The Washington times., 1894-04-19
IN AND OUT OF OFFICE.

In connection with the inclination OF Con-
gress and some other people to find things
that the department can do without, to cut
somewhere, something, for economy's sake
economy with capital letter-there mas
come up the question, what use the old hies OF
the Third Auditors are. These files are
mostly old accounts with soldiers. for pay and
for pensions, and they include almost every
thing of that nature in existence and date
back to the revolution. "Is there anything
among them that is not OF historical value or
of value as matter of record, anything that
can be destroyed" Secretary Carlisle asked
Third Auditor Blackwell not long ago. On
that day two instances came in.
When the Treasury building was destroyed
in 1914, all the records were also burned.
The government secured from New York the
only record left existing of post companies OF
New York troops, furnished the government
by that state fer the war Of 1919. Now Gem
eral Farnsworth, financial agent Of New York,
has written the department asking for copy
OF these records. The United States is reim-
bursting New York for expenses it went to in
arming and furnishing these troops. New
York wishes to know exactly how much 1t
should receive. The records are the only way
out OF the dl1nculty.
In 1926 the government built a military
road from Chicago to Detroit. 1t was after
wards given to the states Of Illinois and Mich
igan. Curiously enough on the same day that
Secretary Carlisle asked about these files Tor
the unfortunate people who want to destroy
something, this old military road came up.
A request came to the Third Auditors once
.IsI . Nt.t- Na1 m
dispute, and the property rights depended
ON 1t.
There is no questioning the fact of the over
crowded condition OF these files. There IS
not room for them in the Treasury building.
There are files in other offices equally
crowded. The plan that has been proposed,
and that may be acted on sometime when we
are not quite SO economical, is that a "hall OF
| of records be built Everything OF this
nature could be kept in it permanently, and
the records would be just as available, II prop
| erly arranged, as they are now.
Flowers, beautiful La France roses, were
for Major H. T. Hutton the other day on the
thirtieth anniversary Of his continuous service
in the Pension Office. A crowd of his fellow
clerks gathered around him in little surprise
| party and through Mr.. Charles Davis made
| the presentation of the roses. Mr.. Davis said
the pleasant things that were deserved and
Major Hutton made nice speech also.
Over at the Agricultural Department-what
is the meaning of this? I am told that in the
printing Office down stairs women are re-
auired to lift heavy forms and do other
manual labor; that one Of them was injured
| internally some time ago in this work ana
has since not been able to do it, and that last
| week she with four or five others, was dis
charged for incompetency on this account.
| Mr.. Morton, this is serious. l woald look
into it seriously and right away, too. or some
one else may.
The President does not treat Hoke Smith
well. If the Secretary proffers an opinion he
is sat upon by Mr.. Cleveland. Mr.. Smith
put up quietly with this for while. He
would act as il it were all a joke which he
greatly enjoyed. But of late he has been
ting sulky. Among his intimate friends he
discourses freely on the subject. He was very
| angry when the Bland bill was vetoed. He
declared that it would be the death OF the
Democratic party. But Democrats say that
| Mr. Smith was put into the Cabinet to cut the
| pension roll ana Dear Tile OuluIu vi anu, oo
he thoroughly understood when he accepted
his place, has no right to complain.
1t is whispered that several leading Demo-
cratic Senators have recently told the Presi-
dent that Mr. Gresham was his Jonah. They
have gone further They have said that the
administration could not regain the confidence
of the Democratic party while the ex-Repub-
lican was kept in the cabinet. They have
broadly hinted that Mr.. Gresham is following
his present policy for the express purpose OF
damaging the Democratic party. They have
pointed out that Mr. Gresham only voted for
Mr.. Cleveland because of his personal antago-
nism for Mr.. Harrison. The President indeed
is urged to demand the resignation OF the
Secretary.