Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-07-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular Correspondent. |
WASHINGTON, June %, 1891

WASHINGTON, June %, 1891.
The terrible effects of the crime of
"check- -kiting" by private individuals
should have been sufficient to have pre-
vented the Treasurer Of the United
States from engaging in the reprehen-
sible practice, but they were not. For
two days there were checks outstand-
ing against the Treasury amounting to
nearly one million dollars more than
the much-denied deficit made its debut.
Some people believe that Secretary
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 author
ity as to lay himself liable to impeach-
ment. 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 Republi-
cans high and low, big and little, have
persisted in saying that there would be
NO deficit, and that for two days there
was @ deficit, one day amounting to
$787 ,018, and the next to little less. 1t
is not surprising that Secretary Foster
was anxious to extend the $50, ,00, 900 of
four-and-a-half per cent bonds which
will mature next September. 1t
seems to have simply been question
of default or extension, 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 Irregularities in
spite of the attempt of Speaker Reed to
protect and shield him, Postmaster
Hathaway of the House of Representa-
tives has got himself into similar
scrape. His predecessor assessed the
contractor for hauling the mails to and
from the office, aad Mr.. Hathaway has
been assessing the employees of his office
in order 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 ex-
pense of the Government, and it may
be that his company the North
American Commercial is the
lessee of the Alaskan Seal privileges,
was acting upon advice given by his
with the Treasury department of its
prevented from taking the stipulated
number of seals during the season of
1890, $l5O.000 for its expenditures on
the seal islands, and an indefinite
amount for the present season. Mr..
Blaine has already committed himself
officially as being of the opinion that
the company is entitled to damages,
but it remains to be seen whether he will
be willing to approve a claim ofsuch
magnitude as Elkins has had the nerve
to present.
1t has been stated here that Mr..
Cleveland's favorite candidate for
Speaker of the House is Representa-
tive McMillin, of Tennessee. 1t had
been previously supposed that if Mr..
Cleveland had choice 1t was Repre-
sentative Mills.
Representative w. l.. Wilson, of
West Virginia, who is one of the dark
horse" candidates for Speaker, has
Joined the editorial fraternity. He is
to edit the tariff reform department of
the st. Louis Republic. His editing is
to be done from Washington, and he is
to receive salary of $4, 800 a year.
The The National Democrat, which
started out under such fattering
auspices, has been compelled by mis-
management on the part of its editor
and publisher, to suspend publication,
with bona-fide subscription list of
of more than $4,000.
Senator Kenna is in town. He says
he has been recently devoting his time
to his private business, and that he
doesn't know anything of interest,
politically speaking.
Mr.. Harrison will come over from
Cape May Point to preside over cabi-
net meeting Friday, which Is to decide
how much interest shall be paid on the
bonds that are to be extended and sew