The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-09-23
Washington Letter.
WAsHINGroN. Sent. 1S. |

WASHINGTON, Sept. Is, 1855.
Since the cool weather of the last
week there has been noticeable re
turn to Washington of its winter pop
ulation. From seaside and mountain,
Canada and Europe the birds of pass
age and pleasure now turn towards
this winter resort, where they will bill
and coo, cackle and crow, strut and
display their brilliant plumsge, make
and rob nests, or, ostrich like, conceal
Only their heads. However we stout
it out, we men are little breed" and
the social naturalist has no better field
for his favorite study than at the Cap
ital of the United States.
The President and Mrs. Cleveland
are not expected until next week, and
they will not live in their country
home, as has been reported, but will
at once go to the White House, which
has been put in readiness for them.
The old mansion has been freshly
painted, and the iron palings around
black paint. and have been tipped with
gold. The exterior of the mansion
looks newer than when it was new,
but the interior, I am told by connois-
seurs, is not up to the aesthetic, dudish
standard of the late administration
President Arthur. it is said. succeeded
in giving a certain room a peculiar
robins egg tint of heavenly blueness
that the present occupants of the
White House cannot repeat. There is
no use trying, We Democrats are hon.
est, but we cannot be nice.
Washington has grown to be too
large q city, there are too many na-
tional interests centered here for the
Capital to be dull even In the absence
of the Executive, the Cabinet, Con-
gress and the lobby. A new public
printer has just taken charge of the
Government printing Office an estab-
lishnent that dwarfs every other
printing Office in the world. Hun
dreds of employees are expecting to be
dismissed. The appropriations have
been cut down, there are too many on
the pay roll and they must go.
Mr.. Benedict, the new public print.
er, has already begun the work of re-
forming many abuses which existed
under the administration of the Re
publican incumbent. He has ordered
an inventory to be made of all the
horses and carriages, from which 1t Is
inferred that he will commence at
once to clean out the Augean stables
At present six horses and as many
vehicles are kept at the expense of the
Government, nearly all of which can
be dispensed with without detriment
to the service. They will be sold at
auction and the money will be covered
into the Treasury, and these horses
will no longer eat their heads off at
the expense of the taxpayer. The
Republicans will hiss at this as little
thing, but it is precisely this economy
in little things multiplied in all the
thousand offices of the Government,
| that has enabled the present Demo
craLic Administration to reduce the
expenses of the government during
the fiscal year ending June 30. 1886, to
the amount of $25 $780, 1856 1t should
be remembered that this is the only
entire fiscal year in which the Demo
Gratis have had entire charge of the
Government; they have not got fully
warmed up yet. or cleared away the
rubbish so as to have complete elbow
room. They will do better next year
The saving of money is not the only
gain. More work has been done, bet
ter work has been done in all the offices
while the character of the service has
been improved and elevated by dis
charging an idle, vagabond and in
temperate horde and appointing many
clean, efficient and industrious EN-
ployes. There is still much need o.
purging and publication in this direc
ton, but enough has been already
accomplished to give hope for the
future.
An incident occurred in the Treasu
ry Department last week which il
illustrative of the morals among tn,
Presidents Democratic appointees
During the absence of Assistant Sec
retary Thompson, his son, without hi
fathers knowledge, passed civil ser
vice examination and was appointea
to a place in the Treasury Department
The father knew nothing of the ap
pointment until young Thompson ha'
been assigned to his desk. Instead o
congratulating the young man he tolC
him that there would be suspicion
that he had secured the place through
his fathers influence. Young Thomp
son thereupon handed in his resigna
ton. When the Assistant Secretary
was asked about the matter he admit
ted that the facts were as stated, anC
that it was true that he had cOunseled
his son to decline the appointment
He had not advised him to resign be-
cause he doubted the honesty of the
examination and report, but be did not
wish to give the enemies of civil ser.
vice reform any grounds upon which
to assail the operation of the law. al
am for civil service reform and strong
er in my advocacy of it since l have
been in office than / was before, and
[ do not wish to afford anyone q chance
to suspect my devotion to it,"
THE States of Indiana, Illinois and
Michigan were visited by a terrible
cyclone last Thursday afternoon, do
ing great damage to buildings and
crops. In Howell, Mich,, Frederick
Smith, aged 20 years, was instantly
killed, boy near Chelsea fatally in
jured, and man named Walters, liv
ing near Freedom, Mich, was struck
by flying piece of timber and In
stsntly killed. There were Is 900 Oh
the State Fair Grounds at Jackson,
Mich, when the storm broke, and a
wild scene followed. The Fair was