The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-03-06
ERoM ERloos The NATIONS NATION CAPITAL.
From Our O,cn Corresr- .dent.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 4. 1901.
Congress has cleared up it's business
by hook ap & crook and an extra session
is no longer thought possible. True,
the President and the millionaire cor
pOratiOns that control him are disap-
pointed by tho adoption of the Hoar
amendment 10 the Philippine nrnyiso,
which will prevent the franchise hunt
ers from loOting these islands as they
are looting Porto R:cs, 5ut this in itself
is hardly sufficient to cause an extra
session. Of course, the usual food of
bad legislation slipped through in tho
closing days, having been purposely
held back until the two houses were
wearied out and their vigilance relax
ed 80 as to permit its passage without
being noticed. This mas always char
acferized the wind-up of Congress and
always will. but there has not yet been
time 60 analyze them.
One Of the worst breaks Of tho many
made by the Republicans at this ses-
sion, was contained in the report on
petty scandals in the House submitted
on Thursday by committee appointed
only on Saturday to investigate them.
Naturally, no thorough search could
be made and the committee merely
admits the facts without suggesting
any remedy. 1t is found that the en-
ployes Of the House number 357 and
their aggregate pay is about $40O. 900
per annum. The committee classifies
the abuses under three headsr Trans
fers Of employees from the duties of the
position to which they were appointed
to other duties, unjustifiable payments
of compensation to employees while
absent from their post of duty, and
division Of salaries. Many details of
these abuses ere given, but they ere sc
complicated and amazing that it is diff
ficult to understand how they could
have grown up except under the amaz-
ing extravngant rule that has obtained
at the Capitol since tho advent Of the
''hog combine" when the Republicans
regained control Of the House six years
ago.
The ring that has been backing
Sampson and discrediting Schley is
greatly incensed over the publicatio IN
of the formers Endorsement on Gun
ncr Morgan's application for promo
tion. While the sentiments expressed
therein represent with great accuracy
the ideas of nine-tenths of the officers
of the navy, most of these have taken
care not to put themselves on record as
holding them. 1t is amazing that
cadets at both Annapolis and West
Point: drawn as they are from all walks
of life from the highest to Tho lowest,
should almost Immediately develop an
aristocratic spirit and look down on
the class to which their own fathers
belong. Yet this is universally the
case. Admiral Sampson is the son of
an Irish laborer. ditch digger and
worked with his father when n boy.
For him to object to tho promotion of
q gunner on the ground that the latter
lacked social standing would be almost
incredible it it were not absolutely
true. The result of the letter hus been
to dispel all prospect OF Sampson's pro-
motion to Vice Admiral and has ex-
cited his navy partisans to frenzy.
Admiral CrQwninshield. for instance.
head of the Bureau of Navigation, and
known Familiarity by the endearing title
Of the "Pirate," is now seeking for
some pretext on which Gunner Morgan
can be court martialed on Il charge of
having made the endorsement public.
Minister Conger has been recalled
"at his own request" from China.
Sometime ago, attention was called in
this correspondence to the methods
that have been begun by certain inter-
ested parties to force Mr.. COngor to
request his recall. The old gamo of
anonymous communications from the
state Departments to the press was then
being played. Hints that hr. Conger's
work was unsatisfactory, that his
health was breaking down, that he
wanted to come home and recuperate,
and oil the long list of ''insinuendoes''
(as the darkcy preacher called them)
were being tried. Apparently, they
have succeeded. Mr.. Congcr has given
up tho unequal fight, and is coming
home. Whether this is wholly be-
or whether he received a hint direct
frora the President, is not known. But
it will be interesting to see who is sent
to take hls now very important place
when Commissioner ROckhill has bride-
ed over the interval.
Ono Sunday sometime ago q thirsty
stranger Iefc the train at tho down
town station in this city and asked the
nearest person where he could get
drink. The nearest person informed
him that by getting on cable car and
riding about four miles, he would be
beyond the District lines and could
imbibe at o joint run in defiance of
the Maryland local option law. Where
upon, the stranger remarked prOfanely
that he knew at last why Washington
tances. This is apropos Of the inaugu-
ration. Washington is an old fashion
ed place, and everything in the way of
business is suspended on the Sabbath.
There are no Sunday theaters or sacred
concerto; the saloons are all closed,
and most OF the restaurants; the bar
neas, and the news-stands are closed
after the noon hour. But Monday be-
lug Inauguration Day, the city will be