People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 November 1893 — Washington Letter. [ARTICLE]

Washington Letter.

From our regular co-respondent. Washington, Nov. 3, 1893. President Cleveland has had the long sought pleasure of signing the bill for the unconditional repeal of the law authorizing the purchase of silver, and the Voorhees bill is now a law of the land. Mr. Cleveland would be glad if congress would let the financial question alone for a year or so and give him and Secretary Carlisle a chance. But will congress do it? If present indications count for anything it will not. Representative Bland, chairman of the house coinage committee, and the recognized leader of the silver men in the house, has already intimated that his committee would early in the regular session report a bill intended to carry out the declaratory portion of the Voorhees act. Of course everybody knows that reporting a bill and passing it are very different things; still, it’s being reported would not be fancied by the administration. The question of a bond issued may also be sprung at any time, with or without the consent of the administration, the Republicans in both houses being practically unanimous in the belief that a bond issue will have to be authorized by this congress.

The decision as to whether there shall be further financial legislation rests really with the conservative men in congress, and their action is likely to be decided by the result of the Voorhees act upon the commercial world. If it be good the disposition to “let well enough alone” will probably prevent further financial legislation. If it be bad there will certainly. be more silver legislation before the flowers bloom in the spring, whether it be acceptable to the president or not.

Senators and representatives are nearly all glad of the opportunity to go and talk over what has been done at the extra session with the home folks, and not a few of them are a little dubious about the sort of reception they will receive from their constituents, particularly those who know that they have not acted in accordance with their opinions.

It is safe to predict that Congressman Bailey, of Texas, will receive few social invitations from the members of what are locally known as the army and navy set and the judiciary set during the coming season. The reason for this display of the cold shoulder towards the young Texan is easily located. lie has introduced two bills in the house that would, if enacted into laws, go far towards breaking up numerous households in the circles named. One of them repeals all laws providing for the retirement cm pay of army and navy officers, and stops the payment of salaries to those now on the retired list; the other repeals all laws providing for the retirement on pay of U. S. judges and stops the pay of those now on the retired list. It is not probable that such a radical change as that proposed by Mr. Bailey will be made, but that there is room for reform in this retirement business will become plain to anyone who will take the trouble to investigate it. Hundreds of retired army and navy officers receiving pay from the government are engaged in private duties far more wearing than those pertaining to their rank in the service. Clearly this is not right. No officer should be retired on pay so long as he is able to perform his duties. The evil arises largely from the existence of an arbitrary age limit, at which retirement is forced upon officers whether they wish it or not, and it is aggravated by the friends of young officers who wish retirements to be numerous, as every retirement means a promotion in every grade below that held by the retiring officer.

The family of ex-President Harrison seems to have a hank ering after the official loaves and fishes. It will be remembered that Mr. Harrison's Republican brother was made U. 8. marshal of one of the Tenneesee districts early in the last administration. Now that the tables have been turned the ex-president’s Democratic brother has come to Washington as an applicant for one of the federal offices at his home. Kansas City, Mo. The family has not yet made arrangements for a “pull" on a populist president.

The country may wake up some tine morning and find itself with a war on its hands. That may be a startling assertion, but it is strictly true. Several European powers are understood to be covertly aiding the insurgents in Brazil with an understanding that if the republic is overthrown a monarchy is to be established which is to give Europeans a monopoly of the foreign trade of Brazil, a large portion of which is, now controlled by Americans. If this understanding be correct—the state department has full information. but will not at present make it public—there are two reasons why the administration is virtually bound to interfere. One to uphold the Monroe doctrine and the other to protect the commercial interests of American citizens in Brazil. And this interference may lead to war with one or more of these nations. It is believed that the administration has, this week, taken some decisive steps, but it has succeeded in keeping them secret.