The Republican journal., 1876-01-06
Matters at Washington,

prepared, both it and the House would
then have the data on which to act intelli-
gently. Not only is such action required
by considerations of honesty and economy
in the pnblic service, but by a proper re-
gard for political fair play in future. The
present House has it in its power to pre-
vent the Secretary of the Navy from pack
the Navy Yards of the country full of I'M
necessary workmen, in order to carry the
districts in which they are situated in the
PRESIDENTIAL election next Fall and it will
pe lalse to tie interests of the party which
the majority represents, as well as derelict
IN It's duty to the country, if it fails to do
1t. Let Secretary Robson say Just how
much money he expects to need in every
Navy Yard for next year. and lust what
he wants every dollar of it for Let him
state to Congress the number of black
smiths and joiners, and machinists and
shipcarpenters that he desires to employ
in each yard. and designate the particular
work he wishes them to do, and the wages
he will have to pay them. Let him, in
short, give to Congress the same detailed
information that the House Of Commons
has, before it votes appropriations for the
British navy, not orally before the Com
mittee. but in such a form that it can be
examined and studied by every member
of Congress, and by every citizen who de-
sires to do So Then let Congress make
its appropriations in the same form, and
require the navy Department to be gov
erned by them. We shall then hear no
more about saving enough out OF current
appropriations to build new ships that the
country does not need and Congress has
never authorized to be constructed.
FINANCIAL.
WAsIIlNGroN, ID. G. Jan . The speak
er's private list Of members who propose
to address the house on the currency uues-
ton has been considerably increased dur
ing the recess. and it is evident that the
debate which Mr. Blaine will begin in the
house, probably next week. on Mr. llulc's
resolution, will be Il protracted one.
Among the members who have already
signitied a desire to speak are Messrs.
Blaine, Hale, Chittenden of New York,
Starkweather Of Connecticut. Landres OF
Indiana and several others. This debate
will lead to very general expression Of
views on the part OF members from vari-
Gus sections of the country; but it is not
likely to result in any action on the part of
the house. The Democratic leaders 90 not
intend to allow any immediate or hasty
legislation on finances 1t is expected
that on the first "suspension1 day, which
will probably be Il week from tomorrow,
a resolution viii be offered by some west
em member in favor OF repeating the re-
sumption act which was passed by hepub-
licans last winter. M Kelley Of Pennsyl-
vanla and other intlationists Ale confident
that such resolution can pass the house 1t
is not the intention of the Democratic
leaders, to allow it to be passed, or per-
nit the passage of any measure which
does not come to the house from one 81
its committees. 1t is the purpose Of Nj.
Morrison and the other Democrats on the
Ways and Means Committee 10 have ali!
resolutions relating to the resumption of
specie payments referred to the WAYS aud
Means Committee This is a wise and
proper determination but may lead to All
contest in the house, rs Mr..
Cox and the gentlemen Of The banking
and currency committee will naturally en-
deavor to have all such matters referred
to the banking and currency committee
1t will be remembered that in the last
house this question Of the relative rights
of reference Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee and the banking and currency com
mittee arose, and that after an exciting
discussion, Mr.. Dawes yielded the point
on behalf of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, and allowed proposition relative
to the resumption OF specie payments to
be referred to the banking and currency
and afterwards to be reported
to the house by the chairman of that COM
mittee, Mr. Maynard. 1t is claimed on
the Ways and Means Committee that it is
entitled to take charge Of all matters per-
tanning 10 legal tenders, the banking and
currency committee having proper cog
nizance only OF legislation concerning the
national banks.
Mr.. Fernando Wood, whose views on
the question OF resumption undoubtedly
agree with those OF many of the hard mon
ey men on the Democratic side Of the
house, SAID tonight that it is his intention
whatever q resolution is offered in the
house to repeal the resumption act Of last
winter, to offer as Il substitute a bill Tor
the amendment OF the resumption act in
important particulars, but leaving the
date for the resumption fspecie payments
Mr.. Wood believes that it is
entirely possible for government to re-
sumo specie payments in 1879 without
any further legislation but he thinks il
would be attended with serious drawbacks
and would cause unnecessary embarrass-
ments to the business interests of the
country. Mr.. Wood says it is entirely
possible for the secretary Of the treasury
to accumulate the necessary amount of
gold to redeem legal tenders in 1879; but
says it would impose too enormous bur
den on the people while we are paying so
much money in other directions as we are
now. He, therefore, proposes to stop the
annual payments for the sinking fund now
made, by which the public debt is re(luc-
ed by a sum of more than $50 900 900 an
nually. This IS the most important pro-
vision of his bill. 1t is quite likely that a
bill OF this character may be reported by
the Ways and Means Committee at the
proper time in the session. 1t will be easy
for Speaker Kerr to sustain the claim of
the Ways and Means Committee to all
questions affecting the resumption of spe-
Gle payments, and no doubt he will do it.
1t is certain that the hard money Demo-
Gratis do not intend to allow anything to
be done which will bring upon the Demo
cratic party the reproach of weakening
the public credit, but it remains to be seen
whether they can succeed in preventing
the intlationists from gaining the advan-
tage which they seek to secure by repeal
ing the resumption act unconditionally.
SECRETARY FISH SOON TO RESIGN.
Those well informed in political secrets
assert that the President has had in his
hands since the Firginius affair sworn
documentary evidence to establish the fact
that Secretary Fish has, ever since 1869,
inspired numerous newspaper articles on
our affairs with foreign nations. which,
while they have been unsparing in criti-
cism and abuse of the President, have al
so been filled with praise of the Secretary.
These articles are said to have been writ
ten for the most part by Sidney Webster.
Mr.. Fish's son-in-law, who is the attorney
OF the Spanish government, and to have
been printed in one of the most prominent
Democratic newspapers in the country.
1t is also alleged that other evidence Of