Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-08-02
Our Washington Letter,

Special Uosrcsponde~ceUf ne OaseEsER
WAsHINMToN,D .C.,July q, ~
The present editor,of the No
taoN0l RepuLlicay, is a relative
of Mrs. Hayes aud came over
witli fine conqueror--l mean
came from Ohio with Mr.. HAYES.
tle may or may not be author
lied to 81 eak for those in au-
thority, but he ccrtainly-has ia
clllties for finding out what
Mr.. Hayes wishes done, and he
would naturally advocate what
ever was sure to receive Exec
utive approval. The energies
of this royal editor are now de-
voted to showing that it is nee
essary and just for the United
States TO assist in building the
Southern Pacific Railroad, and
III repairing the Mississippi
levees. With him it is of course
only an effort TO build up an adj
lAnfstration party in the South,
but in reality there are questions
connected with the subject far
broader than those of mere par
ty politics. The arguments
which induced The government
10 pay for the improvements
of the Mississippi river naviga-
tion by Capt. Eads, mqy all be
used in favor Of the other i'm
provements mentioned. / have
heretofore stated the points as
fully as possible, and allude 10
the subject now only because OF
the official endorsement indica-
ted by the advocacy of the Re
publican under its new editor.
Reports as 10 the strike re-
ceivcd this morning, indicate
that it is steadily extending,
but that bloodshed and plumber
connected with its early stages
in Baltimore and Pittsburg do
not attend it. A railroad strike
of the magnitude of this pres
ent one, even if unaccompa-
nicd by loss of life and destruc-
ton of property, is a serious
thing for large cities which have
come to receive their supply of
provisions from day to day by
the railroads. In this city we
have received from the sur
rounding country and from ac-
cessible points in Virginia bare
ly a weeks supply of cattle.
The usual channel of supply is
entirely cut off. Baltimore is
in no better condition, and an
extension OF the strike will put
larger Eastern cities in a worse
position. Bread and meat are
already higher in our market,
although dealers have been in
'clined TO keep at the old prices
in the hope of an early adjust
ment of difficulties.
General Towards reported
success in the Indian War seems
to have been greatly exaggera-
ted. Later and more reliable
show undiminished ac-
tivity on the part Of the hostilcs,
and that their number is in
creasing. General Towards
intentions are excellent, no
doubt, but energetic and unre-
lenting warfare is necessary on
al occasions like this.
The Commissioner of Inter-
nal Revenue has a novel ques-
ton before him. Under the
old law putting tax on divi-
dends of railroad companies, ETC.,
he found that a certain amount
remained due from one of the
largest companies. His de-
mand for payment brought the
President of the company here,
who claims that payment should
not be enforced because the div
idend, though actually declared
and paid, was not paid out of
the earnings of the road, as was
claimed at the time, but that the
money was otherwise provided.
In. other words, the declaration
of a dividend was a fraud, to
affect the value of the stock in
the market. The Commission
err has made no decision. One
would think he would be so
much astonishcd at the effron-
terry of the railroad official, that
he would be unable to act for
a long time.
Under all order of Secretary
sherman all payments from the
Treasury are virtually suspen-
led except those for current
expenses. He hastily issued
he order, without proper con-
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