The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-01
CLEARINGTHE DECK
PREPARATIONS FOR THE MEETING
OF CONGRESS IN WASHINGTON.
A Variety CT Views Concerning the Re
cent Elections Government Finances.
Wonders of the Modern Wsr Vessel.
Chance For Trouble.
Especial Correspondence.l


a-buzz with preparations for the short ses-
sion of congress. AT each department the
word is that the secretary can see no one
as he is preparing his report. The chief
clerks and heads OF divisions are scarcely
less busy, and even the lowest class clerks
put on an air of profound absorption in
labor. At the capitol a small regiment of
men are at work renovating everything.
and all the hotels and boarding houses
have general air of expectancy. Even
the Washington darkies have shaken off
! their summer Gstlessness and taken on
that easily recognized but indescribable
look which shows an expectation of jobs
! and liberal tips. Nearly all the lately de-
! feated congressman are here and singular
~ free spoken in explaining their respec-
( tive defeats. The fact that they differ as
widely as Bob Ingersoll and the late DR..
McCosh makes their talk none the less
interesting, but two points are of peculiar
interest. The cuckoos and eastern Dem
ocrats agree that tho failure of the party
10 support the president and stand up for
sound money caused it, while nearly all
/ the others maintain that the party went
too far III that direction, especially in hos
tility to silver.
The Stay at Homes Did 1t.
On one point all are agreed-that the
stay at homes did it. In Michigan, Texas
and North Carolina the complaint is iden-
teal No section can reproach another,
and the beauty of il is that every fellow
finds in this conclusive proof of the cor
rectness OF his own explanation. Some Of
the figures are indeed startling IN one
d 70, ir,-t ha
Gratis polled but 3, 521 votes against Is, O3S
two years ago and in another 1, 215 against
1876 It is already apparent also that
there will be more contested seats in the
next house than in any previous one, as
some 20 notices are already filed, and at
Republican headquarters they expect at
least 20 more. In fact, whole state dele
cations in the south will probably be con-
tested. Mr. Frederic c. Waite, special
agent in charge of the statistics of true
wealth for the eleventh census, has made
table and analysis of our elections for so
years, and his conclusion is that in 1892 at
least 1000, 900 Republicans staid away
from the polls, while this year one-thir6 of
all the legal voters RETAINED his general
conclusion being that nobody knows the
present real strength of the parties, and
neither is there any way to arrive at it
from the returns since 1888.
Government Finances.
Although the main facts in the business
of each department are published month
ly, yet there are continual changes of some
interest, ana most Of all in the treasury
department, especially in the personnel.
There are today even 1, 100 persons en-
ployed in the treasury, of whom l, 625 are /
ladies' OF the total, ?, S3S are in the CLASH
fled service, and only 63 were disabled by
sickness at the close of last week. OF the /
ladies, only 50 are not in the classified /
service, and therefore subject to removal, /
which is beautiful illustration of how .
rapidly the civil service system is crystal |
llZing the personnel of the departments, !
or, as some would say, putting it on a .
truly Chinese basis. BY operation of the .
Dockery bill the number of employees for
the current year will be reduced at least
200 and the amount paid in salaries about
$3.50, 600. Salaries of all grades below heads
of divisions removable at will range from
5000 to $500. From all Of which the
citizen can gain some idea of how big a
job it is To run the finances of big gov
eminent.
Civil Service and Salaries.
The sugar bounty division Of the treas
ury Is pronounced functUs oflicio, which
is law Latin for played out D." Neverthe-
less there are nearly $3.50 600 still due as
bounty on sugar produced and reported
before Aug. Is, when the new tariff law
went into force The law Is so explicit
that there is no room for a liberal construc-
ton, and SO this money cannot be paid
without special act of congress, although
1t is admittedly due and might legally
have been paid before Aug. 2S on the
standing appropriation. Just at present
the employees in this branch are enjoying
a rest, but in "A short time all of them will
go on the income tax work, and more will
he needed. In the department of state the
force has neither increased nor diminished
since 1856, and the DOckery bill does not
affect this department in any way what
ever. As foreign ministers, Consuls and
commercial agents are not considered en-
ployees of this department, the whole
number, from Secretary Gresham down 10
the spittocn cleaner. is only 81, and of all
these only five are subject to appointment
and removal by the president at will. The
number so appointed and removable was
- down TO Oct. %, when the presidents
last order put messengers and watchnen
and some Others under civil service rules
h,
are subject 10 the will of their immediate
,hiefS. In the force Of 53 clerks there is
now one vacancy, which is soon 10 be /,
Tiled under civil service rules. If any ,
man thinks that we have n very extensive
,tste department. he ought to examine the
list of these clerks and their duties and
salaries Here are men who can read two :
)r three languages and are familiar with
he details of some branch of our dipio-
macy. and vet are working for from 81,
200 70 -, 500 per year, and there are minor
places where the salaries are much less.
hough it certainly seems TO an outsider
Il II unusual quicsness and business abiI-
y Were required
Price Of an Effective Navy. ,
The navy department always abounds
n interest, and every day brings some
hing new. vt this writing the United ,
states has = warships in commission and ,
lctIvS service, i under construction and ,
in ordinary or loaned 70 the naval mill
a of the states. OF the Is. some are laid ;
p for lack Of the full complement II men
nd IN case Of necessity could he pus in
commission az once. and a few because .
hey need repairs. one third of tho = are
uSt now III the James river. near Rich
nond. - FAR as facts and figures are al
JwCd 70 40 cut in advance Of the regular .
eport, the indications are that NCS>rs
SoutClie and Cummings VIII have = deal
1 :resh and interesting matter for their ;
nnusl speeches on the navy. Perhaps the !,
lJ>t startling statement viii be on the
increased and raplClv increasing nece>si- -