The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-01-07
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON, D. CO..
Dec. 81, 1873. J
EDITOR DEMOCRAT

EDITOR DEMOCRAT
A heterogeneous collection of men
here, some of them poor devils who
have not dollar in the world, and
want to get rich without working, some
few rich men who want to get richer,
others pecuniarily interested in the
success of the Board of Public Works,
and anxious, therefore, that its certiti-
c:ltes of indebtedness, of which they are
large holders, shall be made to appear
valuable, at home and abroad, by ticti-
tious sales-thc$e, with sprinkling OF
respectable innorents and really good
but vain men who seize every opportu-
nity 10 get their names into print, have
organized an association here which
they call
"THE WASHINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE"
A great effort is being made at this
Exchange" 10 give character through
out the country to some Of these stocks
which have their origin in the immense
debt created by the Board of Public
Works with the sanction Of the Presi-
dent, but in. fragrant, willful, insolent
and criminal violation of the law of
Congress, by making it appear that
said stocks have a value here based
upon the certainty that Congress will
again appropriate tn c money of the
people of the United States to pay the
Illegally incurred debt of the District.
OF course, no prudent m a n will be
guided by the published quotations of
the sales Of stock ut this Exchange"
in making permanent investment OF
the few hundreds or thousands he may
have saved. Bit there are some impru-
denr men; and these will be bittcn.-
That's what the game is played Tor.
Thee sales, so.cHllcd, are mere bets,
and often "put-up jobs" They afford
no clue to the intrinsic valne of The
property pretended to be sold. Better
for probes ionaI or business man, or a
mechanic to play faro once week than
30 dubblc in stocks.
TOM MAST.
he co.: :inri i Of uarper's Weekly,
vs. b o':., u. on here, lat week, ny a
| poi,',at o, ,,i,it,',ion started lew
| yc,. : a9o ~, .ne nal.a ye',s ollie I'ice'l-
lmcn'S Eteau, and composed chiefly OF
tuiiicc-holteI'-. ieitow- who are at.er an
Ufii, e, and o,hcr keen ci,apS who keep
ucir weather eve ODen, look out for
NlnlIcr One, and are in ioi. Chances,
generally. Uader The auspices olth;s
| Organization, Known here J. ine Young
Mems Christian A-.o i,;,ion, Mast APP
pcared ~ Lintoln Hill. Nj It's q i;til-
IRE rs a lec,urer. He is course aud
|, onCei, ett-,;'ita 100 mu' Il of him elf
He .od The 'yorhg chi ,innS." -ub-
81 ally, thNt be did more III he last
Pc i,ieh, III campaign, tam all OF ,i,cm
i'nt together, '.ot any Diner man. 10
cIc tneir candid,ic-;ha, bis cartoons
did he business, especially among the
|nc~roes and the CITIZENS Of foreign
bi.,iI, and ;he illiieraie element OF our
naive white population: because, al
.Ii>i,, ,iey can all read plc,ntes. There
lis !, GOOD deal in illar. Bui, Oh The
Whole, Mast was u failure; aud so
thought he audience. The "young
chti ,.i,,n," wont b.iug him on again.
CUTTING DOWN ESTIMATES.
The several Executive Departments
are bu v preparing for Congress revised
|c> imlte>, et,in3 io?'ii in dctail what
Ieapen-es iior tue ru"' ent year, and for
,ile next li~c.,l wear, can he reduced
wiiiloit serious de- imeni 10 The public
>e'N ice. Itch Bureau Chef is perljevt-
Y willing that The rnuning expenses of
every ohi.e except his own shall be cut
dowu: but he thinks the government
will come 10 a stand-,till if The number
of dis c|crl>~ is reduced, or their salaries
ere lowered, or ii his estimates for
book, stationery, postage, &C., are cut
down. The Commit zee Oil Appropriate
lions, however, insists that there can
be q con idelibie reduction ef1ccted in
the clerical force OF The government
And 20 there Gan. In most of the bu-
reaus Of the Treasury, for example,
there are rs many clerks now employed
as in 1865 aud 1866, when The great
bulk OF ,he accounts of the WAR was in
process OF settlement. In one bureau
The member of employees is now a hum
died more Than in 1866, although Tue
work has fallen of at least oue-hali.-
Ii is useless to expect that the heads of
bureaus will call attention, themselves,
to the surplus force in their offices.
They natnlally wish to magnify their
positions, and have q numerous reti-
nue of subordinates about them. Be-
sides. from long association with their
employees, they feel that it would he
an unFriendly act to recommend the