The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-11-25
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 1885.

Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 1885.
Again the White House is heavily
draped in mourning and workmen are
busily engaged in winding sable en-
blems around the marble columns of
the Capitol. Executive Departments
and other public buildings. The White
House is looking unusually clean, hav-
ing been freshly repainted recently.
and the best bunting has been used
upon it in order that it may not be dis
colored in wet weather by the fading
of the cloth as was the case when it
was last draped. The first announce
ment of ex-President Arthur's death
was received at the White House by
telephone message from the Associated
Press. The news spread rapidly over
the city, and the flags on all the public
buildings were at once placed at half
mast. The President expects to attend
the funeral in New York, and it is
probable that committees will attend
representing both branC hes of Con
gress.
Since President Cleveland owns real
estate in the Distric of Columbia, he
seems to take more interest in lOca
matters, and has been brought into
more intimate relations with WASH
ingtOnians. He has always had broad
views of the justice aud necessity of
liberal treatment of the Capitol City
at the bands of Congress, however, as
his treatment of the subject in his
message showed.
In self sought seclusion the Presi
dent is now working hard on his sec
ond annual message, and it has already
taken quite a definite shape. Other
officials besides the President have
been compelled to go into temporary
retirement in order to find quiet
enough to perform important work.
The assistant Secretary of the Treasu-
ry, Mr.. Fairchild, allows his Office
door in the Treasury building to re
main wide open even when he would
like to avoid disturbance, and conse-
quently ne has constant stream of
visitors despite the care of the watch.
men. When he has any work on
hand requiring concentrated thought,
as is now the case, he betakes himself
to his private home rather than refuse
himself to callers.
The Secretary of the Treasury has
just broken up an abuse that has long
existed in his department. 1t was the
substitute system. Clerks have been
in the habit of employing substitutes
and giving them part Of their wages.
Mr.. Manning issued an order that
clerks must perform the duties for
which they were paid, themselves and
required them to appear for duty in
person or be dismissed. 1t is u seless
to say there were very few absentees
the day the order went into effect.
The system has been greatly abused
and has greatly interfered with the
efficiency of the force.
1t is too early to decide whether the
oleomargarine law is equal to the ac-
complishment of all that it aims at,
but the first two weeks of its operation
leads the internal revenue officers to
figure up an income TO the Govern
ment from q million to q million and
a-half from this source by the first of
| Nov. 1887. The manufacturers of ar
tificial substitutes for butter say that
the law has helped rather than injur ID
their business. The Treasury stamp
they think, gives certain dignity to
their goods which they did not possess
before, and many persons regard ii rs
a guaranty that the contents of the
package are pure. The purchaser is
not cheated as to the character of the
article he is buying. He asks for ole
omargarine or butterine and he gets it
every time. Whenever proper en-
forcement of the law is betrayed by
Congress, he will also know when he
is getting poor article or good one.
1t is said the leaders of the labor
movement, Mr.. Powderly and Mr..
George, may urge the President to call
an extra session of the Fiftieth Con.
gress immediately upon the expiration
of the present. This will be for the
purpose of considering legislation in
the interest of the wOrkingmen. As
suming that the question is of such
inn Trf, 70 "A "A
definite legislation. the extra session
would be about the only means by
which the subject can be assured its
proper consideration. Ofcourse moth
ing can be done the coming session.
and to defer action until the assem-
bling of the new Congress would in.
vOlve delay of more than a year.