The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-05-19
WARRINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, May IS, 1893.

O-'1 ~'ANJ ~ eoSO'
Speaker Crisp. after spending a
week in Washington, left for home
Saturday night. He was in a glorious
good humor, as he had right to be,
for it is now as certain as anything in
the future can be that he will be elect
ed Speaker of the next House. Presi.
dent Cleveland informed him before
he left that he had fully decided, not
withstanding the arguments presented
by prominent members of the party
in favor Of an earlier date, not to call
an extra session of Congress before
September.
The leaders of the democratic party
have it Is stated agreed upon four
things to be pressed when Congress
meets, and it is probable that Presi.
dent Cleveland's message to Congress-,
and may be his proclamation calling
the extra season, will be largely de-
voted to arguments for speedy action
upon them-the repeal of the obnox-
ious Federal election laws the levy
ing of an income tax; the repeal Of
the Sherman silver law and of the tax
on the currency issued by state banks,
and complete revision of the tariff,
lowering the duties.
Secretary Carlisle dehed the high
muck-a-mucks OF mugwumpery who
tried to bulldoze him into retaining
the republican chiefs Of divisions in
his department, and is proceeding to
replace them with democrats, Just as
he at first intended to do, and working
democrats admire him more than
ever.
Reforms in keeping with democrat
&c ideas are being quietly introduced
into all of the Government depart
ments as fast as their heads have an
opportunity to investigate abuses
which have grown up under republi-
can rule. Secretary Herbert's order
that no more naval officers should be
granted leave of absence to enter pri-
vate employ was followed by Secretary
Lamont's determination to stop simi- |
Lar abuses in the army, and not only |
to refuse to allow it in future but to |
revoke the leaves Of all those officers
now engaged in other occupations, ex-
cept those granted by special acts of
Congress. Sec. Lamont has also an
nounced his intention to make almost
q reorganization in that important
branch Of the War department known
g the division of records and pension.
This division is closely associated with
the Pension Bureau, as it has to verify
the army record OF every applicant for
2 pension. Some forty or fifty changes
have already been made in this divi.
sion.
1t may be true that Comptroller of
Currency Eckels has had no exper-
ience in the actual details of banking,
but the promptness with which he has
acted during the past few days, when
the suspension of national banks tor a
time were frequent enough to be
alarming, has convinced the Treasury
officials and the banking world that
ne is thoroughly posted upon the laws
that govern banks and that as cool
headed business man he has never
had a superior in that Office. He has
proven himself to be a valuable as
sistant to Sec. Carlisle and his prompt
ness in dealing with suspended banks
has had no little to do with restoring
that public confidence without which |
banks of no kind can long exist. Mr.
cleveland made no mistake in select
Ing that young man for Comptroller
\ Commissioner Lochren is already
Ending his place very hard one to
Pill, but he is not disappointed he did
pot suppose that he was selected to
lake charge of the Pension Bureau
|nerely to draw salary. Already a
EIerles of frauds all put through by one
pension attorney, located at Norfolk,
Va, have been discovered and force
\ expert examiners are now engaged
investigating every case that this at
Prney has had anything to do with,
ne Commissioner being determined
~ get to the bottom, and to punish
he guilty. The worst thing about the
looked work done by this attorney is !