The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-03
MEN AND MEASURES AT WASHINGTON.
Brom Olr Otsn Correspondent
How the Department Reports were
Ventilated.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-Wth few exceptions
the annual reports OF the bea's Of the several
bureaus of the executive departments, for the
past year. have already made their way into
the ne wspapers. or as lesst so much of them a.
IL of general public interest eome Of the heads
. Of departments have authorized their subordi-
mates TO allow the representatives of the press
fee access TO these reports, while others issued
strict orders agains, iber publication. Among
the former is the Secretary of War, General
echofeld, who entertsips the sensible opinion
that IL is much bet er 70 give the annual reports
TO the people piecemeal, and thus allow them
On opportunity to read and digest them, than TO
overwhelm them on the first day of the session
with dozen huge documents, containing for the
most part little more than q record OF the dull
details of official bosiness.
Secretary MeCuIIoeh's Report,
The smiling Secretary OF the Treasury is far
from being or the same opinion as his brother
of the War Office concerning the publication o.
official documents. To be sure, he has no OBJ
lection to seeing either himself or his subordi
mates iD print after he reports have been laid
before Congress. lie considers it disrespectful
10 that body-a sort Of breach of official eti-
quette--to communicate an account of his
stewardship TO the people prior 10 his sending
1t to Congress. Your readers are per
haps aware that the Secretary o
the Treasury places higher esti-
mate on his report than amy of the other
secretaries. Nor is he to be considered ego
3istical in so doing; for the anomalous relation
which the Treasury Department holds towards
the money market makes his Stgerances i'm
portaDt. 1t has happened nearly every year
sbat, with all his vigilance, copies of the reporI
F., 4, inAO Wan ct
days in advance not only OF their publication ia
the newspapers, but OF their presentation to
Congress. Sometimes very large sums of money
are paid by brokers for advance copies of this
document. Who gets the money leave your
readers TO imagine, simply remarking that it
very seldom falls into the hands of persons out-
side the Treasury Department
FIurPy at the Treasury.
This year Secretary McCulloch processes to
have taken extraordinary pains to prevent his
report from getting preuaturely before the
public. 1t has been pripted III the Treasury
Department, lest, if sent TO the GoVernmen Mt
printing office, it might in some way get out
Notwithstanding all this precaltion, it Is
alleged that one or two copies have been sent
10 New York. Ohs of the ue Wspaper CORES.
pondents learning this, proceeded to the Trea-
Bury Department today for the purpose OF
obtaining copy for publication, when the
following colloquv ensued:-
Correspondent. Mr.. Secretary, would like 70
have a copy of your report for publication.
Secretary McCuuoch. You can't have it. sir.
Correspondent. Why not, Mr.. Secretary! II is
out. might as well have it as the brokers.
Secretary Nc Cu,toch. Iguess you are mistaken,
sir. 1 don't think there is copy of it outside
the building, except the one which sent to the
President.
Correspondent. l beg pardon, Mr.. Secretary,
but saw copy of your report in prooi-sheets
last evening, and, moreover, can inform you
that 1t went in the O'Clock mail to New York.
Upon hearing this the astOnished Secretary
jumped to his feet, and hastily rang his bell for
q messenger.
$50 and tell Mr.. - and Mr.. - to come
here Immediately he SAID.
In few seconds three or four of the chief
employees of the department we're in the pre-.
sence OF the Secretary.
"Mr. -,r said the secretary TO one, "our
friend here, Mr.. -, informs me that a copy
ofmy report was sent to Ne ~ York last evening:
How is this? Can it be possible that alter al
my precaution it has been allowed to 60 out ot
the department?'
The poor official who was thus eYctedly ad-
dressed by his superior Off ser tried to max
such a reply as his dem moralized con iiton would
permit. He persistently denied all knowledge o
the helnous transaction. The Secretary mani
festly distrusted the information, and, recovering
somewhat from his astonishment, put the CORE
spondent through a searching cross-examina
ton. Every question was promptly answered
and the correspondent concluded with the
modest request that he might be put on pa
with Wall street spectators and brokers by
receiving copy Of the report. This request the
Secretary refused, and of course Wall street, as
usual, will know all about what is going on In
the Treasury Department long before the people
baye hint of 1t.
The Senate Committees.
There is rule Of the Senate providing that at
the commencement of each session Of Congress
there shall be a reorganization OF the standing
committees of that body. In the House, all the
committees are appointed by me Speaker. Iu
the Senate however they are appointed in
caucus meeting. For some years past, Senator
Trumbull, of Illinois, the Chairman OF the Judi
eiary Committee, has so managed things in the
saucus as to get the committees appointed
pretty much to his own liking. Trumbull is an
able lawyer, shrewd politician, and an astute
manager. He understands thoroughly the i'm.
portance of influencing the action OF
the Senate, and that to do 90 sue
eessfully it is necessary 10 have the
tight men in the right places. II has been his
custom, am informed, TO come into the caucus
with a list of the committees made out. Ob.
Ia frat ha of 10 l,ak