Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-06-19
Washington Letter.

Having entered upon the seventh
month of the first session of the forty
ninth Congress, the lower House pro-
poses to make an effort to crowd the
work through within the time con-
sumed by the session ending July 10,
1884. This prospect to the outside OBJ
server, is not very promising; but
those supposed to direct the upper
and lower Houses, say that it can and
probably will be accomplished. There
is already talk of introducing a reso-
luton in the House fixing June 18th
for adjournment, with the eXpecta-
ton that the date will not be fixed
more than twelve days beyond that
time.
The President and his wife have
in contemplation tour of the North
ern lakes with select party of friends
in a chartered steamer, during the
summer. 1t is probable that they
will spend some time on the seacoast
and in the mountain regions after
the adjournment of Congress, and
then 60 to their old home in Buffalo.
If Congress does not adjourn before
August, the President will of course
be detained in Washington, and his
summer outing,as now proposed, will
be abandoned. A
There seems to have been very
good management displayed in the
matter of making contracts for post
office supplies during the eighteen
months past, and consequently great
saving to the country has been there
suit. During Judge Gresham's term
as Postmaster General this business
became greatly mixed, and certain
contracts were let which subsequently
proved not to have been entire bust
neSs-like transactions. Postmaster
General Villas is giving special atten-
ton to this class of work under him,
and together with Third Assistant
Postmaster General Hazen, after much
careful labor, now have binding con-
tracts which, while they will doubt
less yield fair profits to the contractors,
will, at the same time, be of great adj
vantage and benefit to the public at
large. Take for instance the contract
for stamped envelopes just made by
the Postmaster General for the COM
ing four years commencing July lst
Before advertising for proposals fol
these envelopes, the Department had
a great deal of preparatory work tc
transact consisting chiefly of getting
the most suitable paper for the vari
Gus styles of envelopes, changing
the styles of the old ones, and othel
work of a similar nature. 1t is esti
mated that there will be ordered by
the Department during the coming
year So, $50, 900 worth of stamped en-
velopes. If it should pay for then
on the basis of the present contract {
disbursement of over $950,000 owe
and above that sum would be requir
ed. The result will therefore be ;
saving of upward Of a million of dol
lars, or about % per cent.
Take, again, the contract for sup
plying the Department with posta
cards, stamps, tags, registered pack
ages and dead letter and official en-
velopes. This contract was entered
into on the 30th of June last and is t,
run four years. The first year is nea
enough to its close to enable a yer!
correct idea being formed as to hoy
: it has worked so far and how it vii
J work for the remaining three years
: BY the last of this month it is estima
2 ted that the books will show order
2 by the Department for supplies unde
= the contract referred to amounting t
: 81, 932, 253, $50; and the amount pal
for them will show a decrease {
about % per cent in the outlay fC
postage stamps, about II per cent i
postal cards, and % per cent in othC
articles during the previous fsci
year. Altogether the Postoffice d.
partment under the supervision {
l Postmaster General Villas is maxim
# an excellent record in purchasing i
supplies.