St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-01-04
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


With the return of senators and repre-
sentatives from a mingling with their
constituents during the holiday recess OF
congress, there is very general dis
position to hurry along legislation and
avoid If possible an extra session. The
Paris treaty will be in possession Of the
senate this week, and the intention now
IL to secure immediate consideration and
action, so that if ratified, the lower
branch of congress can be asked by the
president for an immediate approprla-
tion Of $500 900, as provided for in the
treaty for payment to Spain. This is the
only connection the lower house will have
with the treaty, and it is expected that
the opponents Of the administration and
of the policy of territorial expansion Will
avail themselves of the opportunity to
enunciate their policy and the course
they intend TO pursue. 1t is absolutely
essential that this appropriation be
made al the present session in order to
avoid an extra session, as the treaty
provides that the $50 900, 900 shall be paid
to Spain within six months after the
appropriation before the Sd of March
would insure an extra session, so that the
leaders will bend all their energies to Sc
cure the appropriation before the pres
ent congress comes to an end.
The president entertains no doubt as
to the treaty being ratified and the pas
sage of the appropriation. Next to this
question the administration desires the
passage of the bill increasing the army
so that the volunteer troops can be mus
tered out.
Claiming Relationship 10 Get once.
Notwithstanding Secretary Bliss win
remain at the head Of the interior de-
partment until about the lst of Febru
airy, when Mr.. Hitchcock will be here to
take upon himself the administration OF
the duties of the secretary ship, great
many letters are received at the depart
ment written upon the assumption that
the change has already taken place. a
good many of these letters are from per-
sons bearing the same name as the in
coming secretary, and seek to establish
a blood relationship, and then follow up
their alleged family connection by sole
iting a good paying office under the ad-
ministration. Every public man who
accepts a cabinet position has to undergo
this kind Of experience. Persons bear
ing the same name will write to him from
all over the country claiming relation
ship, and ask all kinds of favors from
his hands, from a loan Of money to en-
able the writer 10 start in business, to
The securing Of an office with good
salary and little work to do. Secretary
Bliss has not been exempt from such APP
peals. and Secretary Hitchcock. that is
TO be, will no doubt have similar letters
from every state in the Union. Although
Mr. Hitchcock comes from Vermont
stock, the fact that he was born in Ala
bama while his parents were temporar-
lily residing there, and since maturity
has lived in Missouri, Is enough to make
him southerner in the eyes Of a class
OF ffice-seekers in Washington who come |
from the south. They believe that he
will listen to their tales of woe and pro-
vide them with Offices.
VIVA, commissioner Evans Did.
Among the 10 clerks whose services |
were dispensed with by the pension bu-
reau last July, great many came from
the south, and quite number of these |
were women. Commissioner Evans
found the pension bureau overcrowded
with women from southern states who
were not up to the standard of efficiency.
and whose appointment had been made
by Hoke Smith of Georgia when secre-
tary of the interior, purely to give them
a good salary They did little work,
and demoralized other employees by their
manners, and Commissioner Evans
caused about so of them to be dismissed.
They are out of Office, but there has not
been day since that appeals have not
been made TO Secretary Bliss In behalf of
some of them for restoration. They
claim that Commissioner Evans dislikes
them and was influenced in securing
their removal by the fact that they are
members Of old Democratic families.
and sided with the Confederate cause
or against the government. Their sue
cess in getting resuscitated has not been
marked, and now they say that Mr.. Bliss
Will soon be succeeded by a southern
born man, and they will appeal to him
for redress.
IT the new secretary, Mr.. Hitchcock,
attempts to reopen their cases he will
have little else to do for some time as the
city is overlooking with people who want
10 get back on government pay roll.
Much sickness In Washing on,
The extent of the sickness which has
prevailed in Washington for the past 10
days is greater than has been known
here, SO leading physicians say for a
quarter of Il century. While, as a rule.
la grip has been mild in form, hardly
family has escaped without one or
more cases, ard many old people have
succumbed to the attack. so that the
mortality has been large. A leading
physician reported few days AGO that
not trained nurse could be had in the
city at any price, and that they were
sending to Baltimore and PHILADELPHIA
for them. The epidemic has INTERRUPTED
somewhat this weeks social festivities
and several large dinner parties which
were to have been given this week on an
elaborate scale have been postponed on
account of so many expected guests be-
ing III. The extremely warm weather of
last week Is believed to have much to
do with the epidemic, and there was gen
eral rejoicing when the new year was
ushered in by a cold wave the thermom-
cter being about 10 degrees above. CON
dition OF the weather seldom seen at the
capital.
Want u CITIZEN For stmast.r.
The citizens of Washington especially
those who take any interest in politics,
are considerably exercised over an init