The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-11-08
WASHINGTON LET TER
Posts Regular Correspondent
sWAsHIsGTos. Nov. 5. 1874.

Washington at the various stages OF
the campaign, now goes to join the
has beens, an Investigation made by
your correspondent shows that an
unusually small number of the voters
temporarily residing in Washington,
(mostly government employees went
home to vote. There is always a
marked falling off in the number OF
members of the party opposed to the
administration, and this year was no
exception to the rule. Few of the
Republican office holders went home
to votc,for the very good reason tn at
they were afraid their doing SO
might jeopardize their positions.
That was expected; it was just rep
etition of the non-action of the dem
ocratic Office holders at the first con-
gressional election during the Harrl-
son administrator. But the great
surprise lay in the fact that so few
democrats went home to vote. 1t has
usually been assumed by the office
holder of the same political faith as
the administration that goiag home
to vote and work for the party added
to his chances for getting promoted
and otherwise favored by his superb
ors in office, and there is no doubt
that as rnle it has been the correct
assumption. But this year the idea
became prevalent among government
employees very eally in the campaign
that President Cleveland was indit
ferent to the result and that demo-
crat who went home to vote was inst
as apt to do himself harm as good,
and little more SO if he happened
to be a New Yorker. Now, the av-
erage office holders predominating
idea is how to remain in office, and
he doesn't hesitate to spend money
upon anything that will help him do
it; but when it comes to spending
: money to go home and vote with the
knowledge that it was rs likely to
hurt as to help him, he begged to be
excused. That's why the number
who went home to vote was not as
large as the party bosses expected II
to be.
The Treasury statement for Octo-
Der is not very satisfactory one
showing as it does, that the public
debt increased more thanSl3, 0O0,OOl
during that month. 1t was q great
} disappointment to the administration
although the falling off in receipts
is explained as only temporarily, by
treasury officials. 1t is to be re-
lnembered that it was stated by the
opponents of duty on sugar, and Of
the income tax, that the tariff bill
would raise all the money needed by
the government with those two items
left out. Perhaps it will. but the ex=
perience Of the Treasury department
up to this time makes it look as
though all the money that will come
from those two sources-only tri-
file has been paid as, duty on sugar,
owing to the fact the sugar trust ac-
cumulated large surplus stock OF
raw sugar when it could be brought
in free, and the income tax will not
be collcctable until next year-will
be needed to meet the necessary eX-
nenses of the government.
Although the smallpox scare has
died out arouna town Secretary Hoke
Smith had enough Of Ii lsft on Satur-
day to give the employees Of the In
terror department. half holiday, in
1 order that the department. building
might be again thorouglhly fumigat-
ed, Secretary Smith has also re-
manned away from all the Cabinet
meetings held since Dir. Cleyeland's
return to Washington, because Of
his belief hat he "stood q chance to
take the disease IRON one OF the eta
ploves Of the department.
There is considerable rejoicing
among the low grade officials of the
Government, because Of W., Cleve-
lands order extending the civil ser
vice rules-to nearly all classes Of en-
ployed except those engaged in man
ual labor. The extension takes in a
large number of copyists and clerks
whose compensation is less than 5000
a year-the previous limit-as well
4 as the watchmen and messengers.
/ It pdeaseS those already in office, but
it is NOT lillely to Ip4FSass;e the congress
men when they get back 70 WASH
ington and find even these Little
places closed to their constituents,
unless obtained through q civil SER
vice examination. This order adds
another to the many existing rea-
sons for excepting that many Demo
Gratis in Congress will at'the coming
session say things not pleasant to
the Presidents. Many predict the
! liyest political family row since Andy
4 JoAnsaE..g time. In addition to the
/ numerous gapslrisF,s:lsSMqaelp who will be
ldisposed to put the bdtaqR4l1e ~ the , de-
feat upon Dir. Gleyelan aud is Senator
Hill, who Is credited by his friends
with always getting even with
those who offend him, and IL Is eaf-
tain that Mr.. Cleveland has deeply
Eoffended him.