The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-01-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, DC,
January u, 1885.

WASHINGTON, DC,
January u, 1885.
The comfort that can be extracted
from Mr.. Cleveland's late deliverance
on civil service reform in general,
and the disposition he is about to
make of the intense partisan en-
ployes in particular, is Of the most
frigid character. 1t is astonishing
now to contemplate the number of
those now in Government employ
who have all along been Democrats,
the best sort of Cleveland men, and
who for months if not years have
been dying for q change of admins
tration. It is a fact, however, that
the contributions from the several
thousands of Government employees
here are very small in amount as
compared with former campaigns,
but the boys are all kicking them
selves mercilessly for not coming for
ward with funds enough to save MIR.
Blaine's and their own bacon.
The folly of both houses origina-
ting bills upon the same subject is to
be somewhat sadly demonstrated in
the prospective defeat of both the
Cullom bill in the Senate and the
Reagan bill in the House, which pro
vide for the regulation Of Interstate
commerce. The Cuilom bill will
pass the Senate tomorrow, and the
Reagan bill will pass the House some
day this week. There is not much
similarity in the provisions of the
two bills, so that it is not more like
ly that the Senate will pay the least
attention to the Reagan measure,
than it is probable that the House
will take notice of the Cullom pro
duction. The upshot ofthe business
will be that neither bill will be reach
ed, and the railroads as usual will
come out first best.
1 really hope that the friends of
Mr.. Springer. of Illinois, will con
vince Mr.. Cleveland of the propriety
of having such a man in his Cabinet.
If, as is said, the new administration
is to be a victorious one, whose heads
are to be those of virility, and whose
muscles are to be active and strong,
then men like Mr.. Springer cannot
be ignored. He is a most indefat-
igable worker, a most profound stu
dent in the mazes of craftsmanship,
and best of all a man who, in nearly
a Of years Of public life, has
never had a charge of corruption or
double dealing laid at his door. AS
Secretary of the Interior, or indeed
as the possessor of any other port
folio, Mr.. Springer would acquit
himself with acceptance.
l have just come in from a tour
through the departments, made for
the purpose of satisfying myself that
the Government would be turned
over to Mr.. Cleveland in good shape
next March. 1 must say, however,
that evidences of niggardly appro-
priatioDs in the matter Of the en-
ployment of sufficient clerical force
in some of the departments were
much too frequent, especially in the
Land Office and in the office of the
Sixth Auditor of the Treasury. In
the latter bureau, which is perhaps
the most important of any connected
with the Treasury, the lamentable
want of clerical help must work in
jury to the public interest, inasmuch
as no amount Of f~aitlfulness and de,
votion to public duty will admit of a
proper discharge Of official functions,
when Congress refuses the necessary
force to prosecute them. 1t is the
Sixth Auditor who audits the most
Insignificant as well IS the most ex.
tensive of the accounts arising out Of
the postal system. The postmasters
the route agents, and mail contract.
ors, and every person connected with
the Post Office Department, large and
small, undergo the scrutiny O.
the Sixth Auditor before he can
draw a penny from the Treasury
and every dollar of the sixty OIL
seventy millions disbursed to carry
on the postal system i'll this great
country, can only be disbursed upoI
his certificate of the Government:
obligation, a position which makes i
peculiarly necessary that his quarters
should not be circumscribed.
PHoNo.