Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-07-04
No. 36.
Our Washington letter.
WASHINGTON. June 26.

ASHINGTON, June 26.
Senator Jones is understood to have
the Silver Commissions report abons
completed. 1t will likely prove exhil-
arating to the infationists, unpalatable
to those occupying with Secretary
Sherman the middle ground in
finances that hopelessly separates the
former and the out ,and-out hard none,
men-gold at that-and by them the
conclusions of the Commission vii
probably be denounced as to the las
degree dangerous, to be resisted at al
hazards. The report is said to take
the position that to the demoni tiZatior
of silver We are largely indebted fog
the business prostration and ruin of thu
past three years, and that until the re-
storation Of the double standard, per-
manent resumption will be impossible.
The Senator is represented as favoring
the passage Of bill to make the old
silver dollar legal tender for all debts.
public and private; obliging the Govern
ment to coin silver plate, bars or bul
lion brought to the mints by any person
charging therefor only such seignorage
as is actually required to cover ex-
peuses, and providing that the Gov
ernment shall issue certificates to any
person depositing silver bars of given
weight and fneness at the mints, cor
responding In principle to the gold
notes now issued to the depositors OF
that metal.
1t cannot be successfully denied that
as managed in the past. the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing has presented
a safe field for corrupt practices; and
as generally believed it las been utll-
lied by politicians to quarter upon the
Government many of their iavorites
whose services could have been dis
pensed with without detrimant to the
public service. But admitting the
worst the absurd character of the re-
port of a Committee of three subordin-
ate Treasury employees, designated to
investigate its affairs, reeommendingits
abolition, must be apparent to those
familiar with the facts. The Govern
ment has now all the conveniences and
appiiances-million of dollars worth ps
macbinery-for printing its notes as
cheaply as it can be done elsewhere, IT
properly managed. The effect of Its
abolition would be to throw the works
into the hands of the New York Bank
Note Companies. The competition is
SO restricted that it would likely soon
be made monopoly and most exorbi-
tant prices be demanded.
A combination is working to induce
Sec'y Evarts to forclbly annex por-
ton of Northern Mexico under the
pretext that it is necessary in order to
establish frontier that can be sue
oessfully defended from Mexican ma
rauders which it is declared impossible
on the line Of the Rio Grande. it
might be termed "Gideon's Band'' as
the doughty warrior, Gideon j. Pillow.
hrst gave uttrance to the purposes of
these marplots and adventures to in
volve US in a war with Mexico. hoping
thus to mend their desperate fortunes.
A good deal of interest is felt in the
case of Bowling, the Toledo Postmast-
er. His retention is almost universal
ly desired by citizens of that town, and
1t is admitted that none rank better
officially. He is also a soldier; but
there Is great pressure and it is al
legged that Stanley Matthews wants the
place for his man Reed. Bowling ha-
refused te resign, and there is no way
for it but to depose him, or let him re
main.
Some of the politicians are dismayed
at the Presidential edict, forbidding all
Federal officials from active participa-
tion in political campaigns on pain OF
dismissal. It obliges several chairmep
of State Committees to resign such
trusts, and take back seats In the con
troll of their party, including one Dem
ocrat recently appointed Postmaster
at Memphis, if l am not misinformed.
MAXWELL.