St. Landry democrat., 1886-10-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10th, 1886.

The events of the week in Washing
ton have not been of monentous or
sensational character, but To those who
follow the daily details Of national his
tory they are significant aud not un-
important The work of publication,
of redistribution, change. of improve
ment, daily goes on in the Departments
under the new Administration. The
history Of a single day would fill
volume, and would furnish interesting
reading to political philosophers and
economists. But to epitomize the his
tory of week in simple letter would
be a remarkable feat OF selection and
condensation.
The members of the Cabinet are at
work on their yearly reports. These
when completed. will be the simplest as
well as the ablest argument for the
continuation Of Democratic Admins
tration ever issued. They will show a
great looping off of useless expenses
and worse than useless men. They
will show that great step has been
taken in the direction OF cleanliness
and honesty of government. 1t may
strike some with surprise that the
Government Printing Office, after hav-
ing discharged five hundred employees
and reducing expenses about $4,000
per month, is now doing more and bet
ter work than before. But this is Il
state of things that causes no surprise
in Washington, where it is known that
the Republican, party has, for years,
crowded the Government offices like |
omnibuses with political friends, ia
yolites. and relatives. 1t cannot be |
claimed of course, that at the end of |
twenty months of Democratic rule |
everything is just as it should be. 1t
will require twenty years TO complete
the work Of publication and reform so
we'll begun and then it is more than
probable that the march of progress
will be characterized by slips of retro
gression. Democrats are not all wise
and powerful. Human weakness, sell
fshness, and cupidity will assert them
selves. Ndpotism and corruption will
show occasional outcropping. But it is
the belief of patriots, and, ] may say,
of politicians that we have entered
upon a higher and more healthful
plane of political life and morals.
The estimates of the Department of
Justice are already on the Presidents
table, and the estimates Of other De-
nartments are pretty well advanced.
The reports circulated by Republicans.
that the clerks in the various Depart
'nents have been actively engaged in
campaign documents for the
Democratic party, are said authorita
lively to be not entirely inaccurate.
The annual reports OF the various De-
and the estimates for the
coming year, taken together, if is be-
lieved, will constitute series of magni-
cent campaign documents for the
Democratic party. The present status
and the proper fate OF Geronimo have
.hus far been only casually spoken of
1t Cabinet meetings. The subject is
IL the hands of the President and the
Secretaries OF war and of the Interior.
Their conclusion, when they reach one,
will be considered in Cabinet council =
The annual report of First Assistant
'ostnlaster-General Stevenson for the
iscal year ending June 30, shows a nett
Increase of post offices of 1869; num-
'er filled by Presidential appointment,
/; filled by Postmaster General, 800;
otal number of appointments during
he year. s2,747, of which 1866 were on
and suspensions, an increase
n the latter item of 1856 over the pre-
'Ions year. The increase i'm total APP
'ointments is 1920. There are 53,614I
of which 70 are first class.
Secretary Manning's health is sol
Yearly restored that he has returned toll
is official duties. Soon after Mr.. Man
ing was appointed Secretary of the
treasury, the late Vice President Hen
rlcks observed that MIR. Manning was
most remarkable man, and appeared
Q him to be as firm and solid as a gate
ost. This tribute to the physical and
lental strength OF the new GabinetI
tficer was but the reflection of public
pinion- With constitution, will
over. and industry seldom united,
nth Il great organizing mind, Mr.. Man
ing, not allowing himself reasonable
lme for rest and diversion, attempted
D master the details and machinery OF