Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-11-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

-.A ~ -
The Meeting Of Congress Washington
Gossip, Change Of The Cabinet and For.
elgR dppoiRtmeatS-Thc Cocorda Art
GdueTy-U. S. CaprOl-ORe Of the old
landmarks Of hofeLS-CirI Service
Education, agriculture, &c, DC.
Less than two weeks Congress will
meet, and it is anticipated that there will
be, although a short session, an inter-
esting one.
The foreign policy Of the administrs-
ton having been endorsed by the re-
election Of General Grant, there will be
a moro definite and pronounced course
in regard to Cuba and Mexico. In fact,
all parties are in favor of a more vigor-
Gus course in dealing with Mexico and
the disturbances on the borders. Rumor
in respectable quarters point to Mr..
Fish rs Minister to England, transfer
ring Mr.. Schenck 20 France. There
seems to be some indecision as to who is
to be the Senator from Illinois. Should
Mr.. Washburne desire the position, as
many think he will, Mr.. Morton may
be appointed 10 the Supreme Court. If
Judge Nelson r~elires, and should prefer
going abroad, the mission 10 Russia
would be rendered to him.
The Capitol is a place Of geat interest
to visitors-so MAN. things to see. 1t
it is always crowded with Intelligent
strangers during the Session. One sees
here persons from all parts of the Union.
Speaking of the Capitol, let me mention
one interesting item: Perhaps not one
in a thousand, who enters the building
on the east entrance, near the Supreme
Court, are aware that the cluster of slen-
der pillars there, are entirely original, a
new ard creative order of architecture.
The columns represent tall and perfectly
natural ''corn stalks The top, or caps,
consist Of Gears of corn bursting from
the husks; the effect, so original, is
beautiful, and the artist, like the Greek
of old, has taken from naturea perfect,
simple and striking design.
Four years az. the President, in his
inaugural address, stated as n of the
maxims of his administration, that the
best way TO secure the repeal of an OBJ
noxious law was to execute it stringent
ly. He seems to have made a special
application of this principle to the Cisil
Service rules in the, case of the Phila-
dslphia Postmastership. These rules
have the sanction of Congress, and con-
sequently he, as an executive officer,
can not cO-nscientiously set them aside.
None but those who are personally and
keenly disappointed by his action in the
premises will question his entire integ-
rity in the matter. That action has
brought out some of the Objectionable
features of the so called reform. It's
deceptive and injurious character, how
ever can only be known, as yet, by those
who have had some experience in its
practical working. 1t is the easiest
thing in the world to frame a set of
questions that will puzzle the wisest
man that ever lived ; it is no less easy
to make the examination of such q char
acter that the veriest dolt can pass. But
supposing that the examination is CON
Quoted bona fde, for the purpose of test
ing merely literary qualifications, it fol-
lows that the boy fresh from school, ut
terly inexperienced in matters of busi-
ness, receives the appointment, while
the nan of experience, whose school
boy learning has become somewhat dim,
in his attention to practical matters, will
be rejected. Arthur Halps, the cele-
brated English author, a prominent Off
cial in the British civil service, after
several years of observation and expe-
rience in the working of the system,
condemns it.
Farmers in some of the great corn
counties of the West are complaining
that the price of transportation renders
their splendid crops of this year una
valuable to market. 1t shows hitch in
our civilization that corn should sell in
the eastern cities at 81 while the farmers
in Illinois get but fifteen cents at the
crib, This is another illustration of the
folly of long transportation to raw ma
terial. When it requires the price of
four or five bushels to get one to mar
ket, it is evident that there is a discrep'
ancy between supply aud demand which
should he regulated By the introduction
OF more healthful conditions. In the
first place the farmer should put his corn
into pork and beef and thus give it a
higher value. In the second place the
extension of manufacturing industry
sSould give a home market for farm
products, enabling the farmer also to
raise greater quantities of the more per-
ishable products that will not bear
transportation. The diversiication of
general industry will thus lead to the
diversifcation Of each one OF its branch
es. It is this that renders the industry
of Massachusetts, so powerful and self
sustaining, even her poor soil is made
to yield astonishing values under an in
telIigent system of culture, stimulated
by a grand home market. What would
the vast agricultural resources of the
West show under the same conditions?
Among the remarkable facts of our
social condition is the great increase of
immigration. The last quarterly report
of the immigration officers at Liverpool
shows that during July, August and
September ninety-nine immigrant ships
left that port with over 42,OO0 immi'
grants for the United States. Seventeen
ships bore 5000 ships to Canada, one
ship wentto Australia, and two to South
America. OF tie 5O,Ss5 Immigrants
iS 1919 were English, 5,lOI Irish, and the
remainder Scandinavians and Teutons,
who found it advantageous 10 reembsrk
at Liverpool instead of %patronizing di-
rect lines from their own parts. The
skilled labor and small capital classes
are more largely represented every year
iG this immigration movement. The
German Empire is beginning to realize
a serious depletion OF its popular ele-
ments from this movement and is en-
deav oring TO check it. OF the immi-
grants to Canada, probably cne-hslfwill
pass through to this country. Freedom
is the great attraction to our shores.
Newspaper Row is just now princi-
pally engaged in making up their va
rious states for a change in The Cabinet.
Tbare Is not a n~artlcle of reality in these