Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1898 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

Although Admiral Sampsou’s report, sent through the press dispatches, doe® not contain, a word of censure, criticism or complaint concerning the conduct of Admiral Schley, but simply gives the correspondence and orders in their sequence and allows the department and the puhlie to, judge it for themselves, it places the commander of the flying squadron in an embarrassing position, and explains why the Secretary of the Navy asked Congress not to pass resolutions conveying a vote of thanks to Admiral It also confirms the Story telegraphed from St. Louis that Schley’s fleet remained before the harbor of Cienfuegos for five days after he was informed that Cervera was in the harbor at Santiago, and that he started for Key West for coal, leaving Cervera free to go where he pleased until recalled by sharp orders from the Secretary of the Navy, who then placed Captain. Sampson over his head. Every year the heads of the great departments in Washington are having increased trouble with superannuated clerks. Many of these clerks have been in publicservice from twenty-five to thirty-five years, and there are not a few on the rolls, who havq, been working uninterruptedly for the Government for forty-five or fifty years. Many of these old clerks have been holding-salaried positions for a great many years, but the great majority are middleclass, where the salaries range from sl,000 to $1,400. With advancing years they lose in efficiency and their retention on the , pay roils in important positions is an injustice to younger and better clerks, whoare doing a greater amount of work for less money. Heads of departments cannot nerve themselves to discharge theseveteran clerks, and so they drag on year after year, incumbering the service. Officials of the quartermaster general’* office of the War Department say that those who desire to avail themselves of the Government’s order to transport Christmas packages to the American soldiers at Honolulu and Manila should ad-' dress the quartermaster general, Washington, D. C., for instructions. The department desires to regulate and control the number, size and contents of the packages so far as possible, and will not undertake to pay ocean freight upon everything that may be sent. i Exportation of wire nails from the United States has increased fifteen fold during, the last ten years, going from 1,547,000 pounds in 1888 to 22,894,000 pounds during the fiscal year 1898. This product of American workmen goes to every grand division of the globe and practically every country. Ten years ago the price per pound was 10 cents. To-day it is 2 cents. Thus, the 1,547,000 pounds exported in> 1888 brought $155,000, while the 22,894,* 000 pounds exported during the last fiscal year yielded only $458,000.

Speaker Reed is dead set against keep--ing Congress in session any longer than, is absolutely necessary. His influencemay, therefore, be counted upon to bethrown against a special session. He can practically control the committees in a, short session and keep matters back which he does not wish to have acted on. In a long session this is more difficult and thereis constant danger of the House breaking away from him. This was done twb orthree times last spring and summer. The Comptroller of the Currency findsthat he cannot issue a charter to a national bank in the Hawaiian Islands. This will be a severe disappointment to several ambitious politicians in Washington, who have been planning for month* to secure the first charter for a national bank at Honolulu. The same crowd is after national bank charters in Porto Rico and Manila. It is believed that Congress will have to give specific authorization before the Comptroller can issue charters in any of these places. The Clerk of the Supreme Court is in receipt of a large number of letters from lawyers in nil parts of the country inquiring of him when the Supreme Court will issue rules and regulations for the government of courts in the enforcement of thebankruptcy law. Having no definite information on the subject, Major McKenney is obliged to write non-committal replies to the effect that the court has not ns yet promulgated the rules aud regulations. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee has written a very complimentary letter concerning the work, of the Young Men’s Christian Association among the soldiers in Florida and has requested that their representatives may be authorized to accompany his army to Cuba and prepare for even more extensive work. The United States will have to takecharge of the postal system in Cuba as soon as the Spaniards evacuate, for the Cubans have no governmental organization of any sort and chaos would result at once if this action were not taken. Up to date 2,000 claims for pensionshave been filed by soldiers and sailors and their dependents on account of the war with Spain. Seventy were for victims or the Maine. For lack of something else to talk about politicians in Washington are discussing the probabilities of an extm session of Congress after the 4th of next March. Senator Justin 8. Morrill of Vermont will resign his seat some time during the coming winter in order to permit the Vermont Legislature to choose his successor at its regular session. His retirement wilt be the removal of a political landmark, for Senator Morrill has served without a break since March 4, 1855—a period of nearly forty-four years. While two brothers, Eddie ants Jess* Poindexter, were out hunting crows, near Nelson, Mo., a shotgun in Jesse’a hand was accidentally discharged, seriouslywound ing Eddl%