Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-06-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D. c., June

ested in the efforts that are being made
to ascertain if the carelessness of any
person was responsible for the horrible
tragedy in Ford's old theatre, although |
he has wisely refrained from taking any |
action that might be considered as inter
fering with the properly constituted au-
thorities now engaged in that task,
Great pressure is being brought to bear
on him to suspend or remove Col. Aims
worth, the army officer who is at the
head of the office, and upon whom a
great many people are disposed to place
the blame, but Mr.. Clevelands idea of
fair play is such that it is not probable
that he will take any action until there
is more tangible evidence of Col. Aims
worth's guilt than public clamor for
making him scapegoat. If he be guilty
surely that fact can hardly escape the
coroner's jury now investigating and the
army court of inquiry which will take
the matter up at the close of the inquest
The improvement in the financial sit
uation has been very marked during the
last few days, and treasury officials and
others who keep close watch on financial
affairs believe that the turn has come in
the flow of gold abroad and that the sit
uation will continue to improve. 1t is
certain that the gold in the treasury is
again increasing at gratifying rate and
that there is at present no demand for
gold for shipment abroad Secretary
Morton expresses the opinion that from
now on our cereals will take the place of
the gold which we have been shipping
to Europe, and the fact that the large
amount of gold which the Rothschilds
contracted to furnish Austria has all
been delivered is also thought to have
been factor in causing a cessation in
the European demand for gold.
Among the consular appointments
made last week was that of Bennington
r. Bedle, of New Jersey, to be consul
at Sheffield, England, in place of
Benjamin Folsom, resigned. Mr.. Fol-
som, who has held the position since his
appointment early in the first Cleveland
administration, is a cousin of Mrs. Ceye-
lands and as "Cousin Ben" he figured
in all the Republican papers as proof that
President Cleveland was not in earnest
when he declared himself opposed to
nepotism. Wonder what those same
fellows will say now that Mr.. Folsom
has voluntarily resigned? The chances
are that they will ignore it entirely and
say nothing.
The government has lost in actual
cash, according to Secretary Carlisle's
figures, in carrying out the provisions of
the Sherman law, nearly $l1 ,000,0
representing the difference between the
amount paid for the silver now stored in
the treasury vaults and its present selling
price. If it really had to be sold at once
the loss would probably be much greater
because of the further depreciation in
price that would follow such a large
quantity of silver on the market.
Democratic congressman, after a hard
and stubborn fight, have succeeded in
convincing Postmaster General Bissell
that his rule against the removal of Re-
publican fourth-class postmasters who
haye served four years or more, unless
charges are filed against them, is bad
one, and it will be recalled and all Re-
publicans who have been in Office four
h,,n
Gratis just as fast as they can be got at in
Mr.. MaxwelPs office.
A letter received by Mr.. Cleveland
last week furnishes conclusive proof, if
proof were needed, Of the wisdom of the
board of revision, the sole duty of which
is to 90 over all the pensions that have
been granted under the law of 1890 and
determine whether they were granted
in accordance with a proper construction
of that law. The writer of this letter, j
NJ. Burnett, is ex-employe of the Office
who voluntarily resigned during the last
administration because he could not
conscientiously take part in carrying out
Raum's methods. He tells the presi
dent OF a large number of pensions
illegally granted, and gives names
dates, and the numbers of the applica
tions, so that his statements may be
easily verified. He says that thousands
of pensions have been Illegally granted
and that tney are not confined to cases
in which the law was wrongfully con
strued, but include an enormous number
granted in direct violation of law. Mr.
Burnett concludes by expressing thu
belief that at least $50, ,O00,OO year car
be saved by thorough and rigid purgini
and revision of the pension rolls. S.