The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-01-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.



WAsHINaT0H, Dec. 81, 1897.
Some Of the ablest men in Con.
gross are carefully Watching the
development of tho European grab
game in China. They have no par.
ticular interest in whether China il
controlled by Chinese or by Euro.
peans, but they have : deep interest
in the maintenance of tho rights OIL
the United States in China, which
are now guaranteed by treaty, and
they believe that this government
should notify tho powers interested
that it will insist upon the mainte'
nance of those treaty rights by any
power or powers that may acquire
Chinese territory. So far nobody
has been able to ascertain whether
this government has taken any steps
looking toward the preservation oil
our treaty rights, commercial and
otherwise, in China, but, unless sat
isfactory information on the subject
shall be obtained before Congress
reassembles, it is probable that the
information will be promptly called
for by resolution of the Senate
Although President Mckinley
failed to endorse all of Secretary
Cages financial recommendations,
in his annual message to Congress,
the developments of the week have
made it apparent that he has no
objection to the active and aggress-
i've fight that Secretary Gage is
making in behalf of those recon-
mendations. While it is not true,
as was reported several days ago,
that Secretary Gage rendered his
resignation and that it was declined,
it is known that he told the Presi-
dent he was willing to resign if his
attitude on the financial question
was embarrassing the administration,
and that the President told him in
effect to go ahead that he had no
complaint to make. This is not
likely to have any effect upon leg
islation, but it may have some effect
upon the attitude of the silver re-
publican Senators towards the ad
ministration.
The most sensational occurrence
of holiday week in official circles
was Commissioner Evans whole
sale denunciation of pension attor.
neys, of whom he said: 1.-The most
demoralizing feature of the pension
system is the existence of $1,000
pension attorneys. The ordinary
pension attorney is worse than the
most pestiferous 'varmint' that ever
invaded d hen roost. If there are
frauds on the pension rolls they
have been planted there by the PEN
sion attorney. There are good men
engaged in the pension attorney
business, but the majority of them
remind me of that beautiful bird
that sails through the air 80 grace
fully, but which the laws prohibit
killing. The government has con-
tinued to pay pension attorneys for
soliciting business for thirty years.
Eoough of this has been done. A
law should be enacted that in future
no fee should be paid to any attor-
ney or claim agent for any claim
fled for pensions. That would put
an end to pension scandals" Mr..
Evans added to his attack on the
pension attorneys by stating that
several of his predecessors in the
Office of Commissioner of Pensions
Lad entertained the same feelings
towards them. The pension attor-
neys will hight back, but it will not
be done as openly as this attack
upon them.
Representative Dingley says the
Ways and Means committee may
report a bill at this session to refund
the bonded debt ofthe United States
with q per cent gold bonds. He
says that the enactment of such a
bill into law would save $12, GOO. 900
in interest each year, but admits
that the chance of such measure
to get through would be very slim,
owing to the number Of men in
Congress who prefer to have the
lose that $12,OOO,OOO
q year rather than authorize the
issue of gold bonds.
1t is not probable that the Gov
eminent of the United States will
make any speedy reply, if it replies
at all, to the last refusal of Lord
Salisbury to join in stopping open
sea sealing. 1t is the general belief
in Washington that the matter will
be allowed to stand just where it is.
Canada can catch the seals, but it
cannot legally sell the skins in the
United States, and by its attitude
in this matter it has destroyed the
little chance there was Of it's getting
in the line of commercial
reciprocity from the United States.
The British Ambassador has opened
negotiations for q reciprocity treaty