Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-14
GROWING RESTLESS,
Everybody at Washington Is
Anxious for Adjournment.
Not Even the Hot Wave Can Kill the
Office Seekers Courage.
Applicants BY Scores Tor Every Office
Maine PostoAIce Case.

CoHsfesS auJouih II Is familiar
question, but no one here at the Ma
tional capital appears to be able to
answer it. Undeniably Congress is
restless. and it's members anxious to
get away. Washington during the
heated term is certainly not desir-
able place of residence Republican
leaders indulge the hope that an ad-
journment may be reached by the goth.
and certainly the conference commit
tee is doing all in it's power to bring
about this desirable result. SO anx
ious were its members to push their
deliberations to a close that somewhat
contrary to custom they held sessions
Sunday. in the hope of being able to
make report on Tuesday or Wednes-
day. The Senate is said to have made
about $50 amendments to the original
House bill-which is two hundred more
than was made by that body upon the
original Wilson bill
1t should be stated. however, that a
large number of these changes are un-
important.
Public opinion appears to be strong
ly in favor of the bill as originally
passed by the House. The later Senate
ton and of course the work of the con-
ference committee must consist chief
ly of concessions to the House When
the measure is again reported to Con-
gress from this committee, the public
will see considerably greater resem-
blance to the original Dingley bill than
was discernible during it's passage of
the Senate.
1t is generally thought that the re-
port of the conference committee will
be accepted by both Houses and the
measure promptly disposed Of 1t is
not likely that much If any legis-
lation will be considered by Congress
after the passage of the tariff bill.
There is very general desire that the
Senate should ratify the annexation
treaty with Hawaii at this session, and
it is believed that there would be no
difficulty, If the matter could be
brought to vote, In securing the fav-
orable action of the necessary two
thirds of that body. The outlook is,
however, that the matter will have to
go over until next December. There is,
too. little probability that the House
will pass at this session the Senate
resolutions recognizing Cuban belli-
gerency 1t is said that the President
has prepared for submission to Con-
gress a message advocating the APP
pointment of a commission to consider
the vexed question of the currency. and
recommend to Congress such legisia-
ton as may be deemed necessary to
place it upon a safe and permanent
basis. 1t is doubtful, however, if the
t1,t1n ~ IN aff Ia.
secured upon such recommendation.
The members will feel, when the tar
If bill is passed, that the special object
of the present session has been accom-
pished. and the pressure will be great
for an immediate adjournment. Indeed
many members are already absent,
and 1t is no easy task to keep a quo
rum.
Not even the intense heat of Wash
ington midsummer can daunt the ar
dor of the office seekers. In spite of all
that has been said and written to the
contrary. there are no indications that
the present administration will take
any backward steps in the matter of
civil service reform. Among the recent
guests at the White House WAS the
Hon. Carl ShurtZ who is said to have
urged upon the President the import
ance of holding and advancing the
ground taken in this direction. Just
what assurances were given him is not
known. but he is reported to have been
well pleased with his interview with
our able chief executive.
Republicans who imagine that Demo
cratic postmasters would Immediately
walk tho MIN nix the advent to
power of the present administrations
have been doomed to disappointment
The postolfice department has ruled
that the present incumbents of post
Offices will be permitted to serve out
sifull term of four years from the date
their appointment. unless sooner re-
r. owed on charges showing improper
performance of official duty.
1t Will be remembered that the CleVe-
land administration. short time be-
fore the expiration of its term or Office
placed "a large number of the boards oi
pension examiners under the civil ser
vice rules The board at Augusta is
the only one in the Third Congression-
al District of Maine which comes in
this list. Great pressure has beer
brought by members of Congress t.
ref1pNe these boards from tne civil ser
vice rules. but thus far without sue
cess. Commissioner Evans is said to
have expressed the opinion that no
such action would be taken by the
present administration and in the re-
mote contingency that there should he
II would affect all these boards the
same.
A congressman life is a busy one
and especially so when his party is II
power. and in addition to his othcl
duties he is charged with the consider
ationFo applications for federal APP
pointments in his district-a task in
Volvng a large correspondence. thi
careful and laborious examination of
stacks Of petitions and letters. to say
nothing of the almost daily visits to the
various departments in the adjustment
or these and many other matters in the
interests of his constituents.
Anyone who sits in the galleries CT
Vne House or Senate through a session
ana notes the large mails upon the
desks of members, can but be impressed
win the fact that official life at the
national capital is very far from being
sinecure