The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-03-29
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

| l0pSC1AI SOTTeSpOnO0OC6.l
Federal employees in debt are watch
Ing with great interest bill recently
introduced In congress which, II pass
ed, means that they must settle all
claims against them or give up their
positions.
| It Is understood that some Of the
clerks are SO hOpelessly In debt that 1t
will be impossible for them to settle
their accounts with their salaries, and
many Of them are greatly worried. The
chances for the bills passage are said
to be good.
The delinquent debtors among the
clerks. as their side of the matter, say
that it is all but impossible for the av.
erage government employee to live In
Washington on his salary. They de-
clare that Washington is far and away
the most expensive city in the United
States in which to live and that while
the cost of living In Washington has
doubled In the last ten or fifteen years
there has been no advance in the salary
Of the average government clerk.
Alleged Indian Frauds.
President Roosevelt has taken per.
sOnal interest in the charges Of fraud
and corruption which are said to have
occurred in connection with the affairs
of the Five Civilized Tribes In the In.
dian Territory. But for his interior
ence indictments against several par
ties alleged to have been engaged in L.
! legal practices would have been quash-
ed. Now, however. under his orders
the interior department Is pushing Its
investigations with increased vigor,
and it is reliably stated that In the
near future a number Of new indict-
ments will be reported against not only
several men already indicted, but they
will also include a number Of persons
whose names have not heretofore been
brought into the cases.
When 1t became known to the presi-
dent that the district attorney for In
dian Territory had been instructed to
| quash some indictments already found
| he Immediately sent orders counter
handing this proposed action.
An Interesting Girl.
Though she has been only a few
weeks in the world, little girl is
getting much attention from official
and diplomatic Washington. This lit
tie girl is the daughter born to the
minister from the Netherlands. Nine
Won Swinderen was Elizabeth Glover
daughter of veteran Washington
banker, and before she was won by
the ardent suit Of the Dutchman she
was belle in the capital. She waa
presented to the minister by Mrs
Roosevelt, and the presidents wife at
tended the wedding that was the out
come of that meeting. 1t was quick
courtship-fOur months long. Mrs
Roosevelt has taken a deep interest in
the happiness Of the couple. When the
baby was only a few hours old clus-
ter Of roses came from the mistress of
the White House with gold spoon.
Bill sewall Has His Troubles.
Bill Sewall. the Maine trapper and
guide who was recently appointed col
lector of customs for the district Of
Aroostook, has troubles Of his own
Sewall has for many years enjoyed
the personal friendship Of the presi-
dent, and when the latter made bis
trip into New England two and half
years ago he went out of bis way to
visit the old guides home. Sewall,
who was In Washington recently, is
trying to get rid Of one government
Job that he may take up another. For
many years he has held the Office of
postmaster at his home town. Island
Falls, and Is still holding down the
place, but he wants to assume the
Office of collector.
Can't Give Up His Old Job.
The trouble is that nobody wants to
be postmaster, and Sewau Is having |
trouble giving up his old job. He must
hold on to the pOstOffice until victim
turns up and allows him to take the
better paying one. Postmaster Cen
eral Cortelyou is contributing to the
torture of Sewall by not Fastening the |
selection of a postmaster. Il found
man who would take the pOstofice,"
said Sewall, land have made my rec
ommendation, but the postmaster gen.
eral or whoever it is that names the
new men hasn't seen fit to act yet.
want to get busy on my new place.
I've held down the postmastership long
enough. There's a whole lot to do In
that collectors place, 1 want to say.
Why, my county alone extends over
800 miles along the Canadian border.
When a fellow spreads himself out
over 300 miles he's got to be pretty
keen. let me say"
Preserve the Falls of Niagara.
President Roosevelt was urged the
other day to use his influence to pre-
serve the falls Of Niagara as one Of the
great natural wonders Of the world.
Mrs. Miriam Mason Greeley Of New
York, president of the National Society
Of the Daughters of the Empire State,
presented to the president a petition,
bearing $500 signatures, praying that
the president and congress, through the
enactment Of suSSable legislation, pre-
vent the destruction Of the grandeur Of
Niagara falls by the diversion Of the
power Of the falls by corporations.
The president assured Mrs. Greeley .