Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1886-12-17
WASHINGTON LETTER

WILMINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON d. c. Nov. Doth 1886.
This is one of the busiest weeks of
the year in Washington. Congress
will be here in one week, and every
body must be ready for it from the
President to the boarding house keeper.
The Presidents message is receiving its
last course of condensation and revision.
Cabinet officers are performing similar
work on their annual reports, and
their Assistants of the First, Second,
Third and Fourth degrees, with sever
al hundred Bureau Chiefs, Comptroll-
crs, Auditors and officers too numerous
to mention, are arranging their figures
and plodding over long tables of stats
tics.
The streets of the city are again
alive with a busy, bustling throng and
up at the long deserted Capitol, Char
man Randall, with quorum of his
committee, has for a week been press
ing work on Appropriation bills. He
reports fine progress, and says Congress
will not have to wait on him for money
bills. During the week he has had in
consultation, the heads of different
Bureaus and government establish
ments, with regard to the needs of their
respective departments for the next
year. Among these were Prof. Baird
OF the National Museum, Smithsonian
and Fish Commission; Superintendent
Throne of the Coast Survey; DR.. God
dug of the Government Insane Asy-
lum, Col. Wilson of Public buildings
and grounds a:.d others.
The improved condition of the gov
ernment SER ice under democratic d /
minlstration has been mentioned re
peatedly, but new instances of reform
are continually making themselves felt
which deserve especial notice The
President probably never made hap
pier stroke ofpublic policy than when
he called Mr.. Benedict here to the
Public Printer. In the period of three
months the notoriously demoralized
government printing Office has been
put in such order that about one third
more work is now being done with the
same amount of money, and the press
room which three months ago had 400
forms waiting for the press is now
clear, having "eaught up"
1t is too bad the president cannot he
left in peace and quiet with his mod
est little country home As soon as
the real estate dealers Of Washington
knew of his intention to buy this place
they secured as much ground in the
vicinity as possible and ever since they
have been using the presidents name
in the most liberal maDner in connec.
tlon with all sorts of schemes they have
organized for improvements at the pub
lie expense. Of course the president
has been in no way concerned in these
maneuvers, but rumors to that effect
cannot but be annoying to him.
Almost every day the President or
Col. Lamontis forced to say there is moi
word of truth in some report about
the president. The Coloners latest
denial, which is very emphatic, is ir
regard to an investigation which il
is alleged the President is conducting
by means of a private detective to find
out if any of the District Commits
sieners are interested in real estate
along the line of the proposed exten.
sion of Massachusetts Avenue. The
Secretary adds that the President had
his hands full of his own legitimate
duties and did not care to interfere
with outside matters.
Some of the statements telegraphed
from this city in connection with the
police scandal alleging decentralization
and rottenness in District affairs and
universal dissatisfaction with the com
missionership form of Government, are
quite untrue. The people of the Dis
trict feel that the present Commits
sioners are honest and reliable, and
that any errors they may commit are
purely those of judgement. The tax
paying people especially know when
they are well off, and they have no de.
sire to exchange the present govern
ment rule and government backing in
District expenses for the boon of suf.
frage.
Speaking of the Police Scandal, GER
tain members of Congress have ex-
pressed their opinion that Congress
will not ask to have the matter inyes-
tigated. "We can take no notice Of ii
officially" said Representative Sowden,
''for no Congressman has been individ-
uallY aspersed or injured, and whoever
demanded an investigation would be
considered as putting himself on the
defensive and confessing his guilt.
But now since so many police officers
have been punished and dismissed it is
said they viii appeal for redress to the
Aa IL I1E1n r.