The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-02-21
A. J. bENT0N'S WASHINGTON LETTER
FULL OF BREEZY POLITICAL NOTES
Willie Hearss Consistency Matters Pertaining to Honesty
in Elections Washington May Have to Dispense
With ItsLiquors

toe the mark when a member Of con-
gress of senate appears in the door
way. Let the government discipline
those who are guilty. not issue blan-
ket orders covering thousands of in
offensive men because of the indis-
Greet remarks from few. If employ
es took the recent advice given by the
post-office department official that
they can write to the president, the
postmaster general, or myself" what
would be the result?
Letters addressed to the president
are as rule turned over to the head
of the department interested by his
secretary without comment. The de-
partment officials turn the communi-
cations over to the succeeding series
of petty officials, and at last they
reach the very men complained of in
nine cases out of ten-the employees
immediate superiors. The result can
be imagined.
The very people responsible for the
"hoqlar" about extravaganza in the
public printdng-members of congress
are keeping the government printing
office busy this winter. Over 1000
more bills were printed during the
months of December and January than
in the corresponding short session
two years ago. Likewise, the alleged
surplus is the result of printing a lot
of books for the use of members of
congress that are never called for,
but the committee on printing will pro-
badly remedy this state of affairs with
in few months The government
printing service is becoming more and
more concentrated, and the class of
employees is improving from day to
day. The government printing office,
the bureau of printing and engraving
and the Washington navy yard are
shining examples of industrial activ-
ity compared to the monotonous rout-
Inc of the executive departments. But
clerkships in the national capitol are
not without their drawbacks. Con-
slant copying Of letters or addition of
long columns Of figures is rapidly fill
ing the local insane asylum.
When will we be satisfied? The
railroad rate law is unsatisfactory:
the immigration regulations will leave
too much discretion to the president:
the regulation of hours of service of
railroad men will leave much to be
desired, and the Smoot case will be
demonstration of certain peoples'
ability to violate the law successful
ly.
Much excitement has been OCCASION
ed the past week at hearing on the
measure to prohibit the sale of intox-
icating liquors in the capitol city.
Considerable good liquor" is con-
sumed in Washington, but there is but
little evidence Of over-indulgence.
The claim of ex-Land Commissioners
Hermann that the records DESTROYED
were personal property will not hold
water. 1t is the practice in official
circles to place on file every SCRAP of
paper relating to the affairs of the
government not addressed to individ-
uals and marked Private" One Of
the biggest steals on record, however.
occurred in the library of congress-
some years since. Every book sent
10 the library by publishers for any
purpose found their way into a pri-
waite library unless marked public"
Inc result is one of the finest priva,e
libraries in the country at no EXPENSE
to the owner.
Inc congressional record is not as
as usual owing to the alb
sence of Senator Bailey, who ia At
home repudiating "Lies!"
Despite the well-laid plans of poli-
ticlans, there is r Likelihood Of Gov
ernor Hughes Of New York being in
the running.
The anti-tipping bill is about the
smallest peanut congress ever under
took to shell.
be a good baseball fan and imagine
"hat congress will do next winter"