Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-09-14
wAsHINGroN LETTER.


I,DlroR CRAWFORD AVALANCHE.
President Mckinley and the other
Ohio Republicans In Washington are
simply amused at the ridiculous
bluffs the democrats are putting up
about their expecting to carry Ohio.
Said one OF them: Why. there isn't
fairly well-informed democrats In
Ohio who really believes that Nc
Lean can come within $1,000 votes Of
carrying the state. All the blufilng
Is for purpose however. II Mclean
can be made to believe that he has q
chance to win he will spend money
liberally, but so long as he regards
himself the leader af forlorn hope,
as he does at this time, he will be
niggardly In his expenditures.
Those who have for months been
engaged In trying to create discon-
tent among pensioners in the hope
that 1t could be used to secure action
from the G.. A. r. annual encamp
ment that would reflect upon the
pension policy OF the administration
had their pains for their trouble.
There are doubtless pension laws
which might be improved by amend
ment, but the veterans did not see
any reason In that for casting refec-
tions upon an administration as
friendly to them as they know that
of President Mckinley has been.
Owing to the inability Of the steel
works of the country, all of which
are working night and day, to Ill
orders, several contractors have been
compelled to ask the Navy depart
ment for an extension of the time
within which their contracts bind
them to complete torpedo boats. No
action has yet been taken by the
Navy Department, but it is not likely
that it will be disposed TO be hard on
the contractors, who are unable to
procure material because of the great
prosperity OF the cuntry-a prosper
ity due largely to the administration
of which the department is part.
Each week the amount of gold In
the treasury grows and new record
Is made. The total amount of gold
reserve has now reached the com.
Portable sum s249, 246, 354. With that
amount OF loose cash in reach 1t Is
not surprising that Uncle Sam should
laugh at the stories, invented by
alarmists of financial difficulties
ahead of the government. He
knows the government finances are
all right and that there is no danger
of any trouble in that line as long
las republican administration is kept
In power.
Secretary Gage who has been on
duty during the entire summer, has
arranged quite trip, beginning on
the 18th, this month, for a vacation
to himself and Mrs. Gage, which in
cludes a visit to the Grand Canyon,
of Colorado. They will arrange to
be in Chicago during the autumn
festival, and on Oct. 18th Secretary
Gage will deliver an address to the
lstudents OF Ann Arbor University,
Michigan.
| War Department records show that
orders had been issued to promote
the late Col. Hawkins, OF the Tenth
Pennsylvania regiment, to brigadier
general, and that news Of the death
of Col. Hawkins was the only thing
THAT prevented the carrying out Of
those orders. This effectually dis
poses of the story that Col. Hawkins
was not promoted because Of the ami
mostly of Gems, Otis and Greene.
His death was the only cause for not
being promoted.
The industrial Commission, ere
ated by the last Congress, has re-
sumed business at the old stand, and
is again daily hearing evidence. tits
trying to elicit some information
} about the big corporations, known as
J trusts, and made start with the
Standard Oil Co., the head of which,
Mr.. Rockefeller, has promised to
! testify in few days.
: The first general encampment OF
the Spanish-American War Veterans
was opened to-day, in Washington
with interesting and impressive Ger
emonies, and there are consider
able number of G. "A. r. men present
Gen. j. Warren Keifer, of Ohio. pres
ident OF the new organization having
sent out many special invitations Il
' his comrades of the G. A. r., to show