The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent,
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 80, 1888
1t is warming up at the capitol from a
weather standpoint though politically
and socially there is nothing startling
going on at present The members OF the
senate committee on labor and education
were to have held meeting here this
week, and Senator Pugh, of Alabama,
came on for that purpose, the special
object of the meeting being an inquiry
into theca of strikes, etc But owing
to interesting political affairs in New
Hampshire, where a successor to Senator
Blair will soon be elected Mr. Blair finds
it inconvenient, as chairman of the com
miltee, to be in Washington Just now, and
the inquiry will be delayed till late in
July or early in August. Mr. Pugh while
here talked with some interest about Pc
litiCal affairs and, having referred to a
report of the speech of Abram 5, Hewitt
delivered at the opening Of the Brooklyn
bridge, said that he regarded MI Hewitt
as a candidate for President He thinks
that Mr. Hewitt's conservative views,
consistently adhered to through years of
service in congress, have won for him
many admirers who prefer a practical
man to the mere accidentally prominent
men who have merely local record to
give them claim upon the democratic
party Mr.. Hewitt, he says has been
brave in combating the views held by
many democrats, and has adhered 10
principles upon which the earnest and
thoughtful and practical men in both of
the great parties are substantially agreed
He is well known in Alabama, and Mr.
Pugh thinks that his name would be re
garded as very good one to put before
the convention This is Hcwitt's first
boom. There are lots of "nooms, large
and small, being started on all sides and
in both parties just now.
The contract for engraving and print
ing the new postal notes-one of the
largest contracts of this kind that persons
not connected with the government have
ever received-has been awarded to the
Homer Lee bank note company of New
York, although the bureau of engraving
and printing, which is branch of the
treasury department, was competing
bidder. People will very naturally inquire
how it is that q New York company,
whose bids are supposed to leave a good
margin profit, can underOid the govern
ments own engraving and printing fac
tory, where all the facilities of a large
plant and large number of skillful
employees, and where bid is based solely
upon the cost of material and labor The
bureaus bid included no rent, insurance.
fuel repairs and other incidental expenses
which citizen bidders cannot safely
ignore, and yet the citizen has taken the
contract away from the establishment
which was created and is supported for
this kind of work. 1t is true that citi
zens, handicapped by the expenses above
can do this work at lower rates than the
bureau can offer? If they can. then there
must be room for reform in the bureau.
Some amusement was created here in
Washington upon the arrival of late
issue of the London Standard, wherein
Senator Logan is mentioned among noted
Indians, all OF whom, after temporary
civilization, have relapsed into barbarism
by return to their original savage state.
The Standard devotes column and a
half to the Indian, beginning with Sitting
Bull, whose recent conversion to Chris
tianity has led that journal to a review of
the examples that show how hopeless is
the permanent civilization OF the noble
red man. This enlightened English jour.
nal mentions many instances of failures
OF the gentle savage to realize the hopes
of civilization, but few whose Change OF
heart" was permanent, or who have dis
tinguished themselves. But among thu
latter it classes Senator Logan, and says
"Gen. Logan, one of Gen Grants ables
generals, was an Indian" And also tina
whole regiments of Indians were led b,
Cherokee and Choctaw chiefs in the civi
war" The Standards knowledge of us i
amusing, to say the least, and only Sur
passed by that of the French lady Whei
Jules Verne's Round the World il
Eighty Days was played IN Paris, .
course the actors were French. The IL
dams were transformed Frenchmen i
blankets and war paint. A party c
Americans who are prominent in til
official society of our capital sat just i
front of French lady and her daughter
When the supposed Indians came on tn
stage the mother said to her daughtc
My dear, these are Americans. No,
you see Americans" DON Pedro.