Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-07
FUNDS NEEDED AND WHERE.
Postmaster General Gresham's Visit to
Indiana - The Finance Committees

Postmaster General Gresham's Visit to
Indiana - The Finance Committees
Device.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4.-Postmaster
General Gresham, says a special, re-
turned to his desk to-day aftera visit to
Indiana. The Judge talks frankly of the
condition of political affairs in Indiana,
and, though he says nothing that will give
the Democrats downright consolation, at
the same time he INDUCES in no exagger-
ated talk that viii furnish reimbursement
to anybody at the expense of the truth.
From what his friends tell him the num-
Der of ProhIbitionists in Indiana who may
be expected to support their own ticket
this fall will probably be 5000, and posi-
bly, 5000. They have their own Organiza-
ton this year, and 60 into the canvass In
more effective shape than ever before,
probably, in their history in that State.
The vote which they will cast will all be
drawn practically from the Republican
party, for the lowest estimate shows that
six out of eight Of this Prohibition band
are Republicans, while the highest places
the proportion at nine out of ten.
Enough is gradually becoming known
to demonstrate to any careful, unpreju-
diced observer that Indiana is so eXceeds
ingly doubtful this year from Republi-
can standpoint that only the most extra
ordinary eXertions can save it. Indeed,
it is said that the Elkins management,
realizing the fact, will distribute little or
no ''sOap" among its citizens, but will
rather devote its energies to the shipment
and distribution of vast quantities of the
stuff into West Virginia. Mr.. Elkins is
credited with having crowned with ire
mendOusly pious oath the declaration that
Blaine must and would carry West Vir-
ginia. To quote Mr.. Elkins' reputed lam
guage: ''The carrying of West Virginia
is question of finance"
The Finance Committee of the National
Republican Committee, which has been
deputed to levy upon the department
clerks, already shows disposition to vio-
late the letter of the civil service law, as
it certainly has its spirit. The law pro-
hibits the soliciting of such campaign
funds upon government property or, to be
more explicit, in government buildings.
1t was announced with some parade be-
fore the committee located here that its
circulars would be sent to the residences
of the clerks instead of as formerly to
| their desks in the departments. This, 1t
was claimed, would relieve the committee
of any charge of violating the law. The
device which has superseded this plausi-
| BILE method of reaching clerks has been
| applied in a number of cases already.
| Inc circular, IOf Instance, Will De
| addressed to John Doe, Treasury Depart
ment, Washington, d. G. The name of
the department is written in great big let
tiers, and then, in very fine hand, on a
line between the name of the department
and of the city, is written the place of his
residence. Curiously enough, the circu-
| lars find their way to the department and
not to the private residence. The COM
mittee can, therefore, very frankly say
that it is not its fault if the letter carrier
deposits the circulars in the government
building. The committee expects that
receipts will flow in with something like
regularity and quantity about the 10Th of
the month. Then a big harvest is eX-
| pected. DR.. A. Adams, who superintends
| the immediate process by which the
| clerks are bled, offers to bet that 70 per
| cent. of the clerks will contribute. Some
may curse and damn, he says, and de-
clare that they won't give cent, but
| they all come down among the first.