Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1890 — WASHINGTON AFFAIRS. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON AFFAIRS.

Secretary Blaine went to the Depart ment of State, Tuesday, for the first time since the death of his son, and took up his work where he left it off on Wednesday last. He said to a friend while he was heart broken, he did not propose to permit his grief to "stand between him and his official duties for a moment. This set -at rest alt the stories ih circulation as to hi 9 probable resignation. The President has sent to the Senate Tuesday the report made by General Crook and Lieutenant Howard upon the condition of the Apache prisoners at Mount Vernon Barracks, Ala. The President recommends that provision be made for locating these Indians upon lands in the Indian Territory, and says: “Some of these Indians have rendered good service to the government in the pursuit and capture of the murderous band that followed Geronimo. Jt is a reproach that they should not, in our treatment of them, be distinguished from the cruel and bloody members of the tribe now conflnod with them.” The Speaker of the House apppointed the World’s Fair Committee to-day as follows: Messrs. Candler, of Massachusetts; Hitt, of Illinois; Bowden, of Virginia; Belden, of New York; Frank, of Missouri; Wilson, of West Virginia, and Flower, of New York. ’ In the location for the fair the committee stands as follows: for Chicago—Hitt and Springes; for St. Louis—Hatch and Frank; for New York— Belden and Flower : for Washington—Bowden and Wilson. 1 The chairman, Mr. Candler, is satisfactory ' to all contending parties as one not committed to the interests of any particular city. A bill has been prepared by Genera Rosecrans which has some new and novel features. It provides that the clerical forces in the several government departments shall be classified according to congressional districts, each district having its proper quota, and that when there is a vacancy in any district the Congressman shall be notified. He shall then nominate not less than five candidates from his district for that place, who shall present themselves for examination before the Civil Service Commission, and the one showing the best examination shall have the place. The official life of the subordinates in the departments is fixed by the Bill at six years, but at the expiration of I that time the Congressman can recommend the incumbent or a new man, as he chooses, but the incumbent shall submit to the Bame examination as new candidates are subjected to. Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt has examined the bill, but says he does not like it as well as the present system.

Mr. Doi‘3ey,of Nebraska, has a joint resolution, which he will present to the House of great interest to the country, as it pro poses to set afloat a large sum of idle money in the treasury. It authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Treasury to reduce the reserve fund now held in the treasury for the redemption of United States notes to the sum of $25,000,000; aud he is directed to apply the remaining $75,000,000 to the payment and reduction of the public debt. This means an extra pur chase of seventy-five million dollars’ worth of outstanding bonds by the same process now being followed by the Secretary of the Treasury, It will be remembered that under President Cleveland Congress, about two years ago, attempted to compel the Secretary of the Treasury to reduce the surplus by this means and that the Secretary set apart the one hundred millions of surplus as a “redemption fund,” sor 1 the purpose of making the surplus appear smaller, but remain the same in reality, so that the necessities of the country would appear to demand tariff reform. It will be seen now that business is meant and the country is to have more of the circulating medium in its hands by first making the surplus active in the redemption of outstanding bonds, and, secondly, putting into circulation three-fourths of the “redemption fund.” It is understood that Mr. Dorsey’s resolution has the approval of Secretary Windom.

Mrs. General Kilpatrick and Senator McPherson called at the War Department, Tuesday morning, and presented Secretary Proctor with the sword worn by General Kilpatrick during the war. The sword, which is l&avily mounted with gold, will be placed in the archives of the War Department. The House committee on elections, Wednesday by a strict party vote decided to report in favor of unseating Jackson, the Democratic representative from West Virginia and declaring Smith, the RepubNBcan entitled to the seat. This is the first chP the seventeen contested election cases which the committee has disposed of and it was the first one upon which argument was heard. Democratic Congressmen held a caucus, Friday night, and agreed to oppose the adoption pf the new rules with a:l the power at command. 1