The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-07-10
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondent.

from our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, July nth, 1885.
Evidences accumulate daily that new and bel =
Ter governmental era has dawned upon the coun-
try, and that the hope for purer and more bust
ness-llke administration, which expressed itself
in the election OF Cleveland, will not be dis
appointed.
1t is safe to say that 1t has been long time
since the laws were so thoroughly studied and so
honestly enforced as they now are, while the pre-
sent generation sees for the first time a sincere
endeavor to check extravaganza and the wilfu
waste of the peoples money.
The government receipts and expenditures for
the month of June. 1884, and 1885, are significant
us showing how far administrative reform affects
the balances. For the month of June, 1885, the
receipts we've $27, ,0l555; June 1884, $685.
G8S o expenses zen .s for S June 1885, sl525565sl
can largely be placed to the increased vigilance
OF the customs service, under the spur of the new
valuation. The reduction in expenditures of over
eight hundred thousand dollars is the immediate
result Of the initial passage of the Jacksonian
Federal service.
The claim made by the Democrats in recent
canyasses that it was high time to have look at
the books has been abundantly sustained. In
every department, and in almost every bureau of
the government irregularities are coming to
light. Secretary Manning is oYerhauing the
Internal Revenue Bureau. reorganzing the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing and reduc-
ing this charity hospital to business prnci-
pies, and he is breaking up the ring which has
iilched the fifty mil lions or so from the Treasury
department by undertaking their importations
uopuItiiieut UGH Opcrnaul-
ed with results disastrous to the regulations of
mealy-mouthed Loring, and his subordinates-
The land grabbers have been checked, and on
every hand evidences of recklessness and ex.
travagance are coming to light. The last bureau
to be heard from is the Coast Survey, the account
OF which are under suspicion and investigation
by the Auditor. The wholesome feeling now is
that all these Investigations will be honest ones,
that the innocent will be indicated, while the
guilty will not be whitewashed For such is
Democratic reform.
Since the reorganization of the bureau of En-
craving and Printing over two hundred persons
have been. discharged without their loss being
felt either in the quality or quantity of the work
done, and at saving of over $4,000 per annum.
How can this be? The explanation is easy
Congress places in the hands of the chief
OF the bureau nearly a million of dollars
annually, with absolutely no restrictions. The
bureau was filled with clerks many of whom are
assisting the others to do nothing. Fifty or more
were discharged and $4,000 was saved at one
swoop. One matron and nine assistants were
employed to protect from theft the clothes in the
dressing 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 pass occasionally
through the dressing room and the same result
is attained. Eight lazy colored men sat on a
Dench III the corridor, now only one is left to tell
the tale.
The treasury department corridors also were
thronged with idle messengers, so much so, in
fact that it became subject of complaint to
the Secretary. Now the efficiency of few Is
increased by the discharge of many.
The new administration is little raw as vet
has not got its hand in, but in the initial work of
four months there is promise for the forty and
four to follow.