South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-01-12
Letter from Washington.
From oar Regular Correspondent.
WAsu,Sorou, ID. C., Jan. 6

Na,iohal Capitoi with an unusual
number oil good resOlutiOns--especiai
ly III official circles, where we have
uniinlted promises OF reform aud
strict economy in the public service.
AS already indicated in this CORES.
pondence, some of those now con
trolling the machinery Of the Govern
ment have recently received new
lights on this subject aud the zeal with
which they enter upon the work oil
reform Is like INTO that which uni.
formIy infects new convert. Sud.
den conversions are likely to provoke
mirth from the scoifers, but who on
earth can see Secur Robson up to his
ears in reform and Yelling for econo.
my without laughing? Or ShiIly.
Shaily Hale and Demonstration IIvar
whoo2ing up the Senate at IL O'Clock
III the morning? Senator IIoar is the
Mrs Jellyby of the Senate; he wan.
ted to provide the Indians with hy,nn
books and flannel petlicoa,s before
the col;i weather came on. But il is
III the departments where we see the
greatest amount OF reform. In the
Treasury Department the rules and
regulations recently All opted will be
rigldiy enforced. An immediate dis
ni'sai' will follow the employee who
violates in the slightest degree any of
the commandments so couspi.uously
displayed on large sheets of cardboard
IN the variOus-rooms and Railways
Secretary Lincoln has also cangilt the
reform fever But the Postmaster
General and the Secretary OF the In.
terio: are not vet converted. and
these departments will run the same
as heretofore, much to the satisfaction
OF the clerks. Mr.. Raum, the com.
missioner OF internal revenue. who
Tor SIX months or more has spent
most OF his time away from his office
and IN working for the succession to
Judge Davis as Senator from Illinois.
is now absent. 1t would be very well
II Congress would add to the civil ser.
vice reform bill now pending u pro-
vision compelling the same attend
ance to duties and the same absti-
hence from too active participation in
politics in the higher class of fficials
rs In their subordinatcs. Secretary
toiSer. who re5uked one prominent
officer OF his department the other
day Tor permitting his wife to take up
an hour or two of his time, had bet
Ter turn his attention. to Mr.. Raum's
case.
AT last MIR. Blaine speaks out
significantly about his friend Mr.
William T. Chandler I have often
been told OF late that these gentlemen
were as intimate and or as good terms
as formerly. But have guessed 9th.
erwise. Mr.. Chandler has become
one OF the powerful financial props of
the Governments morning newspa-
per, and Is it remains pretty heal.
thy thorn in the side OF lhe late Sec,
rotary OF state, he is not to blame for
holding the Secretary OF the Navy to
some responsibility for what appears
in it. Well, Mr.. Chandler is the
strongest individual force in the ad.
minlstration OF Mr. Arthur. and if any
one Is going into the business of dis
liking this administration he might ne
we'll make up his mind to be IL little
hostile 10 the Secretary of the Navy.
In this particular case it happens that
the Secretary Is not under any partic-
nlar Obligations to make bic newspa-
per Interesting to the nan whose Pre-.
sideutlal fortunes he worked for in
1876 and 1880. Mr.. Chandler has
been, OH the whole, the most efficient
political friend and supporter that Mr..
Blaine ever had.
There is considerable doubt wheth.
eF any ofthe proposed, and much.need.
ed Legislation relative to corporations
and the public lands gets through this
Congress. 1--WE do not care So very
much about adverse railroad legisla-
ton in the House. contested a well.
known corporation lawyer recently,
waxing confidential, though az mat
ter OF courso we try to- defeat it, but
we pat our main reliance in the oth%
or end OF the Capitol. The Senate is
very careful aboJt disturbing proper
~ or valuables, and it moves very
slowly. A great many Senators are
directly interested in ALWAYS ne own
ers or attorneys, and it is not expec>
ted that they will set fire to their owu
houses or ieopardize their own inter.
es without scriOa5 consideration. --
Senators ere human like The rest Of
LID 4 4. 4 - .
feel kindly toward q class OF citizens
who pay them big fees for legal al
vice, and for their services in cases
pending before the Supreme Court
THIS is the way they all tall; or ihu.,
and this is about the size oft. Until
sc stor putting corporation attorneys
into the Senate aud upon the Supreme
bench the railroads Will continue to
get the best OF the people.