New-York tribune., 1878-12-19
ALMOST A DROWSY CAPITAL.

NO AGITATION WHATEVER IN AFFAIRS.
POLITICS AND EXCITING QUESTIONS DROPPED IN
coSGRFss-PRoPERTY INTERESTS AND FINANCE
RECEIVING ATTENTION.
Congress was dull yesterday, that body de-
voting itself busily to the practical matters
which it has in hand. The subject of the to-
bacco tax is still under discussion in Senate
Committee, and two gentlemen were heard
thereon yesterday. Witnesses from Plttsourg
testified Yesterday on labor questions. Inc
Burnside Army bill Is being perfected py
slight amendments. 1t seems to meet "i'h
General favor. The experts of the House
Yellow Fever Committee were appOlhCeu yes
doy. Mr.. Sherman believes that gold Will not
be at a premium again this month. lHE
TRIBUNEs special dispatches to-day correct
,ome misstatements by Mr.. Glover.
THE LARGE AREA OF GLOyERS EAR.
rHE THING ILLUSTRATED AFREsH-THE STATE
MENTs ABOUT THS BUREAU OF ENGRAVING
FALSE AND ABSURD.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEI
W,sgISGToS. Dec lS.-There is strong ground
for at least suspicion that Representative Glovers
con6dipg temperament has been taken advantage
of by designing people. Certain persons, on selish
ends intent seem to have gained access TO that
statesman's ear and to have poured into that VIII
ing and capacious receptacle mass o1 lies ABOUT
the Bureau of Engraving and Printing SO absurd
and transparent that it is matter OF surprise tha1
even Mr.. Glover did not discover that his INFORM
ants we're making fool of him. Yet when he was
inquired of to-day with regard TO the reported
crookedness and mismanagement in the bureau pup
Isbed in the general press dispatches of this morn
ines TRIBUNE, he said Yes, yes; 1t Is authentic;
it's one of the things we have discovered" and he
ha discovery
himself saving that his experts had little to do with
it.
Mr. Glover saws that the Bureau obtained the
work on the back of the notes by offering TO do 1t
for IS 90 o thousand impressions, but that only
about one-sixth of the work was done at this price
the remainder being secretly charged at the rate OF
S14 a thousand. 1t Is difficult to believe that
statement so plainly calculated to mislead the
reader could have been made innocently
The facts are as follows: There are two distinct
processes necessary in printing the backs OF Ma
tona notes. one for the black and one for the green
impression. In response to an invitation from the
Secretary of the Treasury in September, 1877, the
Bureau submitted q proposal to print the black
backs for So 90 per thousand Impressions At that
time the price paid to the bank note companies
was S1S per thousand for this impression alone.
The work was assigned to the Bureau in October OF
that year. and has been performed by 1t at the
price named ever since. No portion OF 1t has been
"charged secretly" or otherwise, at any other
price, The green tint on the backs of National
notes was being printed by the Bureau at the time,
and the price, S14 per thousand impressions, was
that fixed by conference between the Secretary
of the Treasury. the Controller of the Currency,
and the Chief of the Bureau. This price was con-
tinued by the present management of the Bureau
until the 1st of July 1877. when the Bureau itself
re1uced fhe nrica to S11 80 Thousand.
This is all there is to it; and these facts have
been at the service of any who might have felt
interest enough in the matter to make an inquiry
OF the proper place in regard to it, This Mr. Glover
has never done. No permission has ever been asked
by him, OF by any one representing him, to examine
the books of the Bureau, and no explanation has
ever been requested of anything in regard to Its
expenses OF business. The first intimatiOn which
came 10 the Chief of the Bureau with regard to
Mr.. Gover's investigation was through the press.
But perhaps the most astonishing misstatement
for which Mr. Glover assumes the responsibility is,
that during the last fiscal year, the ending June
80. 1873 there have been needless expenditure
and extravaganza 10 the extent of over $4,000.
The appropriation made for the Bureau by Congress
for that year was 100000 and, of this amount
1858 900 remained unexpended at the end OF the
year. Thus the total expense of the Bureau was
only S147, 900, and of this Mr. Glover assumes 70
believe that $13O,OOO was a needless expenditure.
1t is we'll known that stories have been circulated
damaging to the reputation of the Bureau ever
since the management came into its present hands,
but they are without any foundation in truth. The
economies which were instituted by Mr.. McPher-
son were all that have ever been claimed for them,
and they are continued By his successor. During
the six months Of the current fiscal year which
have passed the currency reserve in the hands of
the Treasurer has been increased more than $780,
100000, representing an increase of work per-
formed By the Bureau of nearly double that for
like period of last year. At the same time saw
ing of $4,000 within the appropriation has been
effected.
COIN AND PAPER.