The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1905-02-10
WASHINGTON LETTER,
Pres. May Call Extra Session
of Congress In Spring.
Government Employees Being Su-
perceded BY New Ones Seem
ingly More Competent.
OTHER NATIONAL ITEMS.
Especial to THs REPUBLICAN,

Washington, ID. c., Feb. 8, 1905.
President Roosevelt may yet de-
eide that an extra session of Con-
gress in the spring for legislating on
the railway rate question will be adj
visable. The general impression has
been that an extra session would not
be called before the early autumn, but
no one realizes more keenly than the
President how insistent the country
has become in its demand that some
thing should be done. and quickly, in
the matter. II the extra session is
postponed until fall the result will
be more killing Of time. and possible
potponent of action for another
year.
The season of designations is at
hand and the secretaries of the diff
ferent governmet departments are
in daily receipt of the designations
of men who preserve their heads
from the axe by stepping down and
ont. During the next few weeks
,5ere will be clearing in all the
departments and synchronous with
,the stock taking Of merchants will
come the inventory of the capable
material in the government bureaus.
The cleaning up Of the Post Office
Department has set an example for
all the other branches Of the govern
ment work and whole sale changes
are predicted. The work in the
Post Office Department which has
been carried on 50 actively ever
&ince the death of Post Master Cen
eral Payne goes steadily on. Four
letter carriers in the Toledo post Of
flee were dismissed this week for al
legged connection with fake mining
schemes and thirty others are requir-
ed to show cause why they should
not also be dismissed from the SER
vices. This is but an indication of
Me publication Of the department
that is going on in all parts of the
country, and when Mr.. Cortelyou re-
turns from Europe and takes charge
tie process is likely to be accelerated.
Mr.. Cortelyou, though young man,
has been tried in many capacities and
has not been found wanting. The
public expects rather an unusual
quality of ability in his administra-
tn of the Postoffice Department.
With the retirement of Mr.. Bristow
who was the only person who could
have divided credit and authority
with Mr.. Cortelyou. in the depart
ment the latter will have free hand
to continue reforms, so ably inaugur-
ated by Mr.. Bristow. 1t is not Of
ten in any department that there
can be found too many able and
hoNest men but it was clear that in
Mr.. Br;stow and Mr.. Cortelyou the
Postoffice, was embarrassed with ca
pable reformers. To Mr.. Wynne
fell the unpleasant task of making
Mr.. .Bristow's place uncomfortable
and when Mr. Cortelyou takes charge
he will have clear field.
\ -
Senator Mitchell, of Oregon, who
is under indictment for having re-
ceived money for services rendered
in having a land claim pushed
through the department, is still in
Washington and continues to assert
his Conviction that he will be entire
" cleared when the court meets in
April. Senator Mitchell hassnot APP
peared in the Senate since he made
his dramatic spe sch on the floor of
the Senate and so positively asserted
his Innocence.
"
Agricultural interests absorbed the
Senate Thursday and for once the
arm err was the man of the hour.