New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-19
DELUGE OF QUESTIONS.
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT FLOODED
WITH LETTERS.
REPLIES SENT TO AiI.-THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
STUDYING FINANCE AS THEY NEVER
STUDIED 1T BEFORE.
10y TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBuNEl

STUDYING FINANCE AS THEY NEVER
STUDIED 1T BEFORE.
10y TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNE.1
Washington Aug ls-Not in the memory OF the
Oldest employe of the Treasury Department has
the demand for information on financial matters
been great at present Mr.. Preston, Director
of the Mint is daily I'm receipt OF about 2O0 letters
Of inquiry about financial matters. every one OF
which is replied to provided 1t is Of character
that permits Of an answer. In some cases these
letters are referred three four bureaus Of
the department in order TO get the required In
formation Most OF the letters 6e replied 10
by a reference to Circular No. l23, which Is
sent marked to indicate where the informa-
ton sought can be found. Other letters contain
questions which have to be specifically answered
by letter Mr.. Preston has detailed one clerk.
whose sole duty 1t ;s to attend TO such work
Great care is taken TO express no opinion In
these replies, and only the coolest facts" are
given. Now and then abusive letter Is
received from free-silverite but they are
very rare a few days ago letter was re-
ceived from a town in Virginia, asking GER
tain questions and couched in ordinary Ian
guage. but at the end of the page the CORE
spondent marked Govern On the other side OF
the sheet deluge Of abuse of Government
officials and their lying circulars" all of which
the correspondent said would be changed after
March T. when Bryan would come in and give
the people clean and pure Government Inc
questions were politely answered, but no attention
paid 10 the deluge OF abuse.
The political procvites OF nquirers after fnan-
cial truth never influence the replies that are
given. Since Circular 1913 was gotten out the
queries of correspondents have gone off In new
directions not thought OF when that document was
compiled. thus necessrtating the writing Of many
letters to mt each The seekers after infor-
nation do not always regard answer to their
requests as courtesy. but demand what they
t{r ont In
for certain publication Of the Treasury Depart
rnent The edition Of the desired pamphlet had
become exhausted. and the request was filed until
a edition could be gotten out A few days
later he wrote again. aging he had previously
requested the document, but now he demanded IT
by the right OF an American citizen and taxpayer.
a card was sent 10 him in reply, announcing tnat
the edition had become exhausted. and Informing
him that he would get the desired pamphlet when
a new edition was put out.
The inquiries for information on financial ques-
lions from all parts OF the country Edrner
in the campaign they were chiefly from ONO
Indiana -, ana Confined put p no
locality At present great numbers of them are
The strangest feature of the letters is that the
crudest questions are frequently received from
bankers and editors of country newspapers; In
many instances the mon who for years had been
associated with the banking business show that
they have paid but little attention TO nnancia
questions beyond mere money-getting questions OF
interest and investment There Is no doubt that
never before studied it. and the Treasury De;
partment is doing what II can to distribute cold
facts allowing the students 10 draw their own
conclusions. -. o
one class of inquirers do not get replies that are
satisfactory to them They are the men VINO WIZ
to know what the effect Of this or that KIND OF
legislation will be, the answer to which woul4
naturally involve the giving OF an opinion OF
which the department Is supposed to be devoid
Another class is of those who refer their bets
TO the department. The other day a man wrote
saving he had bet 500 with a neighhor. the WIN
ner TO present his winnings to a charitapie ID,
stitution on a certain disputed question, ana
asked the Director of the Mint to act as referee
saying they would abide by his decision: Mr.
men had to look elsewhere for a referee