Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-01-15
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, ID. C., JAMS, 1873.
The Committee on Commerce is con-
1 sidering a bill for the revival and sup
port of American commerce, which will
provide for the organization of an advis-
nv board to be composed of the follow
ing members of the Cabinet, viz: Treas
ury, State, Navy, Post Office and Inte-
rior. and a Secretary to be appointed by
the President, who must be a person well
qualified by experience as a shipper and
dealer, with a knowledge of the re-
sources of the country, possessed Of sta
| itistical information. In organizing this
board, the English method of managing
| commercial affairs will be closely fol-
lowed, and will doubtless lead TO the
same advantageous results, and place
American commerce on the same footing
with that of England, which now has
the controlling interest of the world.
The Postal Telegraph bill, reported by
Senator Ramsey before the recess, will
soon be called up and acted upon. With
few exceptions the plan is fsvorably re-
! cei7ed by all here.
The Senate Committee was unanimous
in its report, both Democratic and Re-
publican members uniting in condemna-
ton of the present system of monopoly
principally controlled by Nj. Orion.
With the fortunes amassed by this mo
nopoly, orion hopes to defeat the pass
age Of the present bill, and thereby re-
tain his present power.
Passing by the residence Of Senator
Sumner yesterday, your correspondent
concluded it vas a good time to call upon
the Senator. There are conflicting u
mors concerning his health and his pur.
poses. I found him sitting up with a
paper in hand, seemingly reposed. While
his general health is bad, his face is fuu,
showing no signs OF sickness. In con-
yersation with him it was DON perceived
hat he was considerably depressed in
spirits. He said that his doctor, who
visits him twice a week, forbids him go
ing to the Senate for fear that excitement
might result seriously,
He said that his present ill health was
the result of the assault made upon him
by Brooks eighteen years ago; that his
friends were prosecuting him, meaning
his old political friends. In referring to
his battle flag bill, which is now in he
Senate, awaiting his calling up, he seems
persistent in his intentions to call 1t up
as soon as he is able to attend Congress.
There is much interest manifested in
the proceedings of the Credit Mobilier
investigating committee. While it is
thought that the report Of the committee
will xoperste the Members froT any
criminal charge in the Credit Mobilier
transaction, there will be an effort made
to carry q resolution of censure Of those
directly dabbling in such stocks, the
value Of which are determined in part
by their votes.
The longest telegram ever sent to any
paper was sent 20 the New York Tribune,
Tuesday night. The Tribune folks here
are Boosting of it to-day. Let us be
thankful that there is this one redeeming
quality in that paper.
f The late statement of the Treasury
Department shows a reduction of S24,-
900, 1000 within the year 1872. In this we
see the operation of that great financial
whirlpool, the FrancC-German indemni-
ty. It hen represents a general deple'
ton of the precious metals, produced by
5 exceptional and temporary causes. oul
7 annual gold production is estimated a
Q fifty millions. Probably seventy-hv'
millions have been absorbed by the Ger
man demand, leaving us twenty-five
n millions more in gold than a year ago
9 This is the age OF grand financial exper
e iments, in which new principles of socia
= science are evolved.
For the first time since General Gran
e became President, Our monthly publ
e debt statement exhibits a small income
The NEST reliable OF our commercial
e journals are by no mean displeased witt
: it. It is the result oft rapid reduction
s of the revenue as the leading csusei bu
it is in part to be attributed TO The failur
s Of a portion of the December collection
to reach the accounting cashier-afailur
g due to the sudden stoppage ofcommunl
g cations by tho terrible weather will
which the year wound up.
d Among the novelties Of invention de
Yised by the progressive age, is a method
of manufacturing railroad iron 1UithoU
t manual labor. A method Of this kinC
is now under construction at Louisville
Kentucky. The rail is passed through
thirtesn sets ofrods by some unexplained
u automatic process thirty seconds is thu
whole time required to transform a mas
g Of red hot pig iron into q rail. A single
nill, 1t is said, can run twenty heatinl