Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1885-07-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrom our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON, July Is, 1885.


WASHINGTON, July Is, 1885.
Evidences accumulate daily that
new and better governmental era ha
dawned upon the country, and tha
the hope for a purer and more busi
ness-like administration which ex
pressed IN the election of Clevelant
will not be disappointed.
1t is safe to say that it has been |
long time since the laws were 81
thoroughly studied and so honestl,
enforced as they now are, while tht
present generation sees for the frs
time a sincere endeavor to check ex
travagance and the willfuI waste OF
the peoples money.
The government receipts and ex.
penditures for the month of June
1884, and 1885, are significant a:
showing how far administrative re.
form affects the balances. For the
month of June, 1885, the receipts
were S27. .157. .O15.55; June, 1884.
S26, ,932. .088.3O; expenses for June,
1885, S15,255, ,658.11; June, 1884,
SIC, 116, 1880, The increase of re-
ceipts can largely be placed to the
increased vigilance of the customs
service, under the spur of the new
administration, in preventing frauds
in undervaluation, The reduction
in expenditures of over eight hum
dred thousand dollars is the imme-
diate result of the initial passage of
the Jacksonian broom of retrench-
ment and reform through the feder-
al service.
The claim made by the Democrats
in recent canvasses, that it was high
time to have look at the books, has
been abundantly sustained In ev-
cry department, and in almost every
bureau Of the government, irregu-
larities are coming to light. Secre-
tary Manning is overhauling the In
ternal Revenue Bureau, reorganiz-
ing the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing, and reducing this charity
hospital to business principles, and
he is breaking up the ring which has
filched the fifty millions or so from
the treasury department by UNDER
valuing their importations. The ag-
ricultural department has been over
hauled with results disastrous to the
regulations of mealy-mouthed Lor-
ing and his subordinates. The land
grabbers have been checked, and on
every hand evidences of recklessness
and extravaganza are coming to light.
The last coast to be heard from is
the Coast Survey, the accounts of
which are under suspicion and in-
vestigation by the auditor. The
wholesome feeling now is that all
these Investigations will be honest
ones, that the innocent will be vim
d.caten, while the guilty will not be
whitewashed. For such is Demo-
cratic reform.
Since the reorganization of the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
over two hundred peFseAs have been
discharged without their loss being
felt either In the quality or quantity
Of the work done, and at a saving of
over 500, 900 per annum. How can
this be? The explanation is easy.
Congress places in the hands of the
chief of the bureau nearly . rAiIIion
Of dollars annually, With absolutely
no restrictions. The bureau was
filed with clerks, many of whom
were assisting the others to do moth
ing. Fifty or more were discharged
and $40, 900 was saved at one swoop.
One matron and nine assistants were
employed to protect from theft the
clothes in the dFessins room Of the
female assistants to the printers.
These ten people read and gossiped
all day and drew their salaries on
the first of the month, Now two
women rass occasionally through the
dressing room and the same result is
attained. Eight lazy colored men
on bench in the corridor. Now
only one is left to tell the tail. The
treasury department corridors were
also thronged with idle messengers,
so much so, in fact, that it became a
subject of complaint to the secretary.
Now the efficiency of few Is IN
creased by the discharge Of many.
The new administration is a little
raw as yet, has not got its hand in,
but in the initial work Of -four
months there is promise for the
forty and four to follow.
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