The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-05-10
awAsHrNroN LETTER.
From our Regular correspondent.l }

pOHCy. lHe duIulIlSlfdLlOH mas no
financial policy, or If 1t has the public
has not been taken into its confidence.
In using part of the gold reserve
fund to redeem treasury notes 1t has
President Harrison and Secretary Fos-
ter, and while 1t deserves credit for
having been sensible enough to have
followed the republican plan of deal
ing with the gold problem it should
not be credited with having originated
that policy. In fact 1t has as yet orig
mated no policy on any subject, unless
the sending of Mr.. Blount to Hawaii
to lower the American flag can be Dig
nified by the name of policy.
Ex-Secretary Rusk was a voluntary
witness on Saturday in the investiga-
ton of the weather bureau. He was
questioned in regard to several ap-
pointments made by him, and stated
that he considered them good and
proper appointments and would make
them again If he were secretary. And
as one of the ladies he appointed for
temporary duty has since received a
regular appointment from Secretary
Morton 1t looks as though "Uncle Jer-
ry'' was talking sense, rs he usually
does. None of the sensations promised
have been / t'1lsht out bv this invts.i-
cation, which is daily becoming more
farcical.
The democratic commissioner of PEN
sions goes on duty this week, and much
interest is felt in his actions. All sorts
of rumors are current about his inten-
tions, but as his acts will soon begin
to speak for themselves I shall wait
before criticising. Judge Lochren 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 office-seekers re-
mained in washington after the de-
parture of the president and his cabi-
net-they probably found it cheaper to
put in the time waiting for the return
Of the administration esewhere-but
there were some very mad men among
those who did stay, because of the fact
that five of the government depart
ments were left in charge of republl-
cans while hungry democrats howled
for the places of these very
republicans. However the re-
publlcans left in chage Of those |
departments did not attempt to revo-
lutionize the government or o put any
of the department buildings on wheels
and take them away; but that some of
them did enjoy the crazy antics and
language of the kicking office-seekers,
who made exhibition Of themselves and
their disappointments in public places,
your correspondent happens to know
by personal knowledge.
Much has been said by democrats
about the attempts Of the republican
assistants of the heads of the depart
ments to retain their offices under a
democratic administration that has no
foundation whatever. AS a matter of
fact, about the first official documents
that were brought to the attention of
the members of the cabinet after they
assumed office were the designations Of
heir republican assistants, many of
whom have made business arrange
nents which make their remaining in
)flce an inconvenience to them. There
nay be one or two of these men who
re trying to keep their offices but the
most of them are just as anxious to
ret their designations accepted as the
democratic ofiice-seekers are to get ap-
)ointments, but they cannot, without
)eing dlscourteous, demand that their
'esignations be Immediately accepted,
md that is why they are waiting as
patiently as they can the pleasure of
he heads of the departments.
Political converts have been since
there were political parties more zeal
Gus than the old party warehouses, and
Secretary 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 depart
ment, and what makes this all the
more striking Is that 1t has been an
unwritten rule of that department
since 1t was established that no chan
ges should take place on account of
change in the head of the department,
with the exception of the two or three
men whose relations with the secre-
tary are of a confidential nature, and
that unwritten rule has been observed
by all of the secretaries except Gres-
ham, He, although not yet two
months in office, has left only one i'm
portant place unchanged-thirda assist
ant secretary-Aand the reason for that
exception probably lies in his inability
to find democrat possessing the pecu-
liar qualifications needed to perform
the duties OF Mr., Adee, the present
third assistant.
Comptroller of Currency Eckels has
taken charge OF his office. He good
naturedly confesses 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 subordinates shall be banking
experts. He doesn't explain how he will
select them without knowing anything
about the business himself.
LADIES' TEA