The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-09-18
Prom our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON LETTER.


Ill
i WASHINGTON, ID. G. Sept. 10, 1885.
d President Lincoln used to say that he
looked under his bed every night for
fIconcealed office-seekers. The present
administration, perhaps takes the same
-Iprecaution. But IL has also been look
aIing over and under the desks and books
80 long held by the truly too good Re-
publican party, and the day that some
sll0Dg concealed fraud is not discovered
lis an exceptional day. The list has now
become SO large that II can not well be
.lcarried around in ones mind. 1t will
,lbe interesting to see IL written out in
full and the amounts saved the govern
ment added up. And yet the good
work carried on under great difficulties,
sIhas hardly begun Investigations are
now in progress about which the public
knows nothing, but their results will be
l|disclosed in due time.
j 1t is well known that the work Of dis
covering and reforming fraud and abu-
lses is hindered and frustrated by the Re-
IIpnblican clerks which surround the new
a Administration on all hands. How can
they allow, much less assist with enthu-|
lsiasm, the work of their overthrow,
Iand how much more could be. accom-
lplisbed If the malefactors and their &C.
complies were turned out, and sincere
lsympathisers put in their places! The
Republican clerks are doing everything |
lin their power to impede the work OIL
and discovery. They are
fertile in excuses, and specious explana-
|tions for the members Of their party who
have gone wrong.
am told, on what seems to be pretty |
good authority, that the Civil Service
Commission is likely to be re-organized
in the interest of reform. If the half
that is said Is true 1t certainly needs it.
An expense account Of Commissioner
Gregory has just been made public
which shows that this reformer, when he i
travels, charges the government for the
newspaper he reads aud the "tips" which II
at five-dollars-a-day hotels are given.
1t would seem to be straining point tor
. reformer to make such charges as these
under the clause Of the law that provi-
ded for the payment of necessary trav-
cling expenses" If Civil Service
Is 10 have his ''tipsv and
newspapers paid for by the Government,
where can il end ? Why should not
drinks and cigars be paid for as well III
There are officials who might consider {
these necessary travelling expenses. But
for reformer who Is getting $1l.60 per
day and bis travelling expenses to charge
the Government with five cents a piece
for the newspapers he reads, and the
Iwo-bit piece with which be fees q SER
Vant, seems small indeed, and under the {
sw II Is little short of petit larceny. Z
Wouldn't the Commissioner have to IL
black his boots and read newspaper i'll I
le was not travelling, or does he indulge {
u those luxuries simply while on the G
cad?
A prominent business man and Chair
nan Of the Democratic Central Commit
ee at Cleveland, Ohio, was in the city Z
ast week. He said that everything was
ooking particularly bright for the Dem I
'crats in that State. Hoadly carried the Q
state by 1900 majority two years ago, 8
nd thinks be will get at least 10000 this
ime. The Democracy" he says, is uni I
ed and harmonious. They appreciated Z
he importance OF success, and the peo- \
lie see, since Sherman's bad freak at q
iount Gilead. that the Republicans n
ave next to nothing to stand on except j
be bloody shirt issue. This has become Il
iresome and large number of Repub- Z
leans, who are disgusted with their par J
y, but who do not exactly wish to vote o
he Democratic ticket, will vote for pro- Z
ibition. IC
The return Of the President to WASH
ngton has been the signal for an exodus =,
rom the watering places. Itis expected :
hat all the members of the Cabinet will y y
g In the city before the end Of the week. = =
secretary Whitney is expected at the !, Z
'avy Department to-day. Secretary !, !,
tanning has returned to the Treasury :. :
Department and is at work. Nobody y
nows where Secretary Lamar is, or iflip,
Q does know, he will not tell He stole 4
way last week and II Is supposed that y y
g Is enjoying q brief rest within easy r r
each Of the Cabinet table. Post Master :
'enersl Villas is on his way East. At 3
Drney General Garland has left his farm =
nd log cabin In Arkansas. and Is on his
ray to Washington. Secretary Bayard OF
as not been absent except on Sundays. III
G. A. 8. Ice
II IL stated that Representative Mills.I