The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-01-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
[ From Our Regular Correspondent.

y
WASHINGTON, D. G. Jan. s, 1883.
The New Year has opened at the Ma
tional capitol with an unusual nnmber Of
good resolutions especially IA ca3cfa cir
cles. where we have animated promises of
reform and strict economy in the public
service. As already indicated in this cor
respondence, some of those owcontroHing
the machinery of the government have re-
Gently received new lights on this subject
and the zeal with which they entered upon
the work of reform is like unto that which
uniformly infects new convert. Sudden
conversions are likely to provoke mirth
from the scoffers, but who on earth could
see Secor Robson up to bis ears in re
form yelling for seconomy, without
laughingf Or shfiig shally Hale and.
Procrastination Hoar whooping up the
senate at IL O'Clock in the morningf Sen
ator Hoargis the Mrs yellybyof the senate,
he wanted to provide the indians with
hymn looks and flannel petticoats before
the cold weather came on. But it is the
departments where we see the greatest
amount Of reform. In the treasury deDart-
ment the rules and regulations recently
adopted vii be rigfdfy enforced An i'm
mediate dismissal will follow the employe,
who violates in the slightest degree any of
the con1maf1dments so conspicuously dis
played on large sheets of cardboard in the
various rooms and Railways. Secre-
tary Lincoln has also caught the re
form fever. But the postmaster general
and the secretary of the interior are not
yet converted, and these departments will
a4.F<x -
satisfaction of the clerks. Mr. Raum. the
commissioner of internal revenue who for
six months or more has spent most of his
time away from his office and In working
for the succession to Judge Davis as sena-
tor from Illinois, is now absent IL would
be very well if congress would add to the
civil service reform bill now pending pro
vision compelling the same attendance In
duties and the same abstinence from too
active participation in politics in the higher
class OF ofhciafs as IN their subordinates,
Secretary Folger, who rebuked one promi
nent officer of his department the other
day for permitting his wife TO take up an
hour or two ofaHis time, had better turn
his attention to Mr.. Raum's case 49,
At last Mr. Blaine speaks OUT Eignig
ficantly about his friend Mr. William II.
Chandler I have been often told of late
that these gentlemen were as intimate and
on as good terms as.formeT1y. But have
guessed otherwise. Mr.. Chandler has be-
come one of the powerful financial props
of the governments morning newspaper,
and as il remains pretty healthy thorn in
the side of the late secretary of state
he is net to blamed for holding the
secretary of the navy to some responsible
ity for what appears in it. Well Mr.
Chandler is the strongest individual force
in the administration of Mr.. Arthur, and |
if any one is going into the business of
disliking this administration he might as |
well make up his mind to be little hos
tile to the secretary of the navy. In this |
particular case it happens that the score
tary is not under any particular obligations 4
to make his newspaper interesting to the |
man whose presidential fortunes he work |
ed for in 1876 and 1880. Mr.. Chandler 1
has been, on the Whole, the NEST efficient /
political friend and supporter that Mr.. |
Blaine ever had. @sssss
There is considerable doubt whether anv I
of the proposed and much needed legisIa
tion relative to corporations and the public
lands gets through this eongrssa 1--WE