The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-04
BUTLER MAHONESPLACE
HIS FRIENDS WILL TRY TO INPROTE
THE YALUE or THE POSITION.
fltzhugh Lee the Subject of Many Com
plimentary Expressions from Northern
Men-Priyate Secretaries.

WASHINGTON. Feb. Especial
Ter Malone 5 friends expect to get a bill
through Congress fixing a salary for the
Nuevo Laredo consul, in addition TO the
fees. At present the consulate is only
fee Office. with salary Of 1880 and
fees the place would be worth between
three thousand and thlrty-two hundred
dollars 4 year.
The newspaper articles on General Fitz
Lee as Consul General to cuba give some
idea OF the nigh esteem in which he Is
neld. But meeting people here from all
sections OF the country and OF all shades
OF politics as / do, l know ii Is no eXag-
geration when / say that General Lee to-
day Is second 10 no man in America In
popularity. 1 was one OF Il group Of
half dozen men in the lobby Of hotel
day or two ago when the Cuban situation
was being discussed TWO Of the party
were from New York one was from New
Jersey, one was from Connecticut, one
was from Nebraska, and one was from
Illinois. Major Cooper, the Illinois gen
tleman served four years in the Union
army during the war. lie said: Il do
not know whether FItz Lee will ever be
sent to the Senate from Virginia, but /
believe If he were now running for Pres
ident Of the United States he would come
very near being elected" and every one
OF the party seconded the notion Not
n day passes that one does not hear en-
thusiastic praise OF Lee from Northern
men.
PRIVATE SECRETARIES.
Some Of the private secretaries 70
Congressman have organized for the pur-
pose OF trying to get a law passed plac-
ing the secretaries on the Congressional
pay roll. Senators are allowed $3.50 a
year for clerk hire and Representatives
are allowed $500. Many Of the secreta-
ries receive the full amount. but 1t IS said
that in the majority OF Instances the
Congressman signs or vOuches for the full
amount allowed. declaring that he has
paid that amount for clerical assistance;
but the clerk or secretary does not re-
ceive anything like the full amount. This
scandal could be prevented IL the clerk
We're on the pay roll and signed his own
voucher. But there are reasons why a
bill OF the kind proposed cannot pass. For
It often happens that Senator or mem
Der of the House finds II convenient 10
have two clerks and divide up the al
lOWance. which is perfectly proper Of
course. In that case law fixing a 81 200
or 81 JO0 salary for A.. 3. would not work
satisfactorily. \ few prominent Congress-
men pay out more than the allowance for
81 clerical services. but a great many could
get along with a stenographer who would
work for an hour or an hour and a half
each day a the rate of so per month.
In other words. some Congressman have
not enough To do ia employ secretary
for anything like full time.
THE ARMY.
Representative Hay. as member Of the
Committee on Military Affairs. tells me /
that there will hardly be any increase
in the regular army this year Everyone
on the committee admits that at least two
additional regiments Of artillery are need
ed TO man the new coast defences but
the Fifty-fifth Congress. Mr.. Hay thinks.
is too close with the governments money
10 pay for any more regiments than are
now employed. General Miles. on the
other hand. tells me that he thinks Con-
gress will increase the army by two regi-
ments. One Of these regiments he says
is to be distributed AZ the batteries along
the South Atlantic coast He says il
the Government does not provide the sol
diers TO man properly the new coast
defences It would be like building loco
motives and having no men 10 run them.
The enlistment limit Of the United States
army has remained at 5000 for many
years. The limit IS now full. the first
time In i've years.
The new postoifice building. The tower
Ing granite pile on Pennsylvania avenue
between Eleventh and Twelfth streets.
Will he ready for occupancy in Few
months. IL has cost six million dollars.
but 1t ~ a poor piece OF work compa red
with the Library building. which cost
only about seven million dollars. Tie
Postoiiice Department is 10 have It's quar-
ters In the building. This was not origi-
nally intended. The basement and ground
floor were to be used for the city post
office and the other floors were 10 be used
for various government offices.
CRAMPED FOR ROOM
The department people are much dis
satisfied with the. order removing, the
postma ster-Genersl's offce to. he Jew
h4uAlns. tss thss ~ b vGy @uea