Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-05-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
C1AL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MONITOR
Washington, May. Z, 1892.

Washington, May. Z, 1892.
Gen Harrison must smile when he
reads of democrats claiming credit for
the administration for its financial
policv. The administration has no
financial policy, or if it has the pub
lie has not been taken into its conf
dence. In using a part of the gold
reserve fund to redeem Treasury notes
it has but followed the policy down
by President Harrison and SEQ. Fos-
ter, and while it 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 it has as yet orig
mated no policy on any subject, I'M
less the sending of Mr. Blount to Ha-
wall to lower the American flag can
be diguified by the name of policy.
The democratic Commissioner of
Pensions goes on duty this week, and
much interest is felt in this actions.
All sorts of rumors are current about
his intentions, but as his acts will
soon begin to speak for themselves |
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 very few office seekers re-
manned 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 re-
turn 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 democrats
howled for the places of these very
republicans. However, the repubi-
cans left in charge of these depart
ments did not attempt to revolution
ize the government or to put any of
the department buildings on wheels
and take them away; but that some
of them did enjoy the antics and Ian
who made exhibition of themselves
and their disappointments in public
places, your correspondent happens
to know by personal knowledge.
Political converts have been since
there were political parties more zeal
Gus than the old party war horses, land
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 de-
partment, and what makes this all the
more striking is that it has been an
unwritten rule of that department
since it was established that no
changes should take place on account
of change in the head of the depart
ment, with the exception of the two
or three men whose relations with the
secretary are of a confidential nature,
and that unwritten rule has been OBJ
served by all of the secretaries except
Gresham. He, although not yet two
months in office, has left only one i'm
portant place unchanged third assis-
Uant secretary-and the reason for
that exception probably lies in his
inability to find a democrat possess
ing the peculiar 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
naturally confesses that he knows
nothing about banking, which is the
principal business with which his Of
fee has to deal, but says he intends
that all of his snb- ordinates shall be
banking experts. He doesn't explain
how he will select them without
knowing about the business himself.