Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-10-15
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
Regular Cores pondent

charged from Government service in
Washington. Of those discharged,
three hundred and forty must he cred
tied to the Government Printing Of
flee and two hundred to the Washing
ton Navy Yard. l say credited, for
forty thousand dollars per month will
be saved on the Government pay rolls
and the work in the Government
Printing Office will 60 on as well as
before. At the Navy Yard moth
ing will be lost, for the discharges
there were made with the intention of
converting a useless naval station into
a heavy ordnance foundry. 1t is the
determination of the present Admins
tration, with the help of Congress, to
improve the naval strength of the
United States. Notwithstanding the
fact that nearly one hundred millions
of dollars were expended during the
four previous Republican administra-
tions, ostensibly for the navy, the ma
val force of this country is inferior to
that of sixteen European, two Asiatic,
and three South American countries; ;
in other words we are the weakest ma
val power. When the vessels already
authorized, contracted for or COM
menced are completed, say four years
hence, the United States will, in naval
power, outrank Brazil, Chill, Argentine,
China, Japan, Greece, Norway, Portu-
gal and Sweden; be on par with
Turkey, Spain, Holland and Denmark,
and be surpassed by England, France,
Germany, Austria, Italy and Russia
alone.
Secretary Manning has returned to
the city and will resume the Treasury
portfolio. He will, however, be care
full to avoid that close application to
the details of his office and the har-
RAISING interviews with callers which
brought him SO near deaths door
a few months ago. The able AS
sistant Secretaries, Fairchild and
Thompson, will relieve him Of much
labor and care. It is reported that AS
sistant Secretary Thompson has ma
tured plan for the reorganization of
the Treasury Department. The policy
adopted by Secretary Manning has
been pursued by Secretary Fairchild,
namely, of putting the redemption of
Government bonds to the double use
of reducing the national debt and also
regulating the money market. Within
the past few weeks the rate for short
loans has changed from two to three
per cent. to three times those numbers.
Every lender knows that the federal
repositories stand open for the re-
demption of bonds whenever and by
whomsoever they may be presented,
so by that means millions of dollars
may be released and circulate through
the various channels of trade.
In anticipation of the building of a
National Library, tentative plans have
been prepared to aid determination
of its position within the site fixed by
Congress, care being taken to keep
important lines of view open, to pre-
sent both the Library and Capitol to
advantage, secure convenient ap-
proaches and connections by walks
and wheelways, and while enlarging
the Capitol grounds to include the Ii
brary, to preserve, as far as practical
BILE, all the advantages presented.
The soldiers seem to thrive under
Cleveland's Administration. The Civil
Service Commission, majority of
whom are Democrats, have modified
their rules SO as to give precedence to
Union veterans in the matter of ap-
pointments. This action was taken
the very Gay that John Sherman, in
partisan stump speech, was denounc-
ing the Administration for turning it's
back on the old soldiers.
The colored peoples exhibition was
formally opened yesterday at four
o'clock. To-day the various commit
tees in charge were busily engaged re-
ceiving exhibits, which are coming in
very rapidly. There was fair attend
ance at the hall, large proportion of
the visitors being white people, who
were surprised and interested in the
exhibits OF the skill and genius of the
colored people. A large attendance is
expected tonight and preparations
have been made to accommodate the
visitors. Although the fair is credi-
table success, it must not be under
stood that this is by any means the first
Of its kind, nor the greatest, as some
papers have represented. In North
Carolina there is annually held a col
ored peoples fair, which is wonderful
in the variety and excellence of its ex-
hibits and also in the success that at
tends it. People should remember"
said Mr.. Lamar, that one of the best
and most successful departments of
the New Orleans Exposition was that
devoted to the colored people. 1t was
presided over by ex-senator Bruce,
and was a revelation to those who
were fortunate enough to see it.
There were exhibits from every State
and Territory, and they would have
done honor to the white people of
those States and Territories. It was