Mexico weekly ledger., 1886-12-02
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
From The National Capital-Thanks.
giying-0ther Matters OF
Interest.

WASHINGTON, ID, G, Nov, 26.-The
holiday of Thanksgiving was observed
throughout this city yesterday al
though there was no public demon
stration. 1t was characterized, 40
usual, by the quiet family gatherings
and services were held in the various
churches where congregations listen
ed to sermons of a patriotic kind.
All of the Departments were closed,
as they were also on Monday, the day
of Arthur's funeral, making two days
Of this week that the Government
employees have enjoyed a holiday.
But Secretary Manning shut down
on the Treasury clerks the day before
Thanksgiving and changed a time
honored custom. Heretofore the
Treasury Department has been closed
at noon on the day before Thanks
giving ostensibly for purpose of Civ
ing the clerks a chance to buy their
turkeys. This was merely al excuse
for an extra half holiday, and as there
is a great deal of work on hand that
must be done before Congress meets,
the Secretary decided that two days
in one week was as much rs his de-
partment could stand, and he ordered
that it should not be closed until the
usual hour.
All though you continue to hear all
manner of dire things predicted O n
corning Secretary Manning's physical
condition, he has dictated his forth
coming annual report with a freedom
that has kept his stenographer and
two type-writers busy and it is said
the portions of the document already
finished lack none Of the force and
| vigor which characterized his initial
report last year. The most impor-
tant announcement yet in connection
with the report, is that the Secretary
, takes even stronger ground on the sub
! ject of Tariff reform than he did a
year ago.
In the report of Postmaster Gener-
; al Villas which was made public sew
eral days ago, it is shown that the
United States leads all the world IN
its mail facilities, and in the number
of letters sent. The letters mailed in
this country during the year were
: more than were mailed in France,
l Germany and Austria combined.
. The number of post-offices In this
country o is 50, GA. The report
J also shows a great deal in the line of
y reform. Owing to the reduction of
=, the rate of postage on second class
matter and the enlargement of the
= unit of weight for first class matter,
{ they exceed its revenue for the fiscal
u year of 1856 at least $4,000, 900.
= A decrease of expenditures, however,
! has made the actual deficit about
So 100000 less than that, and the de-
felt for the current year will be
! still less.
Figures show that the net increase
Z of revenue in this Department was
3.2 per cent, and that the volume of
business by which it was gained, in
creased over Z per cent. That is an
other proof which commercial and
other statistics establish, that there
has been a steady return of business
prosperity during the past year and a
half. That is the way in which the
country goes to ruin under Demo.
. cratic rule, which must be very de-
pressing to the Republican prophets
of evil.
1t Secretary Whitney was very gen.
IL erous with Thanksgiving turkeys.
He made arrangements to give each
Il officer and employe of the Navy De.
partment, a fowl of such weight as
each preferred, and three hundred Of
3 the clerks availed themselves of the
y courtesy. On a similar occasion last
% year the Secretary dispensed about
u the same number of turkeys to Navy
Department employees. Nor was
Mrs. Whitney behind the Secretary
in the donation of good cheer. She
M sent word to the home of the Little
Sisters of the Poor and to the Color
:" ed Woman's home that she would
like to provide Thanksgiving dinner:
y for those institutions. A list of ar
ticles wanted were sent and the order
was promptly honored. by Mrs
~ Whitney who made some suitable
additions to the bill of fare for the
old ladies' and old men of the Home.
Up at the Capitol they have al
s. ready gotten down to work. There
n have been preliminary meetings Of
certain committees - Or rather oil
quorums of certain committees, an6
the preparation of bills has be
gun so that the necessary business
may be reached with as little delay a:
- possible after the assembling of Con.
gress. AS usual it Is predicted thai
very little beyond the money bills
which are necessary for the expenses
d of the Government will receive much
" attention this winter. Many earnest
M conscientious Legislators intend TO dc
e more if possible, but up to the pres.
ent time Congress had found itself toe
lazy in the long sessions and too busy
lie In the short, to accomplish anything
s. Patents granted to citizens of Mis-