The Press., 1885-09-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D, C., Sept

The cool weather of the last few days has brought many Washingtonians back from sea shore and mountain. The presi- dent is expected in few days and by the first of October Everybody, as she hrmbly calls herself, will be back ln the city. The secretary of the interior is the only cabinet officer who has remained ill town the sum- mer through. His health appears to be excellent, he is looking fresh and ruddy, and Is evidently much stronger man than he was during the first few weeks of the present administration. He Is made of pretty tough fibre, for the number of office seekers he is compelled to see every day is very large, and his work is exceedingly harrassing.
 | Secretary Bayard has been absent from the state department very little. He has occasionally made flying trip to his home in Wilmington, Delaware, but nearly every day has found him at his desk. While at his home in Wilmington last Sunday he had for his guest MT. Kelley, the minister of the United States to Austria. Mr. Kelley, though our representative in law, is not in fact, for the ruler of Austria re- fuses to receive him, and the mission is vacant to all intents and purposes. Wheth- CT his resignation will be accepted and the vacancy filled by another appointment seems in doubt At all events no such change is likely to occur at an early day. Until something of the kind is done the United States will have no minister to Austria. The question naturally arises whether the country suffers any detriment from the absence of representative at Vienna. If we can get along for months without minister, why not for years, and l to Austria what is the use keeping up di- plomatic relations with Russia, Italy, France, Prussia, or indeed with any for much thing of the past as knight-errantry. It cut very important figure in European politics hundred, or even fifty years ago. but journalism with its hand maidens, steam and electricity, has left the old-fash- toned diplomacy in the lurch. While there may be an excuse for keeping up the tra- ditional diplomatic relations between the different armed camps of the old world. there is no use for us to maintain expen- sive establishments in European capitals. | The foreign ministers accredited to this l country are the idlest set of men imagin- able. They confine their diplomacy to airtations and scandalous intrigues. Only few days ago one of them was arrested for insulting lady in store on 7th street. 1 He was released as soon as 1t was known | that he was an attache of foreign lega- ton, for, according to rule of information al law, the representatives of foreign courts can not be imprisoned.
 Secretary Manning has just returned to the city. Since the fourth of March he has been at his desk for more hours day than secretaries average, but with his best efforts he finds himself swamped in the ac. cumulation of matters. His reason for re. taining Assistant Secretary Coon, who is a pretty stiff sort of republican, is simply because of Coon's great familiarity with the every day routine of the department. In that way Coon's twenty years expert ence is priceless, and so he stays, although Manning is no great stickler for civil ser. vice reform, and would have put demo. crat in Coon's chair months ago if he could be spared As it is the two are together for long time each day, and before he makes any removals in the office Manning 1 always consults with Coon, making the latter, spite of his politics, in the smaller patronage about the department, more in- fuential than any other man.
 The reduction of the public debt for the month of August was $2, ,879, ,O52 The az. gregate reduction of the public debt fol the months of July and August is about $1 ,0G0, ,000 short of the reduction reported for the same months last year. Treasurer Jordan says the heavy drafts upon the treasury for pensions is what lessens the amount that can be applied to the reduc- | tion of the public debt.