Milford chronicle., 1893-05-05
washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, May I, 1888.
Cen. Harrison uinst smile when he reads
Of Democrats claiming credit for the admin
istiaiion for its financial policy The admin
istration has no financial policy, or if it has
tie public has not been taken into conf
dence. IN using part Of the gold reserve
fund to redeem Treasury notes it has but fol-
lowed the policy laid down by President
Harrison and Sec. Foster, and while it de
serves credit for having been sensible enough
to have followed the Republican plan Of
dealing with the gold problem It should not
be credited with having originated that pol
icy. In fact it has as yet originated no pol
lev on any subject, unless the sendiug Of
Mr.. Blouut to Hawaii to lower the Amsri.
can flag can be digni6ed by the name OF
policy.
Ex-Secretary Rusk was a voluntary wit
ness on Saturday in the investigation of the
Weather Bureau. He was questioned ia re-
gard to several appointments made by him,
aud stated that he considered them good and
proper appointments aud would make them
again II he were Secretary, And as one OF
the ladies he appointed for temporary duty
has since received a regular appointment
from Sec. Morton it looks as though Uncle
Jerry was talking sense, as he usually does.
None Of the sensations promised have
been brought out by this investigation,
which is daily becoming more farcical,
The Democratic Commissioner of Pensions
goes on duty this week, and much interest
is felt in his actions All sorts Of rumors are
current about his intentions, but as his acts
will soon begin to speak for themselves
shall wait before criticisiug Judge Lochreu
is so highly spoken Of by those familiar with
him during and since the War that it seems
only fair to do this.
Only a very few ofice-seekers remained in
Washington after the departure of the Presi-
dent aud his oabinet-they probably found
it cheaper to put in the time waiting for the
return Of the administration elsewhere-but
there were some very mad men among those
who did stay, because of the fact that five OF
the government departments were left in
charge Of Republicans while hungry Demo
Gratis howied for the places of these very Re
publicans However, the Republicans left
in charge of. those departments did not at
tempt to revo1utionizs the government or to
put any Of the department buildings on
wheels ard take them away but that some
ofthem did enjoy the crazy antics and Ian
Fuaee Of the kicking ofice-seekers, who
made exhibition of themselves and their
disappointmeuts in public places, your cor
respondent happens to know by personal
knowledge.
Much has been said by Democrats about
the attempts of the Republican assistants Of
the heads of the departments 10 retain their
Offices under a Democratic administration
that has no foundation whatever. As a mat
ter Of fact about the first official documents
that we're brought to the attention of the
members Of the cabinet after they assumed
Office were the designations Of their Repub
licau assistsuts, many Of whom have made
business arrangements which make their re-
msiuing in Office an Inconvenience to them
There may be Que or two of these men who
are trying to keeping their offices, but the
most Of them are just as anxious to get their
designations accepted as the Democratic
Office seekers are to get appointments, but
they cannot, without being discourteous,
demand that their designations be immedi-
ateiy accepted, aud this is willy they are
waiting as patiently as they can the pleasure
ofthe heads Of the departments.
Political converts have been, since there
were political parties, more jealous than the
old party warehouses. and Sec. Gresham has
proven that he is no exception to the rule.
he has made more changes in the important
positions in the State Department than have
been made in any other department, aud
what makes this all the more striking is that
it has been an uuwritten rule of that depart
mert since it was established that no changes
should take place on account ofa change in
the head Of the department, with the exeep-
ton Of the two or three men whose relations
with the Secretary are Of a confidential ma
ture, and that unwritten rule has been OBJ
served by all the Secretaries except Gresham.
He, although not yet two months in Office,
has left only one important place unchanged
third assistant secretary-and the reason
for that exception probably lies in his inabiI-
ity to find a Democrat possessing the pc
culiar qualifications needed to perform the
duties Of MI Adee, the present third as
sistant.
Comptroller Of Currency Eekels has taken
charge Of his Office. He goodnaturedly con-
fesses that he knows nothing about banking,
which is the principal business with which
his Office has TO deal but says he intends
that all of his ub.ordinates should be bank
ing experts He doesn't explain how he
win select them without knowing anything
about the business himself