The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-09-17

tftouu our regular eorrespondcnt.l
WASHINGTON. Sept. II. 1856.

L AHftf- NAA
WASHINGTON, sept. II, 1856.
Ii is said that Mrs. Cleveland, the Presi-
dents mother in-law, and the President
viii return to Washington this week. The
White House has been put in perfect order
for their reception, and like 4 renovated
hat. looks ten times newe r than when it was
new. All the Cabinet officers, with one ex-
ccption. are away from the city. During
the torrid summer. Secretary Bayard alone
has trod the burning deck whence all but
he had fled. Next TO Secretary Bayard,
Secretary Lamar appears TO be the most
adhesive Cabinet officer. Coming from
Mississippi, he is perhaps not aware that
the climate Of Washington is either hot or
umhealthfui. lie frequently takes d walk
in the hottest part of the afternoon. going
to the p~ostoflicc or to Il store in the most
unobtrusivc and commonplace manner.
Secretary Lamar, contrary to all expccta-
ton. has proved himself at energetic and
painstaking Cabinet officer. He has mas
tered all the details of the business of the
Interior Department, and lone mere good
and substantial work thar any other Cab
met officer Of the pfescn. Administration
Before his appointment, il was known
that he was a brilliant orator, 4 thorough
lawyer, and an accomplished scholar, but
it was not supposed that he was capable Of
the painstaking mastery of details, and the
ability. al you may call it genius, Of tire
lessly doing one thing after another which
characterizes the real craftsmanship Of
modern times.
Other Cabinet officers have introduced
reforms in their several departments. Mr..
Manning has reduced absenteeism and
sham invalidism to 4 minimum, and the
Treasury Department is now doing more
and better work than ever before, and at a
great reduction of cost. Mr.. Villas, the
Postmaster General, has made a great re-
duciion IN the cost of stamps, postal cards,
and other postal material. Apropos Of
Mr.. Manning, it is not yet known whether
he will return or not, and it is not believed
ne knows himself.
Probably of all the Cabinet officers the
Secretaries of War and OF the Navy exer-
else the least personal supervision over
their particular departments. They are
truants from their places of business so
often that their present absence, although
continued for an unprecedentedly long
time, occasions no surprise.
There are other offices in Washington,
which, although branches of certain de-
partments. are themselves more numerous
in their corps of employees than are the
War, Navy or State Departments. Among
these are the Pension Office, the Public
Printing office and the Bureau of Engrav-
ing and Printing. This immense bureau
employs nine hundred persons. and under
its present chicf, Mr.. Graves, its work is
thoroughly s~ystematized. Take for instance
the measures employed TO prevent theft by
employees in this office, where all the paper
money of the United States is printed.
There is an admirably perfect system of
checking and r~cceipting, by which if any
sheet of paper or sheet of money disap-
pears lis loss is Al once noticed, and it can
be precisely located. Every piece OF paper
is carefully reeoipted and counted i'll every
division through which it must pass before
it can become legal money. Every morn
ing a blank pass is given to each printer,
on which is entered the number of sheets
given him, and he is not allowed to leave
the department until all the sheets are ac-
counted for. Every evening all the printed
money, the unfinished sheets, and all the dies
and plates are locked in an immense vault
with two large iron and steel doors. The
two locks have different combinations,
which are known to two different persons.
These precautions are necessary, because
there are frequently millions of dollars
stored in the vaults. only needing the great
seal of the United States 10 become legal
tend q.
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