New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-01-11

Crushing this man Washburne as unworthy OF
notice, we appeal to Congress, and ask 1T to
diffuse enlightenment and virtue throughout
this favored land What is enlightenment
knowledge knowledge is the cognition OF
facts. Facts are found in THE TRIBUNE
ALMANAC for 1862 just issued, extended to 50
pages and, though very compact, the fullest
annual compilation of Election Statistics yet
published. Congress could do no wiser thing
than to circulate this valuable work, franked,
of course; and therefore we shall introduce
into the House, by way of the Lobby, =" a bill
:" to provide for the encouragement of public
virtue with an appropriation of S5OO,OOo
tackled on. Stuff and nonsense! but this is
mere triae, gentlemen. Why, the bill for the
construction of q railroad in Alaska will cost
millions, and the railroad is not half useful
as the Almanac
Balloons are also an important invention, and
aerial navigation is still in its infancy All!
Mr.. Speaker, what beautiful thing 1t is to
ride through the air and survey the world
below. We foresee the time when the atmos-
phere will be filed with balloons, bearing the
commerce and the wealth Of nations
Like those trim boats unknown OF y9re;
Which move against the wind and tide,
these majestic vessels VIII uely thc "Hiii"ihu
and despise the storm. Now, when all the
civilized nations of the world are rivals in the
aid they give to science and art, SHAH we alone
lag behind9 No, no. The tumultuOus voice
of mighty people replies "By no means"
They demand balloons. Balloons will add to
our material prosperity. Balloons Will so rap
idly develop our resources that in few years
we can put the whole debt in one, aud send 1t
kiting to the moon. Balloons will save the
Government mileage. 1t is, therefore, true
economy to pass one little "bill for the
encouragement of the balloon trade;" and as
Mr.. Nye wants few millions of dollars for
his oceanic telegraph to Asia, we want as much
for our aerial ships.
Nor has shoemakers wax ever received that
profound attention which it should command
from great Government An appropriation to
develop It's manufacture is, therefore, as they
say in Washington, demanded by the exlgen-
cies of the public welfare. We have prepared
a bill for this purpose, and think it deserves
as much favor as bill to aid the construction
of telegraph in China, or any one OF those
multitudinOus railroads that are laid out on the
paper maps of the West.
But so long as this man Washburne sticks in
Washington, we expect trouble with these grand
national projects. He who is so base as to say
that "public land enough to make empires
"has been voted to private railway corporations,
Subsidies of untold millions Of bonds, for the
"same purposes have become charge upon
"the people, while the fetters of vast monopo-
Giles have been fastened still closer and closer
"upon the public" is mean enough to attack
our Almanacs and Balloons. We give him fair
warning, though, that if he defeats our noble
schemes in Congress we shall appeal to that
higher legislative body, the Lobby, and its
superior power will make it all right. In the
meanwhile we tell Washburne lie had better
go home.