Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-05-03
WASHINGTON LETTER
trror Osr RsosIar corraponasr,.1
WAsurSeroz. y. G.. April as,h ,,s.

: 4
WAsHISGroS. u. c., April 18th, isSs.
While discussing the speakership of th
next house Of representatives the othe
day somebody asked why Frank Hurd
OF Ohio. had not been brought out. Tn
doubtedly he would make good speaker
but he ia not a candidate, and notwith
standing his popularity there are reason
why his candidacy would not be wise O
successful. But this reminds me of
circumstance connected with the elec
toral count of 1867. Mr.. Hurd was
member of Congress then. and one of tn,
ninety democrats who stood out to tn,
last against the outrage of counting il
Hayes. He had in his possession facts
which would have enabled him to defea
the count had not his high sense of hon
or prevented his using then. His room
at Wormley's hotel was next to the one
IN which the famous conference of re
publican leaders was held, and he over.
heard, by accident, some of the strategic
schemes of deceiving the democrats and
propositions made to certain southern
members in order to gain their acquies.
ence to the work of the commission.
Yet Hurd never made any use of his
knowledge. Neither has he since ever
given any account of what he heard. He
told me once, says a we'll known western
correspondent, about the fact of his be.
ing made an involuntary eavesdropper,
and when asked him what he heard, he
replied, Enough to have defeated the
counting in of Hayes beyond a perad.
venture, but could better have afforded
to have him counted in than to have
used Legitimate means to defeat that
end. could not afford to go down to
history as an eavesdropper, and 30 held
my tongue, not even telling any of my
associates until the fight was over"
One of our local journals aptly says that
the Union Pacific railway company, 'ac-
customed to duns from the governments,
will not be surprised to receive the letter
sent recently by Secretary Teller to Sid.
ney Dillon. president, making an urgent
demand for the immediate payment of
the uncOntested sum of $l.036,S 1924 S8.
No part of this debt is disputed, not even
the 81 cents; neither is any part of it
paid or rendered for paymen; but it is
now hoped that President Sidney Dillon
will either renew the old excuse or put
up better one. A discouraged claim
ant once said the plan of the government
was to assume that every bill it is asked
to pay is fraudulent, and then wear out
the claimant in making him prove it
few times in the departments and before
congressional committees. This state
ment came, of course, from the inflameu
of an enraged claimant, and
1t is only of use in passing as suggesting
that, if it were true, it may be said that
the government has match in this rail. |
way, 30 long and so wide. 1t is the only
in the world with more as |
surance than the Washington gaslight
and runs its trains as placidly |
while owing millions to the government
as though it held surplus invested in /
gas stock, Mr.. Secretary Teller reminds
Mr.. President Sidney Dillon that by the
act of 1878 he is enjoined from paying,
making or voting any dividends to stock
holders of the company until the five per
,entum of net earnings and other money
iue the government has been paid; and
lfter calling attention to this law, the
Secretary of the Interior says to the road
n effect that it will do well to pay what
s incontestibly due. and go into the law
# the disputed parts of the debt after
ward, the payment of the requirement
or the year ending December, 1882. not
o prejudice any sums in dispute. HMr. l.
President Dillon takes the free and easylba
tand in the matter maintained by hintf
oward the government directors of the
DAD, he will probably put the letter away
n the pigeon-hole with the other govern. 6
nent duns. and tell hissecretary to wake !
i'm up when it comes time for another 7
ividend. 1t will be interesting to watch a
he case and learn by the issue which is t
he greater, the government or SUBJ 4
ldized railway running through the \
middle of its territory.
Chalmers, of Mississippi, came on here
} make himself solid in the matter of
atronage, to secure absolute control of
Il appointments in his state, after the
lanner of Malone in Virginia, and went
ONE with his tail feathers considerably
lrled. His business was chiefly with
le post-office deparl ment, and the new
General had views of his own A
'uching the matter. So Chalmers got y
TT. 1t is even limited that if Judge B
resham has his own way, without in q
rference from higher authority, Mr.. F.
ahone won't be as potent in that de r. !,
Irtment hereafter as he has been here O,
fore. The fact is, the new cabinet off. Pe
r is disposed to administer his depart p,
ent on business principles, He has 81
opped the practice of allowing appli Sa
nts for clerkships from states whose b.
lotas are full to credit themselves to ri ri
her states. The other day hungry of. II
70 seeker applied for a certain place on ..
e ground that the incumbent had it Ut
ng enough. The Postmaster General
Id him it would take him five or six
onhts to decide that question, and ad vi
sed the applicant to look out for some VI
her employment. Apparently, every sSy sy
ing is lovely between the new head of Ca Ca
g Post Office department and his subor- Ba
mates, and if he fulfills the policy he Bu Br
8 shadowed forth IF requiring nothing Ka KKa
any of the people under him, whether Ko
yh or low, but to attend faithfully to Ry
cir business it is likely that things will 90 30
on very harmoniously. PHoNo. @ Br
Sa
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