The Washington times., 1894-04-18
BETWEEN YOU AND ME.


The press of the country has argued on
both sides Of the question whether the Post
Office Department has right to award the
contract for the manufacture Of postage
stamps to the Bureau OF Engraving and
Printing. 1t has been charged that this is
q step toward paternalism, and on the floor
of Congress only the other day it was stated
/ that one department had no legal right to
contract with another department for supplies
OF any character. The answers to resolu-
tions of Congress recently addressed to the
Postmaster General and the Secretary OF the
Treasury clearly prove that that there is no
question that the contemplated action OF the
Post Office Department is perfectly legal.
Briefly, the history OF this case consists first
Of desire on the part of Mr.. Bissell to save
stamps 100000 in four years: second, the dis
satisfaction of the American Bank Note Com
pany, the present contractors, with the pur-
pose of the department; and last, evidences to
show an astonishingly active interest on the
part Of certain Congressman in this particular
matter. The American Bank Note Company
were underbid by a Philadelphia concern OF
questionable standing. whose ability to fulfill
the contract was doubtful, and the depart
ment having reserved the right TO reject any
and all bids, rejected both bids. In the mean
time the Bureau Of Printing and Engraving
had made an estimate on the contract
Senators German and Gibson are not
placated TO any great extent the pie was too
long in coming. 1t is whispered that Sem
ator Gorman's hostility to the President is in
fact owing to the appointment of Mr.. Gres-
ham as Secretary Of State. The Maryland
Senator had hopes of being the lucky man in
1892 but the rush Of popular sentiment to-
wards Mr.. Cleveland warned him there was
danger in the way. He withdrew and made
it appear that he did SO in the interest OF Mr..
Cleveland. Thus he would have been in good
shape to fall heir to the Cleveland influence.
The selection OF Gresham disturbed his cal
culations.
He imagined that this new convert would
be a formidable rival. He only had to look
back a few years to see how really dangerous
a new convert might be. For more than
twenty-five years Mr.. Chase had been the
most bitter and determined foe OF Democracy.
He had nothing IN common with 1t, but,
soured by his disappointments in the Repub-
glance. He came very near being the Demo-
cratic candidate for the Presidency. Mr..
Gresham's conversion was brought about by
similar causes. and Senator German saw in
his appointment as Secretary OF State
formal declaration that he was the adopted
heir to the next nomination. The Senator has
never hesitated to condemn the Gresham ap-
pointment in the strongest terms.
The proposition to reduce the salaries OF
Government officials twenty per cent is not
meeting with great favor among Congress
men. 1t has only been few months since
they virtually increased their salaries by
several hundred dollars; they are not dis
posed to knock of at one blow a thousand
dollars. Ifthe demand for economy grows too
strong to be resisted they will sacrifice their
clerks Yet most of them have some member
OF the family acting as private secretary, and
to vote 10 DO away with that congrs ssional
adjunct will most likely make things very
unpleasant about home. The probabilities
are that all methods of economy that finally
pass will touch some where else.
A New York genius for figures. taking the
recent vote in that state at the various mu-
nicipal elections for basis. declares the Re-
publicsns will carry the Empire state by $780,
0G0 majority next Fall. This is a very encour-
aging calculation for the Republicans. Ger
tainly members of the House are becoming
anxious to get away from Washington. II has
been freely predicted that the next Congress
will contain more new faces than any since
the war.
An effort is making in New York TO concoct
a party condemnation of Senator Hill for his
recent tariff speech. Mayor Grace and other
prominent Cleveland men are ct the head OF
the movement. The Senator is not disturbed;
when Grace is mentioned to him he only
smiles.