. There is some talk of COM
bination of the silver Senators to
prevent the retention by the Repub-
licans of the organization of the Sem
ate in the next Congress, but kuowl,
conditions do not warrant belief In
the success OF such combination,
even If the attempt should be made.
A great many bright newspaper
men are assuming to tell just what
Speaker Reed will do at the coming
extra session, but not one of them
has given Speker Reed as his author
ity. 1t should be needless to say,
that Mr.. Reed, even il he has fully
decided upon his exact course, which
is doubtful, has not taken anybody,
outside of the leaders Of the repuD-
lican party, into his confidence, and
that neither he nor they are In the