The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-07-22
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.

EDITORS NEWS: In sending You this,
our first letter from Washington, 1t is
most fitting we confess our Kansas ORR
gin, having spent our school-boy days
there, and though wandering at large
for the present, we still look upon that
fair land as our home, endeared by all
the recollections of childhood. We
could certainly wish to pass our lives in
no more beautiful or fertile country
than is found among the rich valleys of
Southern Kansas.
Some years have passed since we last
visited Emporia, but we have not for
gotten its beautiful locality, The richness
of the surrounding country, or the en-
terprising spirit of the pioneer inhabi-
tants. But as time flies swiftly and
years disappear rapidly, we find our
ton some idea of the growth and pros
perity of our old home, until recently
The NEWS has reached us, bringing
back all our old feeling of interest.
Emporia, therefore, as it scas, must be
forgotten, and we must now picture to
passingly rapid development, of rail-
roads and telegraph, of educational
advantages and institutions, of constant
ly increasing trade that supplies all the
new country beyond from Humboldt to
Wichita, and from the Neosho Valley
south to the State line. The News, too,
is itself revelation of the rapid devel-
opment of the country. It's dimensions
having been greatly increased, and its
reading matter the best chosen of any
paper in the State. This much for in
PRODUCTION.
Let us proceed at once to picture up
the peculiarities of Washington, of Con-
gress, and the various political circles,
not neglecting our privilege as scrib-
bier to give political leaders, either in
or out of Congress, all the credit they
deserve, and more. But alasi how
much there is going on here that sim
ple-minded correspondent, with unlim-
tied faith in the honesty of all who are
placed in fat Offices, cannot account for
and it is difficult for us to see the wis
dom of that policy pursued by the
present Congress, which has given away
four hundred million acres of the peO-
pies domain to railroads, leaving only
about two hundred million of all that
remains of Inc public lands, available
for agricultural purposes, to be swallow
ed up next session, under the precedent
thus established. And so, without any
sufficient guarantee that the railroads
thus enriched will be built, or any OBJ
legation on the part of the Government
to assist in building, the richest lands of
the West are placed in the hands of
spectators for the enriching only of
those who have finger in the pie, but
to the certain detriment of the best in
terests of the country, since it must put
a check upon emigration, and damper
upon the development of the whole
West.
When we begin thoroughly to appre-
ciate the high-handed manner in which
these schemes are conducted, and the
taxes of the people transferred from the
vaults of the Treasury to the pockets of
spectators, we are forcibly reminded
"CTod has plans we must not spoil.
Some are made to starYe and toll
Some to share the wine and OIL
and think if the truth of this complaint
is not verified by recent developments
in Congress, our insight into the modes
of present legislation has been defective.
| Another stunning revelation to an
unsophisticated mind, is the discovery
| &hoF Il iuDa
sense, represent the people, but only the
various monied interests of the country
banks and railroad companies. Ex-
tensive manufacturing and mercantile
interests have many eloquent voices to
plead for their favorite legislation, and
can we'll afford to pay Campaign bills"
and the little expenses incidental to an
election. These things are not generally
considered fit for the public eye, and
find their own dark corners in which to
hide, till even newspaper correspond
ent scarcely knows where to lay hands
upon them any more, and they who, for
honesty's sake, do undertake to write
truth any longer in Washington letters,
are looked upon as innovators upon
time-honored custom, which teaches us
to continue blindly to pay tribute to the
honor and craftsmanship of orr Repre-
sentatives, madly cheering the leaders
who hold the helm, though the ship
floats upon a fiood-tide to destruction.
"Thou, too. sail on, oh ship of State,
| Sail on, oh Union, strong and great,
Humanity, with all her tears,
| With all her hopes for future years,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate"
All very beautiful, and perhaps true
once, Mr.. Longfellow, but the ''ship OF
State" to-day, is quite different piece
of patchwork, we imagine, and groans
under such burden of political corrup.
ton, and is guided by so many bad pi-
lots, to say nothing of the deck hands
and those who ''pull the ropes" that the
only wonder is she has not sunk from
leakage long ago.
Notwithstanding all that may be sale
through the press and in mighty speech
es before Congress, the multiplication
of words without meaning that are
meant to deceive and not enIighten thu
people, and in spite of the many voices
| Litdt encourage lneSt ITduuS, duu dT'
t paid for so doing, in and around Wash
ington, the good sense and shrewdnes
of the people of our country will no
| long be deceived thereby. We are TOT
often led to believe because a neasur,
is piled around with eloquent speeche
: and favored by many voices, it mus
needs be just and righteous one, Blu
in the latter days the spirit of hypocris.
!. is not entirely extinct. Neither ar
those who devour the portion of widow
s and orphan confined to the days of old
AS the livery of angels has Away
been at the mercy of those who serv
9 the devil, SO, too, are the perquisites Q
Office, the political ''loaves and fishes"
prey to recreant leaders and intereste
cliques in the far-famed City of Wash
ington. o.
$ ON THE WING.
EDITORS News AS your face wa
beaming with such a kindly smile whe