The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-06-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, June 2. 1898
Secretary Carlisle has made it rule to see
everybody that called on him at his office until
this week. when after much deliberation he
came to the conclusion that his promiscuous
callers were taking up so much of the time
that should be devoted to weightier matters
that it was his duty to follow the Presidents
example and deny himself to general callers.
and an announcement to that effect was made
1t is easy enough to see Secretary Carlisle if
year business is of public nature. but other
wise you cannot. Theoretically it seems hard
on some of his callers, but practically there
was no other course left for him to take. In
the present state of the country the official
duties of the Secretary Of the Treasury are of
the highest importance. more depending
directly upon him than any other member of
the cabinet, and John Griffin Carlisle has never
shirked or neglected his duty. although he has
often found it. as he probably does in this case,
more or less painful to perform.
Democrats were surprised when President
Cleveland left Washington for few days of
rest and recreation at Hog Island, Va, with
out appointing new Public Printer. as the
term of Mr.. Palmer. the incumbent, expired
several weeks ago. Whether right or wrong
the failure of any one of the score of applicants
for this Office to get the appointment is taken
by many to mean that none of them will get it.
but that it will eventually go to some man who
has never made probably even thought of
making an application for it. It has been
rumored for several weeks that President
Cleveland has been making quiet inquiries of
+. some of his callers about various men who had
been suggested to him for the place.
Commissioner of Pensions Lochren has de-
cided. after mature consideration. that to carry
out his policy successfully in the Pension
bureau he must have new chiefs in every divi
sion in the office, and the present chiefs. some
of whom are notoriously inefficient will all
have to GO Some of them who have made fair
IL good records will be allowed to remain as
clerks. Some of these democrats are trying to
save their Official heads, but Judge Lochrcn
says he intends to put the Crce upon what be
considers strictly business basis and that no
amount of influence will change his purpose.
That inexperienced young men, Comptrol-
er Of Currency Eckels. is very vigorously ad-
ministering the business connected with his
Office. He says he intends to put stop to ma
tional banks being used to bolster up outside
wildcat financial schemes that would have no
standing or credit whatever were it not for
their supposed connection with national banks
Nobody knows better than Mr.. Eckels that it
is a big contract that he has undertaken. but
If he succeeds he will certainly be popular
man with the solid business interests of the
country. which are naturally opposed to the
dummy mushroom financial concerns that al
ways do SO much to demoralize legitimate
business. Mr.. Eckels emphasized his position
on this question by telling Mr. E. A. Mears.
the president oftWo North Dakota banks that
failed, this week. who called on him to say that
he expected both banks would resume bus1-
ness. that the bank would not be permitted to
resume, and further that no national bank
with which he tMears) was connected would
he allowed to begin business hereafter.
How many of the republican papers which
have been criticising Secretary Carlisle for re-
moving republican chieIs of division and
asserting that their democratic successors
were incompetent. will have the manliness to
print his latest order, directing the examining
board of the Treasury department to increase
the minimum for testing the fitness of appli-
cants for appointment as chiefs OF division
from rs to so per cent?
Secretary Gresham has received no official
communication from the Chinese government
giving even the slightest intimation OF the in
tention of that government to adopt retaliatory
measures towards American residing in China
because of the Geary exclusion law, notwith.
standing numerous more or less sensational
was too good for the sensation-mongers to
lose; hence the rumors.
AS was generally expected, the Presbyterian
General Assembly found DR.. Briggs guilty of
heresy.