, 1878-09-19
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

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Hewitt's committee is enhanced
many fold by its contrast with the
ridiculous stuff contributed by the
optimists, the doctriuaires, Schwabs,
Cohens and the thousand and one
other men who have availed them
selves of the opportunity offered to
get their invaluable views before the
public. Mr.. Roach has demonstrat.
ed his right to be heard by building
up an industry that has furnished
thousands of our mechanics, Iaborers
and artisans with employment at a
time when the hearts Of less ener-
Igetic and perseverlng men were fail
ling them for fear and the reputation
of American built ships was in dan
ger Of perishing off the face of the
earth. He gave it as his belief that
the extravagant habits of living ac.
qured by all classes during the flush
times of the war period, and still
continued to the dttermost limit
compatible with the lessened means
at command, has been one of the
most potential contributing causes
Of the business paralysis of the past
6 years. From what Is seen on every
hand about us in every day life a
similar conclusion seems inevitable
by all observers. | am sure (provid
ed the means are obtainable) that the
family of the average Washington
ian mechanic of today spends twice
as much in month to live and keep
up the "style" that has gradually
grown up since 1860, as would have
suficed to make the same number
Just as comfortable at or before that
date. A like or greater ratio OF in
crease is demonstrabe in every grade
of society above or below the me-
chanic. The typica! female Treas
ury clerk spends as much now in the
ordinary items Of living in one year
as answered for the support of faith
er, mother, and half dozen brothers
and sisters, perhaps, for the same
length of time two decades ago.
And the amount OF money worse
than wasted Ivy each OF certain
class oE department clerks in beer,
whiskey, cigars, theatre and excur-
sions, not to mention the "nobby"
style of dress INDUCED in, would
have gone very far in 1860 III pay
ing rhe entire living expenses of the
family that earned the everlasting
gratitude of the Government by con-
tributing him to its Civil Service.
What is true of Washington is
probably true to some extent OF ev-
cry community in the country. Mr..
Roach's testimony seems to make
our failure to seize the commercial
advantages rendered us by South
America all the more inexpicable.
In this connection | am led to
speak of certain class of Washing
ton young men and women-chiI.
dren of the married Departmental
employees. 1t is from this source
that the ranks of the tramp are often
recruited. A part of the inheritance
of the boys is a fondness for low and
degrading, and in many cases Grim
inai, associates. They are devoid of
sentiment and wholly without the
stimulus of ambition of any kind,
except such as leads them steadily
downward. They generally y develop
into genuine hoodlums or a certain
variety of cheap, Aashy swells. They
often leave good homes for sheer
love of vagabond's life. They dis
appear for months at time and sud-
denly reappear at their home with
the unmistakable mark of the tramp
on every feature, to be Stunned by
the more reputable of their former
associates, and source of mortihca-
tion to relatives aspiring to respect
ability. One family serves more or
less perfectly as type for many
well known here. The father is a
Government clerk-a gentlemanly
old man but not over udicious-
never calculated certainly for train
ing children who are in due time to
come to the estate of men and wo-
men. The mother is vain, shallow,
amiable, but respectable withaI, and
neither above nor below the average
wife of the government clerk in the
social scale. The two sons have
been given as much education as
they would take in good public
schools, but they preferred that to
ne obtained about the livery stables,
the restaurant, the police court, at
the theatres, race courses, base ball
grounds, etc. The public schools
impart hardly "tcne" enough for the
daughter and she is sent TO priv
ate one by Madam-.----or tc the
convent school, perhaps. She is
sure to be able to perform indiffer
emily well on the piono when she
graduates if she don't know anything
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