The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-06-01
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, d. C., MAY 23, 1876,
RETRENCHMENT.

INFRINGEMENT.
One of the most important measures
for retrenchment and practical reform
in the administration of the Government
yet proposed is embraced in the report
of Hon. B. A. Wills Of New York, Chair
man Of the Sub Committee on Navy
Yards. He proposes to secure a very
great reduction in the expenses of the
Navy; and provides for the closing Of
all the navy yards except those at Brook
lyn, Norfolk and Mare Island. This
recommendation is based upon the the
ory that the only use which the Govern
ment now has for navy yards is for the
repair of its vessels and machinery.
Eventually, Mr.. Willis proposes to close
the Norfolk yard also, and to have all
work, in time of peace, performed at
Brooklyn and Mare Island Another
recommendation is that no further ap
preparations be made for League Island
Navy Yards. Mr. Willis estimates that
the cost to complete this yard and put it
in good working condition will be $6o,.
900 900, and he thinks that it will be
better for the Government to lose the
money already expended upon it than to
pay out SO large sum as this, At tleast
he would postpone the expenditure until
a more emphatic approval Of the project
is obtained. These recommendations are
made solely in the interest of economy,
and will, together with the other measure
Mr.. Willis proposes, effect saving to
the government of many millions of dol
lars,
Mr. Willis is one Of the most active and
efficient members of the House, and
while his present proposal will meet with
local opposition, ne cannot help receiv-
ing credit for the energy and patient re-
search he has brought to bear in the
preparation of his report.
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE swINDLE
The House Printing Committee after a
thorough examination of this concern,
have made a report to the House, which,
in brief recommends the removal. i'm
peachment and criminal prosecution of
Mr.. Clapp, for incompetency and NAL
feasanCe in Office. Mr.. Ballou, of Rhode
Island appeared as attorney for Clapp,
and argued his case before the House in
a manner more remarkable for zeal than
good taste. 1t is something strange to
see Republican Congressman on the floor
of the House, defending, like paid attor.
neys, officials who have been proved
defaulters and thieves; but in this case,
it is somewhat more so, seeing that in the
examination of both Clapp and his son,
they acknowledge to system OF care
lessness and extravaganza unsurpassed
in the history Of this corrupt Adminlstra
ton. 1t is not surprising, however, that
the Republican party should be 10th to
party with so effective a political machine
as the Government Printing Office for
now that resources are cut off from the
direction of the Whiskey Ring, which
"bled" so literally four years ago, the
question occurs as to where the party
can get campaign funds, if the Govern
ment Printing Office is also shut up.
Leaf by leaf the roses fall,
Drop ~ drop the springs run dry,
THE CHINESE PROBLEM.
The immigration of Chinese into Cali
fornia and the prospect of their overrun-
ming, in untold thousands, the whole Pa
cifc slope, is beginning to be looked
upon as serious evil. What promised,
at first, to be blessing, is fast becoming
curse. In the Senate, bill is being
pressed, whose object is to stop the
Chinese trade. The fact is, the effect of
transporting an inferior race to America,
has been sufficiently tried in the case Of
the negro, whose presence among us has
cost the country its best blood, and is
now the real bar preventing North and
South from coming together, We should,
therefore, have taken warning from the
South, and avoided the Mongolian as a
pestilence, from the first. This Chinese
question may lose us the Pacific slope,
if not promptly attended to by the Fed
eral Government.
THE ST. LOUIS NOMINEE.
1t is pleasing feature Of the contest
between the friends of the several can
cidates for the ST. Louis nomination, that
no bitter feeling is exhibited by any of
them, nor hard language used. The
Southern Members of Congress, paIti-
cllarly, express themselves on the excl
ting topic Of the day with moderation
worthy of all praise. They are pretty firm,
however, on one point. They say 1--WE
must have Democrat. In II we met
the Liberal Republicans more than half
WY. We accepted as our candidate
man whom our people and the Demo,