The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-12-24

Kendall, writing to the Picayune, from New
Braunfels, Texas. on the propriety of increasing
the pay of the officers of the army, says:
Sensible men in congress should take this
matter in hand | have little doubt the pay of
+ our gallant officers would have long since been
increased. had it not been for the paltry, cheese
pairing efforts of a set of members who, ever
ready to stretch out their own. pay and mileage
I to the longest think they have no other way ol
currying favor with their constituents than by
entering upon a general crusade against in
creasing expenditures of all kinds. There is no
use in appealing to this class of dema gogues,
but repeat that there are men of weight and
sense in our national councils, who should see
that the officers of our army are well bestowed,
| that they should receive an amount for their
services sufficient to prevent them from seeking
a living IN some civil capacity. ltis an old and
wise maxim that in time of peace we should pre-
pare for war. We are making but poor pre-
| parations when BY system Of niggardly econo-
my we are driving the best and choicest spirits
of our army into the ranks of civil life in search
Of livelihood they cannot gain in their legiti-
mate calling.
d"The smallness Of our standing army has ev-
er been great democratic boast. Letitcontinue
to be small, but at the same time let it be as per-
feet as possible, and for perfection, nova days.
we have to pay. Soldiers cannot be set up and
rendered efficient without good officers, and if
we lose the latter, we can never have the former
What we want is effciency-let us pay for it,
Il have said that the smallness of our army is
a great democratic boast: our ultra republicans
compare it with the large hosts maintained By
second and third rate European powers, and re-
! 9oIra Rut boe III ,bo
have in our midst numerous and most expen-
sive standing army-an army of office-holder
and office-seekers-an army every year increas-
ing in numbers and which indirectly draws hea-
yiIy upon the national wealth for support?-
Could we get at the cost of the last presidential
electon-could we figure up the amount of
money expended and the value of the time lost
we should find the sum enormous. An army
of regular soldiers is certainly of some little SER
vice on our extensive frontier, but if any one
can inform me Of what earthly use the host of
brawling political demagogues, which infests
each of our great cities. is to the body polite,
will give it up. And the misfortune is that at
every new election the hungry crowd seems to
increase in number and grows more camorous
for place. Would that we could get rid of SO
crying an evil but presume there is no help
for 1t. The first thing We shall know, foreign
writer's will be holding up this great and griev-
Gus blot upon our fair escucheon, nor can we
deny the impeachment"
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Among the recent applications of India rub
ber, none are SO remarkable as the manufac-
ture of what is called Hard India goods" in
to which the rubber enters most largely We
have in this city a company called the Beacon
Dam company, which is devoted to the manu-
facture of this class Of goods. By process
that originated with Mr. Chahee, coal tar is
mixed with the rubber, and the compound
makes one of the most solid, elastic and ele-
giant articles that can be found in the market.
1t resembles polished stone, is as black as coal,
needs no finish, and has Of itself a hard and
exquisite polish as it is possible for any metal
ces into which it can be made Canes Of the
most elegant form and appearance are con-
structed out OF 1t, and are as tough as SO much
steel, while they have all the elasticity Of whale
bone. Cabinet work, naid and mosaic, orna-
mental to the parlor and chamber. Spectacle
bows and glasses for the eye are made so light
as to be no annoyance, while their elastic char
acter causes them to sit firm to the head; opera
glasses, castors, sand stands, ink stands, brush
es for the hair, that cannot be harmed by warm
water, tape lines, pen holders, pencil cases,
cigar cases, government boxes for the army
and navy, government buttons, and an endless
variety of articles, are thus made, and the ar
tices are of a most elegant character; syringes
of novel form and character; machines for
oing cars and engines, on a new principle, in
dictate that this new use of rubber is to work
a complete revolution in the arts, etc..
But one of the greatest applications of this
new rubber manufacture is the new telegraph
wire that is made from it. 1t needs no poles.
as is laid in the ground. 1t needs no cover
ing; trench of few inches is dug, the rub
Der telegraph wire put in and covered up; the
wire is enclosed with the rubber; no storm rem
ders the wires imperative; no insect sewers; no
rust corrodes. 1t would appear fabulous if /
should state the miles of this wire that have
already been engaged, and the goods cannot be
made to meet the demand. The government
of the United States is now the best customer
yof the Beacon Dam company. The call for
the navy and army button is immense; the ar
ticle is elegant; the naval button has on it the
motto, Don't give up the ship" And so
tough are these rubber buttons, that if one is
!, placed on an oak plank and pressure applied.
it can be sunk clear into the plank, and will
: come out unharmed; and the government sha-
wing boxes, which are about three inches in d.
amete!, are sostrong that man weighing 200
pounds can press his whole weight on one Of
them, and not break them. Gun handles.
sword handles, and other military implements
are constructed from this material. They are.
cheap, elegant, enduring. Boston journal.
ExrRAvAeANcE IN DREss-1n the city of Bel
GUM extravaganza has assumed such alarming
proportions that the ladies themselves have been
obliged to combine for the purpose of arrest
ing its disastrous progress. 1t appears that
extravaganza had been for some years a source
Of constrant in families, and it was noticed
: that no marriages were contracted since the
young men, frightened at the bills that oomed
up in the distance, preferred to live in celiba-
cy. The mothers, recognising the inconreni-
ence Of a state Of affairs encouraged by them
selves, have resolved to bring about sautary
reform, and with this view they have formed
committee which me lets once week. They