The aegis & intelligencer., 1895-07-26
Washington Letter.
From Our Regular Correspondent.

From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, June % Verify, the summer
madness is on those wlo are jumping all over
Secretaries Olney, Carlisle and Herbert and
Attorney General Harmon, who attended a
special cabinet meeting last Friday afternoon,
because they declined 10 tell what was consid-
cred at that meeting. Since when, pray, has il
been the custom for members of the cabinet
to take newspapers into their confidence to
that extent? There are reasons-gOod ones
for keeping secret for the present the business
of that meeting and abuse will not change
them.
A bit of the same sort of business is the abuse
heaped upon Comptroller Bowler, because he
has notified beet sugar company of Nebraska
that he has doubts of the coDstitutionality of
the Act making an appropriation to pay sugar
bounties, and requesting them, through their
lawyers, to present arguments on the subject
Mr.. Bowler is only performing his duty. In a
decision in suit brought TO compel payment
of sugar bounty the Court of Appeals of the
District of Columbia has declared the bounty
law to have been, in its opinion, unconStitu-
tional. What then is wrong about Comptroller
Bowler demanding to have his doubts removed
before approving the payment OF PUBLIC
money? That is exactly what the Office OF
Comptroller exists for.
Treasury officials are not disposed to regard
seriously the proposed boycott of national
bank currency by the Knights of Labor They
say that even if the boycott be carried out ac-
cording to programme it would not affect the
Treasury in the slightest manner, although it
would probably result in lesSenlng the amount
of money in circulation. as the national banks
would doubtless soon withdraw a greater por-
ton of their notes. The notes of national
banks represent less than one-tifth of the cir
cuIating money of the United States. the total
being less than S212 100000. 1t is difficult to
see what would be gained by boycotting ma.
tional bank currency. True, the national
bank notes are not legal tender, as between in
dividuals neither are the gold and silver GER
tificates, but they can be turned into legal
tender so easily that their refusal would
amount to nothing. Should national bank
notes be refused all their holders would have
to do would be to present them to the Treasury
for redemption and receive legal tenders for
them. The Knights of Labor are on the wrong
track. The national bank system, under pres
ent laws, is far from being perfect or even half
way satisfactory, but there is only one way to
fight it without fighting the United States Gov
ernment. and that is through repeal or amend
ment of the laws by Congress. Neither the
Knights of Labor nor any other organization,
civil, religious or military is strong enough to
successfully boycott the United States Govern.
ment, and that is just exactly what literal
carrying out of that order of Sovereign's
Ex-Speaker Crisp is in Washington, but will
sail this week for Europe, where he will re.
main until the fall, for the benefit of his health
which, while much better than it was during
the last session of Congress, is still far from
robust. Judge Crisp simply laughs at the
story tmt he is running away from Georgia to
escape the silver discussion now going on in
know better than that; also that they know
his position in favor of silver is the same now
that it has been for years.
A business man from New York thus sizes uI
the political outlook: 1.-The prospects of the
Democrats are Frightening all the time. Any
body who doubts that statement knows but lit
tie of what is going on. Wages are being ad-
vanced, mills are running night and day, and
American manufacturers, thanks to free raw
materials are beating their European compe-
titors in the most distant markets of the earth
This is proof positive that with equal chances
as to material the manufacturer of the United
States could not only hold his own against the
foreigner, but could drive him off the field
Ex-Secretary Whitney is. / think, the strongest
man the Democrats could nominate for Presi-
dent"
Secretary Oney was asked when he came to
Washington the other day if the President had
given any consideration to another issue OF
bonds in the near future. His reply was short
and decisive. He said such u thing has not
been considered by any member of the admin
istration. In fact, there is no necessity for
such consideration, as the finances are in good
shape, there is plenty of moneyin the Treasury
and the gold reserve is all right" Surely that
ought to be plain enough to stop the silly bond
story, started for the purpose of doing harm,
but, of course, it won't. Some people would
rather lie any day than tell the truth. C. A. 5.
10 moro Hotarrh N this section nf the