The evening times., 1899-03-20
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

Bureau of Engraving scandal.-The
scandal in the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing is attracting a great deal of at
tention. What is puzzling the average cti-
zen is that Director Claude NJ. johnson end
Major Morgan, the. disbursing officer of the
Bureau, are still in office although the facts
concerning their peculiar conduct have
been in the possession of Secretary Gage
for several months. Mr. Gage appointed
committee OF three to investigate the az
fairs of the Bureau in 1897. The report of
the testimony taken, by the investigating
committee has only recently been printed.
1t would not have been printed yet in all
probability, but for the energetic action of
Senator Mason, who succeeded in getting
resolution through the Senate in the clos
ing hours of the Fifty-fifth Congress, or
dering 1000 copies of testimony printed
for the information of Congress. Senator
Lindsay of Kentucky who was responsible
Tor Mr. Johnson's appointment, strenuous
ly opposed, for some reason, the adoption
OF the Mason resolution. In the light OF
| the evidence brought out at the investiga-
tion it is difficult TO understand why Sec
retary Gage has failed to take summary
action, by promptly removing both John
son and Morgan. Much of the testimony
adduced is unprintable in any respectable
newspaper but that is no reason, II is
pointed out, why Mr.. Gage should try to
shield the guilty parties. Some curiosity
is manifested as to the nature of the pulls
possessed by Johnson and Morgan. They
belong to the type of goldbug Democrats
who betrayed their party in 1896. Does
this, it is asked, render them immune from
punishment for their misdeeds? Secretary
Gage apparently thinks so. If the matter
is permitted to rest until Congress meets
it is believed that it will be rather unfor
tunate for Mr.. Gage and the Administra-
tion. There are a number of men in both
| houses of Congress who are determined
| to probe the matter to the bottom.
Currency RefOrm.-The Republican
| Caucus Committee OF which General Hen
derson of Iowa is chairman, appointed 10
prepare currency reform measure, will
! hold its first meeting at Atlantic City next
| month. Atlantic City is very pleasant
| place in the month OF April and the mem
| bers of the committee will not feel COM
| PEELED TO get down TO work with any undue
| haste. General Henderson states that he
! has no definite idea as yet regarding the
details of the bill that will be finally drawn
| up. Eminent fnanciers will be invited 10
| appear before the committee and give their
views We hope TO get up a measure,
| said a member Of the committee that will
meet with the approval of the majority Of
| the business men of the country. OF course
we can hardly expect TO satisfy the eXtrem-
| lists on either side. But the Republican
party is pledged to some kind of currency
| reform and il is our purpose 10 attempt to
carry out that pledge in good faith. If we
succeed in getting up satisfactory bill and
| having it enacted into law next winter it
ought 10 take the money issue out OF the
| Presidential campaign next year. In that
event our Democratic friends will be de-
| prived of considerable campaign material ;"
John Peter AitgeId-Former Cover
nor Altgeld, of Illinois, is getting ready to
run as an independent candidate for mayor
of Chicago. He does not claim, it is said
that there was any irregularity in the
nomination of Mayor Carter II. Harrison
by the Democrats. His determination TO
! antagonize Harrison. who is the regular
! Democratic nominee, is believed TO be due
altogether to personal reasons. Chairman
Jones, Of the Democratic National Com
| mittee, recently appointed Altgeld mem-
Der of his advisory committee. The point
is made that if Altgeld runs an indepen-
dent candidate against Harrison he
Will be compelled To retire from the al
visory committee and if he does not get
off the committee voluntarily Senator
Jones will be asked to remove him. Alt
geld's versatility in politics is shown by
joining the Pingree movement for a new
party while holding a position in an Sd-
visory capacity to the Democratic party.
II Altgeld runs as an independent candi-
date for mayor of Chicago this spring tie
chances will be favorable TO the election
of the Republican candidate Carter-that
il If t1tpald npliG 10
Harrison, however, will undoubtedly re-
ceive the support OF a good many Repub-
licans and independents II a Republican
should be elected mayor of Chicago this
| spring Illinois can be taken out OF the
doubtful column in the Presidential battle
next year.
Ihe ohio Campaign-While Mr.. Me
Kinley, Mr. Reed. Mr.. Hobart, Mr.. Hanna
and other eminent Republican leaders are
exchanging condolences down at Jekyl ISL
and, the anti-Hanna Republicans are said
| TO be getting in some very fine work out
in the Buckeye State. From present indi-
| cations the Foraker Bushnell forces will
control the coming Republican State Con-
vention in the Presidents State 1t will
probably be embarrassing to Mr. Hanna to
have to support an nti-Administration Re-
publican candidate for Governor of Ohio
next fall, but if the Foraker Bushnell COM
bination dominate the State convention
that is what is likely to happen.
Mr.. Hanna. said an Ohio Republican
today, ought to go out to Ohio and stay
there until after the meeting of the State
| convention in June. Unless he follows this
| suggestion the State convention will Ger
tainly get away from him. The Admins
tration people will have to take their med
icine if they lose the fight in the State con-
| vention as a Democratic victory in Ohio
next fall would drive a very large nail in
Mr. McKinley's political coffin Hanna
should waste no time trying to conciliate
Tom Reed He has more important mat
| ters requiring his attention at home