Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-05-15
Affairs at the National Capital.

There is nothing OF great interest in
the political situation. The last letter
Of the Marquis De Rudini on the Italian
leaves this subject just where
il was with an important diplomatic
victory for the credit of Secretary
Blaine. Italy has been placed in a
ridiculous position before the nations
Of the world. 10y the attempt of its
prime minister To pose for the applause
of the gallery gods.
President Harrison seems to be en-
joying himself on the Pacific Coast
and il credited with having made quite
u number of taking little speeches such
as he made in his trip through the
south. When we consider his attitude
on the southern question and his
speeches there, Mr.. Harrison can re-
ccivc little credit for sincerity either
on the one side or the other. He was
extremely determined to secure parti-
san legislation, ut least he appeared to
be, for the benefit, as he said, of the
"down-trodden African" in the south
ern States In his southern trip he
never mentioned this subject. Possibly
on one occasion he was posing to Sc
cure the negro vote in the north and
on the other the white vote in the
south. IL looks so at least to a man
cup tree"
Secretary Foster is confronting de-
ticicncy in the current revenues; there
il now, unencumbered 10y trust,
twelve millions in the Treasury and
the receipts for this month will amount
To twenty-five, making total OF thirty
four million dollars, while the expend-
lures for general purposes will bc
twcnty.onc million dollars, and for
pensions TO be- paid on the 18th of June,
twcnty-cight millions, making total
of expenditures of forty-nine million
dollars. la private life, we would find
IL right difficult to pay debt of forty
nine dollars with thirty-four, but Secre-
tary Foster has some advantage, he
has twenty millions in minor coin
which really ought 60 be in circulation
and he intends to use that, so that
will relieve him for this month. Be
sides this there is a hundred million
dollars in gold which has been boarded
in the Treasury under the policy of
John sherman which has been kept by
all his successors To redeem greenbacks,
~ though anybody wanted to redee m
greenback. Foster proposes, il ncces-
aary. 10 use this fund, and it is to he
hoped that il will be necessary, for
that much more money will be put
into the hands OF the people instead OF
being piled away in the vaults of the
Treasury.
The junketing season is about to
commence for the chief officials. Mr.
Porter, superintendent of the Census,
has taken his wife and is off for the
Pacific Coast. Soon other chiefs OF
the bureaus and departments will he
on the wing and the government will
he Just what Mark Twain found it in
his great beef contract hunt, "a boy
nineteen years old i'll linen duster
with a pen behind his car" 1t is a
fact that il is the clerks who do the
business, and the heads are merely or
namental.
There are few, and but very few
Of the visiting Statesmen" ut Wash.
! ington now because Of the absence OF
the President; generally this class can
bc found here in considerable numbers
and they are almost always in the con
dition Of Oliver Twist. asking for
more" but as the dispenser of patron.
age il away, they leave us to the quiet
enjoyment Of our beautiful city.
The battle for the spcakership
amongst the Democrats Of the next
House goes brayely on. Northern
Democrats are claiming that they
should have it. and thus raising a sec
tional line themselves. Their claim is
that now. and il is the first time in
thirty years, a majority of the Demo
Gratis in the House come from the
north.
Before, when the Democrats have
had u majority in the House, that ma
jority has been made by the presence
of southern Democrats and in every
instance they have placed northern
man in the chair. Now that the north
ern Democrats have got the power
they raise q sectional issue in their
own party and claim as a right a posi-
ton heretofore given them rs a matter