The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1891-06-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsnIsnroS. June s. 1891.

Secretary Foster has returned from
New, York, and will in day or two de-
eide what ii any, action he will take
upon the extraordinary demand made By
Messrs. Hayes and Devlin OF the Execu.
tive Board of the Knights of Labor, which
are a part of the fight which has been
gong on in the Bureau Of Engraving and
Printing nearly ever since Mr.. Meredith
was appointed chief of that bureau by
the late Secretary Window. This fight
as understood here, is really between the
Knights OF Labor and its rival organiza-
ton, the Federation Of Labor, and the
trouble seems to be that Mr.. Meredith
has declined to allow either of them to
run the bureau. More than year ago
the Knights of Labor preferred charges
against Mr.. Meredith, and Secretary
Window, after careful investigation,
declared them without foundation.
Since Secretary Foster came into the
Cabinet these charges have been again
brought forward by the Knights of Labor
and Mr.. Meredith was informed that If
he would reinstate seven Knights of
Labor whom he had dis charged for dis
obedience of orders they would be with
drawn, but as that would have been
tactic acknowledgement of the truth of
the charges he, of course, refused to do
it. Messrs. Hayes and Devlin last week
went to the Treasury Department while
Secretary Foster was out of town and
tried to bluff Assistant Secretary Crounse
into acceding to their demand. He
told them that as far as he could see
there was nothing in the charges they
had made against Mr.. Meredith. He
was then informed that unless Mr..
Meredith was removed the whole strength
of the Knights of Labor would be thrown
against the Republican party in the Ohio
campaign this year. Judge Crounse
told them that threats would have no eff
feet in this case, unless they could pre-.
sent some good reason why Mr.. Mere.
dith should be removed. Messrs. Devlin
and Hayes then went to the White
House and repeated their demands and
threat to the President, who simply de.
clined to discuss the matter at all,
telling them that Secretary Foster was
the proper person to see. Those who
are fully conversant with the matter in
all its bearings do not think that Secre-
tary Foster will interfere with Mr.. Mere.
dith in his methods of condu citing the
business of his bureau, nor do they be-.
lieve that Messrs. Hayes and Devln will
dare to attempt to array the Knights of
Labor of Ohio against the Republican
party upon any such himsy pretext as
the discharge of seven men for disobey.
ing orders.
The affair is creating a great deal of
talk here, because it is the first time that
high officials of any labor organization
have attempted in such a bold manner TO
dictate to the Government, and for the
same reason the outcome is watched for
with much interest, although few believe
that the threat is any more than talk.
Secretary Noble is coming back this
week and again there are all sorts of
rumors about his early retirement or
change to another branch of the Govern
ment service but there is the same lack
of authenticity in these rumors that
have distinguished all their predecessors.
| Commissioner Raum is treated in about
the same way by the rumor mongers.
He says he has no idea of resigning un-
less requested to do so by the President
and that the President has recently told
him that he was entirely satisfied with
his administration of the Pension Office.
and yet nearly every one you meet be.
lieves that we will have new Commits.
s;oner of Pensions in the near future.
The appointment of Ex. Representa-.
tive Owen, of Indiana, to be Immigra-
ton Commissioner is generally recog.
missed as peculiarly fitting one. Mr..
Owen is the author of the bill to restrict
immigration; he has made the subject q
| special study for years, and his appoint.
ment was asked for by hundreds of la.
Dor organizations in all sections Of the
country. 1t is the intention of the adj
ministration to strictly enforce the imm:
grafton laws, and although they are b,
no means perfect it is believed that they
can be so administered as to remedy
many of the worst abuses.
Ex-senator Blair, who is still in town,
drawing salary as minister to China, hal
turned prophet. He says the Republic.
can national platform next year will de-
clare for the free coinage of silver.
REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.