Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1889 — WASHINGTON NOTES. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON NOTES.

Ex-Union soldiers are tube protected in federal offices under the present administration, even though they are Democrats, if their records as officers are good. Commissioner of Pensions Shank, at Lima,o., declining to accept his resignation simply be2ause he i* *' Democrat, says'that he [Tanner] doe. not occupy his position for ihe purpose of turning out ex TTnton soldiers because they are Democrats, and that so long as be has his way the boys who helped preserve the Union will be kept in their places, if they are goal officers, regardless of politics. It is understood that this is the outline of the policy which is to be punned in all of the executive departments. Assistant Secretary Bossev, Tuesday, rendered an opinion of great importance, broadening former constructions in “the line 61 duty” cases. In the case Tuesday, Mary E.McNeil applied for a pension as the widow es Alexander McNeil, who, while engaged in a wrestling contest with a comrade in camp, received injuries which-resulted in his aeath. The Pension Office rejected the claim on the ground that McNeil was not in the. line of duty at the time he sustained his injuries, but Mr. Bnssey holds that he was. and lays down the Droad principle that soldiers, while in camp and not disobeying orders or acting in violation of military regulations, are always in the line of duty." Postmaster-general Wanamaker said Thursday afternoon to Congressman Williams, of Ohio: “As far as the Presidential postoffices are concerned, I wish to say that a rale has been made that the present incumbents will be allowed to serve out their four years to date from the time of their appointment.” As many of the presidential appointments were held up by the Senate for a long time, some of them nearly two years, this is a most important ruling. -They will be-permitted to eeive fonr years and no longer, and thoee who think that the department will not take any notice of the time daring which their names were before the Senate are very much mistaken. Secretary Noble Friday received an interesting report from the two inspectors of the General Land Office who have been in Oklahoma since the territory was opened. They give a graphic description of the growth of the towns, tell about barber-shops, bath-houßes, street sprinklers,fire-engines, and operahouses opened, and they say that Guthrie has now a population of 6,000 male citizens, leaving the female population to be estimated. With regard,to the troubles and complaints that have come from these sourees, they Bay: “Public confidence has been restored here by the prompt action of the government.”

A rather sensational report npon the subject of teas sent to the American market has been made to the State Department by Consul Crowell, at Amoy, China. The consul says a large proportion of the Amoy oolong tea is dirty and adulterated. The Amoy commissioner of customs calls it “stuff” which was alone wanted in America. Nearly the whole crop is marketed in the United States. The consul hopes the tea-drinkers of America may he protected against the so-called tea known as Am&y oolong. Most of the oolong goes to New York, and honest inspection there would prevent the importation. President and Mrs, Harrison may possibly spend a portion of the summer in the mountains of West Virginia, on Ihe new West Virginia Central Railway, in whieh Secretary Blaine and other prominent men are interested, at a place called Davis, fifty miles south of Piedmont in the mountains. The altitude is said to be higher than that of Deer Park, Md., .where arrangements to Ease the early portion of the summer ave been completed by the President Among the nominations made by the President, Friday, were Jas. M. Townsend (colored), of Richmond, Ind., to be Recorder of the General Land Office and Col. Robert S. Robertson, of Ft. Wayne, to be a member of the Board of Registration and Elections in Territory of Utah. The President Tuesday evening apfointed Frank W. Palmer of Illinois to e public printer; Theodore Roosevelt of New York and Hugh 8. Thompson of South Carolina to be civil service commit sioners. Chief Justice Fuller has purchased for SIOO,OOO the residence of Judge Andrew Wylie, on Fourteenth street. The President has appointed A. L. Thomas, of Salt Lake, to be Governor of Utah.