The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-06-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, d. c. June 2a, 1891
The terrible effects of the crime of
''check kiting' by private individuals
should have been sufficient to have
prevented 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 amount of cash available to pay
them therein. Thus the much-denied
deficit made its debut. Some people
believe that Secretary Foster, by di-
recting 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 to impeachment. 1t would be
no excuse to say that he expected the
money to pay them to be in the Treas
ury before they were presented for pay
ment-that's the excuse of all the
''check- kiters." Let the fact be re-
membered that republicans high and
low, big and little, have persisted in
saying that there wonld be no deficit,
and that for two days there was a de-
ficit, one day amounting to $751;
ro8, and the next to little less.
4 is not surprising that Secretary Fos-
;er was anxious to extend the S5o,ooo,-
900 of Al per cent bonds which will
mature next September. 1t seems to
have simply been a question Of de-
fault 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 Represen-
tatives has got himself into similar
scrape. His predecessor assessed the
contractor for hauling the mails to and
from the Office, and Mr.. Hathaway
has been assessing the employees of his
office in order to pay salaries to his
friends not carried on the official pay
roll.
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 no
tice with the Treasury department OF
its intention to claim 500, 900 for be-
ing prevented from taking the stlpula-
ted number of seals during the season
of 1890, $I5o,ooo 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 claim OF
such magnitude as El.;ins has had the
nerve 10 present.
1t has been stated here that Mr..
Clevelands favorite candidate for
Speaker of the House is Representa-
tive McMilin, of Tennessee. 1t had
been previously supposed that if Mr..
Cleveland had choice it was Repre-
sentative Mills.
Representative w l.. Wilson. of
West Virginia, who is one of the clark
horse" candidates for Speaker, has
joined the editorial fraternity. He is
to edit the tariff reform of the ST.
Louis Republic. His editing is to be
done from Washington, and he is to
receive a salary Of $4,000 a year.
The National Oemaocrat, which
started out under such flattering au-
spices, has been compelled by mis-
management on the part of its editor
and publiser, to suspend publication,
oh bona-fide subscription list OF
IRE than $4,000.
Senator Kenna is in town He |
lys he has been recently deyoting his |
ime to his private business, and that
lie dosen't knoy anything OF interest,
politically speaking, !