The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-06-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.

[From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, June %, 1885.
An eminent French Statesman when
asked how he accomplished such pro-
digious amount of work each day, re-
piled, "by doing one thing after anoth-
er" President Cleveland seems to un-
derstand this art as we'll as if he were
its inventor. He examines all the pa
pers in each and every case that comes
before him. He will act on all the
cases only as he reaches them in the
course of his personal examination. 1t
seems as if he had an almost endless
job before him, but it is his way, and
he seems determined to 60 as he has
begun. The candidate who depends
largely or entirely on verbal recornmen-
dations or influence of outside parties
will certainly get left The cases large
ly depend upon the kind of papers that
are filed, and the President holds re-
sponsible parties who recommend man
to strict account.
1t is to be feared that in the discus,
sion of appointments to office, the
great and silent reform work which the
new administration is carrying on may
be overlooked. Though less than four
months in office, and laboring
under great disadvantages, the public
plunderers are being attacked and rout-
ed at every point. Stealing of the pub
lie domain has been to considerable
extent stopped, though much remains
to be done. Secretary Lamar has prov
ed the worst enemy the railway
land d-grabbers have ever met
and he has had the earnest
support of Gen. Sparks, the new Land
Commissioner. 1t is safe to say tha,
no more unearned grants will be pat
ented to the railroad monopolists, and
that as much as possible of the land al
ready stolen in one way or another
will be recovered and thrown open fol
settlement. The great Maxwell gran
is only one of series enormou.
frauds which have been perpetrateC
through collusion between the claim
ants, the territorial land of officers, ant
the rings of Department officials
There is every reason to expect tina
this whole system of plundering will
now be broken up. rl.. .t. ..
Hon. Geo, Jelks who has Just beel
appointed assistant Secretary of tn
Interior and given special charge of al
cases for the forfeiture of Ian,
grants, shows that this worl
is to be undertaken in no half
hearted way. While on the Judi
ciary Committee of the House MI
Jelks showed himself to be Thorough
lawyer and his argument before th
electoral commission was not inferior L
the efforts of the great lawyers of Ma
tional reputation Carpenter Black an
Merrick who vainly tried TO meet con
spiracy with logic in that deplorabl
crisis. ...
Mr.. Whitney the new Secretary o
the Navy is steadily growing in popu
larity with good men of all parties
Both the Navy and the country hal
him as deliverer from the regime o
rings and corruption that has preye,
upon the country since the war an,
left our coasts in defenseless condi
tion. The exposure of the Dolphin
fraud will be to the Naval establish
ment of as great importance as wer
the Star Route exposures to the Pos
Office department. .... ..r
The action of the Post Master Gen
eral regarding the Pacific Mail steam
ship subsidy is very significant /
will be remembered that the Republi
can majority in the Senate forced Tn,
passage of bill giving 100000 t,
the Pacific steamship company for car
rying the mails. Mr.. Villas finds tha
there is no need of paying more fo
carrying ocean mails than is now paid
Since the act of Congress is not menda
tory but merely gives permission t.
spend the money. The Post Master
will, with the approval of the Presi
dent, take no action in the matter, bu
remit the subject to Congress for NOR,
explicit legislation. II is not probabl,
that the Republican agents of the lob
by in the Senate will be able to agar
pass the bill and the sum of 100000
will be saved TO the tax payer.