Gilpin observer., 1901-02-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
/ From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington, February IL, 1901.
Observation-Disclosures

buTUuBu inc dneuuneuJ W liic touil
Subsidy bill, offered by Senator Clay
of Georgia, providing for the construct
ion of the Nicaragua canal pill at cost
not to exceed 3140000,000, of which Sl0,-
C00,000, is appropriated to start the work,
is to be accepted by the republican SEN
ators and the demo ,rative senators from
the South are to join the republicans in
voting for the bill. Outwardly there
is a stubborn fight on over the Ship Sub
sidy bill between the republicans, and
the democrats and populsts, aided by
ex-senator German, who has never lost
the prestige he gained by his manage
ment of the successful fight against the
Force bill several years ago. The SEN
ate is holding night sessions and the ma
jority are expressing the determination
to force vote on the Ship Subsidy bill
and at the same time not to neglect the
regular appropriation bills. The revenue
reduction bill was passed this week with
out division. The situation is decid-
edly interesting and growing more SO
day by day.
| Political lines have not been drawn in
the rush by senators aud representatives,
to get some of the army commissions
provided by the Reorganization act, for
their constituents. The record of con-
gressional callers on the president was
broken this week, and all shades of
politics were represented among the
callers. 1t was physical impossibility
for the president to see them all, but he
saw as many as he could and will doubt
less see them all before all the COM
missions are disposed OF. He now re-
cognizes the wisdom of his recent an
nouncement that the commissions would
be given as far as possible to those who
served as volunteers. 1t makes his task
much easier and the risk Of making mis-
takes much less, as the record of the
volunteers is accessible to him and he
will not have to depend altogether on
more or less prejudiced Recommended
tions, as he would have to do in appoint
ing civilians.
The bill appropating s5,G00OOO for the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition, to be
held at st. Louis, has been favorably re-
ported to the house and Speaker Hen
derson has assured gentlemen interested
in the exposition that the bill would be
voted on at an early day, which means
its passage, as there is no opposition
outside the comparatively few members
who oppose on constitutional grounds all
congressional appropriations for exposit-
ions.
General A. r. Chaffee, one of the
three men nominated by the president
this week-General S. b. Young and
General Arthur Macarthur were the
other two-to be major generals in the
reorganized regular army, will be the
first general officer Of the regular army
promoted from the ranks. General
Chaffee, who is now in command of the
American troops in Pekin, began his
career as private in the famous Sixth
Cavalry. General Chaffee's nomination
jumped him over General Wade, Mer-
riam, Ludlow Macarthur and fifty-four
colonies who held higher relative rank
in the regular army than he did. There
are two vacancies yet to be filled in the
rank OF major general, as the new law
provides for six aud General Miles has
been nominated to be Lieutenant Cen
eral.
Representative Griggs, Of Georgia,
mado speech while the house was CON
sideriug the proposition to increase the
salaries paid the railroad mail clerks,
against the practice of lobbying for con
gressional Legislation in behalf Of this
or that class Of government employees,
which is attracting more than passing
attention. He admitted thar the rail
way postal employees had a good case
because they worked longer and received
less pay than other postal employees,
but took the ground that Congress was
not established as panacea for every
grievance OF every government employe,
and those who could better themselves
would get out of the public service. He
concluded by saying: "rhe government
employe is perennial in tho demands.
There are about 100000 employees Of
this government, body which, once
thoroughly organized and voting solidly,
could turn the scales in any presidential
election. Iu almost every congressional
district in the U. S. an active organiza-
tion of government employees may be
able TO turn the scales at every election
held. Suppose it should come TO this,
where would the free Representatives
OF the American people stand? Instead
OF being as they have always boasted
free and independant representatives OF
n free people, they would come here