The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-12-02
WASHINGTON T T
[From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. D. c.,
Nov. %, 1886.


The holiday of Thanksgiving was
throughout this city yester-
day, although there was no public de-
m~onstrations, it was characterized, as
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 ofthe Departments were closed,
as they were also on Monday, the
day of the Arthur funeral, making
two days of this week that the Gov
ernment 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 noo on the day before Thanksgiv-
ing ostensibly for the purpose of CIV
ing the clerks a chance to buy their tur-
keys. This was merely an excuse for
an extra half holiday, and as there is
a. great deal of work on hand tina.
must be done before Congress- meets,
the Secretary decided that two days
in one week was as much as his de-
partment could stand, and he ordered
that it should not be closed until the
usual hour.
Although you continue to hear all
manner OF dire things predicted con-
corning Secretary Mannings' physical
condition, he has dictated his forth
coming annual report with a freedom
that has kept his s~tenographer and
two, type-writers busy and it is aaid
the portions of the document already
finished lack none of the force and
vigor which characterized his initial
report last year. The most import
ant ANNOUNCEMENT yet i'll connection
with the report, is that the Secretary
takes even stronger grounds on the
subject 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
it's 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,
Germany and Austria combined
The number of post offices in this
country now is 1854. The report
also shows q great deal in the line OF
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,
the expenses of the Postal Depart
ment were expected to exceed itE
revenue for the fical year of 1886 al
least 100000. A decrease of ex.
penditures, however, has made the
actual deficit about 100000 less
than that and the deficit for the cur.
rent year will be still less.
Figures show that the net increase
of ven in this Department was
80 per cent, and that the volume O
business by which it was gained, in
creased over 7 per cent. That is an
other proof which commercial ant
other statistics establish, that Their,
has been q steady return of business
prosperity during the past year ant
a half. That is the way in which thu
country goes 20 ruin under Demo
cratic rule, which must be very ue
pressing to the Republican prophet
of evil.
Secretary Whitney was very gen
erous with Thanksgiving turkeys.-
He made arrangements 10 give eacl
officer and employee of the Navy dc
partment, a fowl Of such weight n
each preferred, and three hundred L
the clerks availed themselves of In
courtesy. On a similar occasion las
year the Secretary dispensed abo,l
the ain number of turkeys TO Nav,
Department employees.
Nor was Mrs. Whitney behind til
!, Secretary i'll the donation OF goo'
cheer. She sent word to the HON
of the Little Sisters of the Poor Nh.
: 10 the Colored Woman's homo tina
she would like to provide Thanks
giving dinners for those institutions
A list of articles wanted were sell
i: and the order was promptly honore
by Mrs. Whitney, who made som
, suitable additions to The bill of far
: for the old ladies and old mel of III
i. Home.
Up at the Capitol they have alread
, gotten down to work. There hay
been preliminary meetings of cortai
committees-or rather of ouorums c
certain committees, and the prepare
ton of bills has begun so that the ne
, eessary business may DO reached wit
as little delay as possible after til
assembling OF Congress. AS usual
is predicted that very little beyon'
the money bills which are necessar
| for the expenses of the Governmer
will receive much attention this win
E ter. Many earnest, constellation
legislators intend TO do more if pos
sible, but up to the present time Cor
gress had found itself too lazy in til
long sessions and too busy in tn
short, to accomplish anything.