Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-07-20
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


rience in the profession of a reporter, without
possessing the undesirable advantage in
rapidly putting on paper the words of speak
ers in characters which are nearly as easily
read by those practiced in the art, as writing
in the characters in which all who learn to
write in this country are instructed 1t occu-
pies on paper the same space as print in the
English language-no more. 1t is based on
the principle of using characters to represent
sounds, rather than letters. We have seen
bows of thirteen, who have been instructed in
it from the time children usually commence
to write, follow rapid speakers for an hour
without failing to record any material word
uttered. No class in society, and no person
engaged in any profession which requires the
use Of the pen, can fail to be benefited by
the acquisition Of this comparatively new
branch of a useful education. We would
introduce ITS instruction into every pri-
mary school in the land if it were within
our power, teaching it to children of both
sexes before they were taught writing in let
tiers of the English alphabet; as it has almost
invariably happened that those who commence
earliest to acquire the photographic accomplish
ment are the readiest writer's in and transla-
tors of that character. Indeed, if that were
possible, we would abolish the prevalent GUS
tom of writing in the letter Of the English al
phabet substituting the improvement Of
course) as being prolix, cumbersome, lsborious
and time-wasting when compared with phono-
graphic writing.
We learn as We live, each hour bringing
forth some useful Improvement in something
Of great Importance to society. Stenography,
which is an obituary and exceedingly imper-
feet system, could not come into general use,
because of its arbitrary character each person
using it adopting more or less characters with
which no one but himself can be familiar 1t
was the first such improvement or effort at i'm
provement in the art of recording words that
we know of, which shows that in that art We
have, up to this time, made fewer efforts
for its simpli6cation and expedition than
in almost any other that can be named The
photographic art is a great stride, indeed,
though very late one, on the high road of
cafe and sound progress.
The Demand for Land Warrants.-We un-
derstand that there is just now great dispo-
sitiOn manifested to induce the Interior De-
partment to set aside Its wholesome rule un-
der which all applicants for warrants under
the bounty land law of 1855, shall be served
only in due turn. A large number of appli.
cations, to make special cases exceptions, are
being daily received, coming, too, for the most
part, from agents residing in various sections
of the country. In one case, the Secretary
was induced to make such an exception for
the accommodation of very old and infrm
applicant, who had travelled far to obtain his
warrant, and whose person proved the truth
of his declaration, that if he was compelled to
await his turn, the chances were ten to one
that he would never himself realize any ben
eft from the enactment Of the law This
special exception was made the basis of the
application for similar favors, it seems, which
are pouring in upon the Pension Bureau and
Secretary of the Interior.
They are all to be denied, we hear, except
in very extraordinary cases, wherein the Sec.
rotary is himself to be the Judge; be cause to
do otherwise would be TO inaict injustice on
the great mass of the 100000 or so of appli-
cants who have already preferred their claims,
and perfected their proof, and who should be
served, as nearly as possible, in the order in
which they have done those things; all of them
being strictly on an equality under the pro-
visions Of the law. The wisdom and justice of
the order to this end which the Secretary Of
the Interior has given, will be obvious to all.
and will of course repress any complaints, be-
cause the rights and interests of nearly all are
not in the matter Of precedence in issuing land
warrants under the law Of 1856, to be sacri.
feed for the qualification OF the few who NAV
demand special favors.
Gone 1.-THE way Of all flesh" -ismstic.
have, for the last year, commended consistently
that the tendency Of Know NOthingism was
simply to strengthen abOlitionisn, notwith-
standing that many thousands Of emphatic
aud invariahle anti-abolitionists had gone into
it, in all sections Of the country In the firm
belief that it was about to prove an antidote
for that bane of our Union. No other Journal
in the land has more pcTseyeringly insisted
that such was to be its grand result than the
New York Herald; yet we already find the
eyes Of its conductors opened to realize the
truth. This fact is apparent in what we quote
from recent number Of the Herald, as fol-
lows:
in the North the anti-slavery fusionists are
riding rough-shOd over all distractions. They
have absorbed the new American party through
out the New England States-they have re-
duoed 1t to capituiation in Penns ylyania
they have swallowed ii up at a mouthfui in
Ohio and Indiana; and almost everywhere
else Throughout the Northern States. except
ing the State Oe New York, we find the Know
Nothlngs playing second fiddle and acting a.
tide walters to the Seward Holy Alliance.
This is deplorable state Of things hut il
is nothing very wonderful AT the philadel-
phia Know Nothing National State Council.