National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-29
ON TIE AVENUE.


" IL would be very good thing" said the
Illinois statesman, If every new congress
didn't have TO thrcsh over tho same old straw.
When Mr.. Blanchard, of tho Erie railroad,
mado his argument against the interstate
commerce bill before the house committee on
commerce the other day, he deliberately
drew an old brief out of his pocket
and began TO read saying, by way
of preface, that there was nothing now upon
the subject. Ito had used that brief for tho
same purpose three years ago in an argument
before the commerce committee which then
existed. I'm sure Judge Reagan remembered
1t. Thon when Mr. Depew made his argu-
mcnt for the Now York Central road he went
over tho different points Of the bill in
familiar way, as If 1t was the multiplication
table It's like the new scholars coming up
every session with these lawyers to teach
them their first lessons"
go tt.
while the approaching presidential cam
paign may be bright with glorious possibilities
for Gov. Ben Butler" remarked the ex-com-
missioner, "still it has cast shadow over
the Massachusetts, statesmans mind. He
came down here expecting to sell his house
ceeded without doubt Except that this con-
gress we'll feels that it must make a record
for economy. This democratic majority will
20 home and insist that it didn't buy Ben
Buffers house when it had chance, and,
therefore, democratic president must DO
elected"
Most Of this talk about overworked con.
gressmen," said q southern member "is pure
bosh. They are complaining that they have
SO many letters to write that they need clerks,
and want the United States treasury to pay
for them. ! think receive as many letters
rs the average member, and l have not had
more than ten letters since the holidays from
my constituents. Letters upon private bust
ness and from personal friends have re-
ceivcd, but what a steal it would be for me to
get the government to pay clerk to attend
to my private business. / don't mean to say
that some men are not overwhelmed with
correspondence upon public matters, but they
are the few men who have been long in con-
gress or have national regulations Those
men are usually rich enough to hire their
own clerks | think Ben Butler used to hire
six clerks when he was in congress aud kept
them all busy, but he could afford it. The
great majority of the members don't need a
clerk, and tho whole scheme has been gotten
up to make so many moro places for sons and
nephews What would most of these con-
gressmen have to do If they had clerks to
answer their letters? They would be abso-
lutely idle, and l expect that idlUnoss would
lead to immortality. It's better to keep them
busy running around after seeds aud census
reports"
gRe
A gentleman from Indiana, who recently
conversed with Hon. John &, New, expressed
the opinion yesterday that tho President
will decline to accept Mr.. News resignation
of the office of assistant secretary of the
treasury, and also that the latter will be in
duced to remain in office. The complaint
made by Mr.. New is in effect that the au-
thority aud responsibility which originally
belonged to the Office now held by him have
been curtailed until the position has dwindled
to subordinate routine clerkship, although
the labors have not been correspondingly
diminished.
1t has for some years been matter OF, re- |
mark that this Office should be so compare,
lively unimportant, whereas originally , it
was in authority, responsibility, and variety
of duties, second only to the secretary of the
treasury. There were duties devol wing upon
the first assistant" as he was styled, which
were almost independent of the secretary
himself. Gradually changes have been made,
until the fact is as complained by Mr.. New.
On the other hand, the second assistant"
secretaryship has been greatly increased in
Importance, and it has absorbed some of the
prerogatives which were originally vested in
the first assistant"
The Indianian coupled his prediction with
the suggestion that there is likely to be a re-
arrangement of the duties of the two as
sistant secretaries of the treasury by which
some of the objections to Mr.. News Office will
be obviatod.
However all this may be- il is we'll known
that repeated allegations have been aimed at
the assistant secretaryship now held by Mr..
French, some of which have been investi-
gated, while others stand pnnoticed.
Coming from another source is silly story
that Assistant Secretary French is again
under fire." the absurd allegation
this time being that he is tool of Gen. Ben.
+. Butler. and that it is understood by class
of importers and others that the ex-governor
of Massachusetts can obtain remissions or
drawbacks in cases where other parties would
be unable to induce the treasury department
to remit duties.
~
at is rather singular" said a prominent
civil engineer yesterday, that in the &C.
counts Of the accident at the shaft whereby q
man lost his life after being entombed for
twenty-five hours that no mention is made
of either Maj. Lydecker or Capt Hoxie hav-
ing gone to the scene OF the disaster
and made any effort to rescue the I'M
fortunate man. True, / don't suppose
either Of these West Point gentlemen
care anything Tor tho loss Of the mans life,
and, no doubt, simply look upon him as they
would upon II private soldier who happened
to be killed in Il skirmish, or a cog that was
broken in the machinery, but common hui
manity should have led them to at once visit
tho shaft and see if their superior
engineering skill could not devise
some means of saving human
life. If civilian had been in
charge of the Improvement and an
accident of this kind had occurred, public
opinion would at once have demanded
searching investigation to determine upon