Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-11-12
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondent.
N AsIITATf.Tr.Nkr h,,t .Nl

Nv -"ni correspondents
| WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 1856.
The week has been rather a quiet
one in Washington. The President
and his Cabinet returned promptly
after the fatigue of Bartholdi day in
New York, and settled down to their
desks. ! do not think they are billed
for any more fairs or unvcilings this
fall. The annual autumn races, which
have always attracted large contin-
gents from the fashionable, diplomatic,
army, navy and official circles Of
Washington, are in progress, but the
weather is unpropitiou> and they have
excited less interest than usual.
Those of you who live far removed
from Governmental machinery cannot
realize the extent of the improvements
i'll Departmental work untlxr the new
Administra ton. But those OF lis who
have been here all the time, and who
have seen SO much of the idleness, ex-
travagance, worthlessness and corrup-
ton Of the old Republican officials and
methods, take special delight in the
new order of things and feel as if too
much could not he said about it.
For instance, the current business of
the Patent Office is in a much better
and more prosperous condition than
when Commissioner Montgomery as
sumed control. At that time the
work was largely in arrears, and he
has succeeded in bringing much of it
up to date. The application for an in
ventOr for 4 patent is now reached in
about three months after filing. The
time formerly was five and Il half
months. Mr.. Montgomery SAYS he ex-
poets to be able to bring all the work
substantially up to date within the
next few months, and So keep it.
A little over Il year ago some Of the
divisions i'll this Office We're as much
as seventeen months behind in their
examinations. To fully appreciate the
work accomplished, consideration
must be given to the fact that the
Commissioner was inexperienced and
had to study up and advise himself
thoroughly on all points relating to Il
very difficult practice. The attorneys
practising before the office are much
pleased with the progress made, and
ask that the good work may go on.
Patent Office, besides being self support
ing, pays balance in the Treasury.
There is now an account to its credit
there OF nearly three million dollars.
Last year q, ,14 patents were granted
out of 81 ,G95 applications
A new order of things cOnfronts
politicians these days; no help from
Washington, and stumping Federal
officials to be called to account. Con-
sequently but few can be seen here
this week. The elections are only five
days off, but the habit of running to
Washington in hurry to get friends
or officers to assist in the election, is
not in order this year. No assistance
beyond sending out documents by the
Campaign Committee has been drawn
from the Capital. Notwithstanding
the great interest felt in the result,
the Administration has rigidly alb
stained from every thing that could be
construed into official interference, and
no campaign contributions have been
collected in the departments.
There is much doubt as to the gen.
eral result of the election, but whatever
it may be as to parties, there will be a
large number of new men in the next
House. The recent action of the Presi-
dent in suspending District Attorneys
Stone and Benton, one Democrat
and the other Republican, for their
great political activity, is accepted as
an indication that the order is to be
strictly enforced. 1t is expected that Il
number of dismissals will result from
violations of this order. A general
court of inquiry would probably not be
found practicable, but where serious
charges are made and supported with
sufficient evidence, dismissals will fol-
low.
A campaign lie has been going the
rounds of late to the effect that when
the agent for the sale of General Grants
Memoirs asked permission to canvass
the Interior Department for subscrib-
ers, Secretary Lamar refused to grant
it, but that an agent for the Life of
Robert Z. Lee" was accorded the privi-
lege without the slightest objection be-
ing interposed. Nobody ever solicited
permission to canvass the Interior De-
partment for the Life of Robert Z.
Lee" until last Tuesday, when leave
was promptly granted. When the
agent of Grants Memoirs made known
to Mr.. Lamar his desire to 60 through
the Department with his subscription
book, the Secretary not only acceeded
to the request without hesitation, but
headed the list of Interior Department
subscribers with an order for the
twenty-five dollar, or costliest edition.
Dem.
AN idea of the enormous population
Of China may be gathered from the fact