Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-06-27
WASHINGTON.

"check-kiting" by private individ-
uals should have been sufficient to
have prevented the Treasurer OF the
United States from engaging in the
reprehensible practice, but they were
not. For two days there were checks
outstanding against the Treasury
amounting to nearly one million dol
lars more than the amount Of cash
available to pay them therein. Thus
the much denied deficit made its de-
but. Some people believe that Sec
rotary Foster, by directing these
checks to be issued when he knew
that there were no available funds
in the Treasury to meet them, so
far exceeded his authority as to
lay himself liable to impeachment.
1t would be no excuse to say that he
expected the money to pay them to
be in the Treasury before they were
presented for payment-that's the
excuse of all the "check-kiters." Let
the fact be remembered that repub>
leans high and low, big and little,
have persisted in saying that there
would be no deficit, and that for two
days there was a deficit, one day
amounting to $787, los, and the next
to a little less. 1t is not surprising
that Secretary Foster was anxious to
extend the $50.OOO.OOO of AZ per cent
bonds which will mature next Sep
TENDER. 1t seems to have simply
been a question of default or extern
sion, and Mr.. Foster chose the lesser
evil.
Another republican official is in
trouble. Notwithstanding the fate
of his immediate predecessor, who
was dismissed for financial Irregular
tiles in spite of the attempt of Speak,
er Reed to protect and shield him.
Postmaster Hathaway of the House
of Representatives has got himself
into a similar scrape. His predeces-
sor assessed the contractor for haul
ing the mails to and from the Office,
and Mr., Hathaway has been asses
sing the employees of his office in or
der to pay salaries to his friends not
carried on the official payroll.
Steve Elkins does not propose get
ting left if he can help it, as long as
there is chance to get even at the
expense of the Government, and it
may be that his company-the North
American Commercial-which is the
lessee of the Alaskan Seal privileges,
was acting upon advice given him
by his friend Mr.. Blaine, when it
filed notice with the Treasury de-
partment of its intention to claim
100000 for being prevented from
taking the stipulated number of seals
during the season of 1890, $4,000 fol-
its expenditures on the seal islands,
and an indefinite amount for the
present season. Mr.. Blaine has al
ready committed himself officially as
being of the opinion that the cOmpa.
ny is entitled to damages, but it re-
mains to be seen whether he will
be willing to approve claim of sucf
magnitude as Elkins has had thu
nerve to present.
1t has been stated here that Mr.
Cleveland's favorite candidate fo
Speaker of the House is Representa-
tive McMillin, of Tennessee. 1t haC
been previously supposed that if Mr.
Cleveland had a choice it was Repre-
sentative Mills.
Representative w. l.. Wilson, o
West Virginia, who is one Of tn
Clark horse" candidates for Speaker
has joined the editorial fraternity
He is to edit the tariff reform depart
ment Of the st. Louis Republic. Hi
editing is to be done from Washing
ton, and he is to receive a salary G
$4,000 year.
The National Democrat, whicI
started out under such fiattering au
spices, has been compelled by mis-
management on the part of its edito
and publisher, to suspend publication
with bOna-fide subscription list {
} more than $4,000.
Senator Kenna is in town. II
says he has been recently devotin
his time to his private business, an
that he doesn't know anything of in
} terest, politically speaking.
Mr.. Harrison will come over fror
Cape May Point to preside owe
a cabinet meeting Friday, whic
t is to decide how much intere!
; shall be paid on the bonds thf