Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-08-08
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, July 81.

any public interest, but turn to their
reconsideration in very Iaoguid way
after the intensely exciting experience
of the past ten days. The effect of
the scorching heat that has prevailed
since Thursday of last week also dsin-
clines us toward anything requiring
great amount of mental energy. Al
though we have foored the commune,
have our trains all running again, are
apparently progressing toward salts
factory result in our negotiation with
the revolted boatmeu Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal, and feel tolerablv sure
of our supply of peaches from the
Maryland, Delaware and Jersey orch.
ards, the movement Of troops are still
quite active. indicating that the Gov
ernment Will not stay its hand until
there is full compliance with law.
The benefits of a government strong
enough to enforce the respect of the
lawlessly disposed were never more
willingly acknowledged, even by Bour-
bons and the deluded advocates of state
rights absurdities, than now, because
we have yet freshly before US the an
archy and bloodshed from which we
were saved by the efficiency of hand
ful of !. S. troops under command of
men who have been educated in the
art and science Of warfare, and who
rarely fail Us in an emergency, When
municipal authority was at an end and
State Governments in q condition Of
collapse, stood covering and helpless
before an infuriated mob, a few hun
dred Federal soldiers stepped firmly
into tie breach, rolled back the red
tide Of Pill lage, arson and murder
threatening to overwhelm US, and seat
tered the dangerous elements in irre-
mediable confusion; and the hope is
now entertained that the Congress to
assemble in October viii hasten to IN
do part of the suicidal work Of its
predecessor by making prompt provi-
sion for an Army and Navy in some
degree commensurate with the duties
required Of it, even in time Of nominal
peace, saying nothing of the emergency
just passed aud liable to return again
at any time. Inquiries already made
show that many of our railroad corpo-
rations formed during the flush times
of the war and of inflated values that
succeeded for a few years, were unable
to sustain themselves under the com.
blned effect of contraction and business
depression that followed the revulsion
of 1873 and have gone into the hands
Of receivers. Others are totterino and
can only hope to avoid the same fail by
the most economical management.
This much can be urged in extenuation
of the reduction of wages that have
been made three or four times, in
some instances. But it has often
been done without discrimination or
judgment, seemingly regardless of the
thousands Of families reduced to the
verge Of starvation; and while the for
bearance of faithful employees has been
thus taxed, the nominal salaries of few
favored officials (also heavy stock hold
ers) have remained untouched and
their actual profits have been swollen
out of ali proportion by the 10 per cent.
dividends declared, when other capital
lists have only been to glad too accept 6
per cent. interest on their investments.
There are also we'll founded complaints
on the part of men who have furnished
brain and muscle to these monopoles.
that their runs had been doubled.
their routes so arranged as to oblige
them to board and lodge away from
home, leaving but So 56 or s4.oo per
week for families often containing six
members; and, in addition, the compa-
MES have obliged them to loose much
time The B. & o. road, enormously
rich, appears entitled to exceptiona
notoriety in respect to the greed and
cupidity of its management.
Some complaint is heard that the
Syndicate is obtaining money under
false pretences, when it advertises. as
it is accused of doing, virtually, that
the interest on the bonds it has for sale
is. bv law. payable In gold Rnt Mr..