Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-07-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, July 7, 1895.
[saHo1AL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE xoNIro

the shore of Buzzard's Bay, consented
to modification of the terms of the
contract made with that bond syndi-
cate, allowing them to pay domestic
gold now, instead of foreign gold at
the expiration of the time for their
last payment on those bonds-Oc-
tober 1, next. 1t is also evident that
they did not inform Mr.. Hamliil, who
is Acting Secretary of the Treasury
of the modification, as he at first
stated very POSITIVELY that there had
been no modification. Later Mr..
Hamlin hedged by refusing to discuss
the matter at all. Just why Mr..
Cleveland and Secretary Carlisle
should have favored the men who
had already pocketed something like
$4,000, 900 on the bond deal is one of
those things not visible at a first
glance. Another one of the same
sort of things is why the syndicate
should have chosen to make its last
payment in the last week of June
when under its contract it could have
had the use of the money until Octo-
Der /. There are rumors in plenty,
but nothing tangible is in sight. 1t is
safe to say there were reasons and
that they will become apparent later
on. By keeping your eye on the gold
reserve, now slightly more than S107,-
600, 900, one Of the reasons will prob
ably be seen before many weeks have
passed.
w. w. Dufield, superintendent of
the Coast and Geodetic Survey, is the
latest candidate for Congressional
investigation, and his chances for
getting it are decidedly promising.
In addition to removing several men
of international reputation in scien-
tific circles from positions in his
bureau, under an act of Congress pro-
viding for reorganization and small
reduction of the force, Mr.. Duffield
has put his young son in the place of
a man who has had forty years ex-
perience in field and Office work,
place too-chief of the drawing di-
vision which is admitted to require
a high grade of technical experience.
Young Duffield was put on the rolls
about June 18th, but he drew salary
at the rate of 3, 900 year for the en-
tire month oflJune, and beginning
today his salary has been increased
to $4,000 year. There is nothing
startling in this case of nepotism. In
fact, nepotism has become so COM
mon with democratic officials that it
is the expected thing. AS a rule those
who are not guilty have no relatives
who need being looked out for.
State department affairs are likely
to be better conducted during this
summer than they have been since
March 4th, 1898, as they will be in
charge of a good republican. Secre-
tary Olney has gone away on his
vacation, and First Assistant Secretary
Uhl will shortly do likewise, which
will leave Second Assistant Secretary
Adee in charge of the department.
MIR. Adee is one of few prominent re-
offiials who have remained
with the present administration, and
he has done so because his duties as
Assistant Secretary are such that
they do not clash with party politics,
but as Acting Secretary his republi-
canism may get him in trouble with
the administration.
Senator Burrows, of Michigan, was
in Washington several days last week.
He said he was on private business,
and would go to New York and then
to the sea shore for several weeks
rest and recreation. He said the
Michigan republicans were too smart
to begin the presidential campaign
this year, by declaring in favor of any
one of the excellent candidates for
the nomination. He said of the issues
of the next campaign: "What sentl-
ment there has been in the repubi-
can party of Michigan in favor Of the
free coinage of silver at Is to is
growing less, and I feel confident
that our state will send delegation
to the National Convention opposed
to free coinage. With an improve
ment in the times less and less promi-
niece will be given to the free silver
question and, I think, that by the
time the committee meets it will have
little prominence. The republican
party will be as greatly in favor of
silver as it has been in the past, al
though it will not, in my opinion,
countenance the views of the extreme
silver men. 1t will favor using as
much silver iRour currency as can be
used without causing depreciation
of the currency. At the recent Cleve-
land League Convention there was