The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-06-22
Our Washington Letter.


WASHINGTON, D. c., June Is, 1878.
Il is an undisputed fact which holds good
in all countries, and in all times, that where
there is most Improvement of labor-saving
machinery, there the wcrknen are best off
and enjoy more of the comforts of civliza-
ton. We have only, without looking into
the history of the past, to compare the con-
diton of working people to-day in inven-
tive and non-inventive countries. Yet a,
speaker at working mems meeting held
here last night was applauded because he
would abolish railroads and labor-savmg
machinery; and he even went SO far as to
say they manage these things better in
Chinal Why, in that non-inventive coun-
try the working men in good times subsist
on vermin, and in hard times, as they now
have there, millions are starving. Why is
this? Because they have not railroads to
move their food supply, which is aclinowl-
edged to be sufficient. Again. the speaker
ascribed the existence of Italian lazzaroni to
English inventions If so, why is the
English working man better off than the
Italian? Look at the toiling hand laborers
all through Asia, who barely subsst at best,
and swept off by millions when there is a
famine in the land. No one can believe
that majority of the intelligent working
men OF this country approve the views of
last nights speaker and hundreds like him.
At last an economical Congress has seen
fit to appropriate the money which Secre-
tary. Schurz has so often and so earnestly
asked for, for the purpose of putting new
roof upon the noble patent-office building,
destroyed by fire in the latter part of last
September. With a persistence which does
him honor, the Secretary had not ceased to
urge this important matter upon the atten-
tion Of Congress since the extra session, but
without success; and it began to look as
though the stately iacades on Ninth and G
streets were to remain beneath their present
temporary roofs during the coming winter.
This will give work to a large number of
unemployed and dissatisfied working men
in the District.
| The bill providing new form of govern
ment for the District of Columbia, as agreed
! upon by the Committee of Conference,
| passed by both houses of Congress and
| signed by the President, is generally ac-
ceptable to all people, fixing, as it does in a
definite and distinct manner, the pecuniary
relations between the District of Columbia
and the government of the United States.
| This is by far the most important feature of
| the bill, as it determines the most difficult
| problem that our Legislators had to contend
with, viz: fixing the proportion of the ex-
penses Of our local government which the
! United States shall contribute in the future.
| 1t is a measure of great relief to the heavily
taxed people Of the District, and is but
just and fair contribution on the part of the
| federal government toward the maintenance
Of its capital city. The bill gives the APP
pontment of the commissioners to the
President, and requires citizenship. of
three years for eligibility to the office of
commissioner, the engineer member of the
commission to be of the rank of captain, at
least. No contract can be awarded except
upon a unanimous vote of the commissions
ers. The interest on the 3-G5 bonds is pro-
vided for, the Secretary of the Treasury be-
ing authorized to pay the same as it be-
comes due, and the amount thereof TO be
credited as part of the fifty per cent. of the
United States. The Board of Health goes
glimmering into the past. and health Off
Ger, at an annual salary Of $4,000, takes the
place of the great hygienio council of the
nation. There is not a vestige of suffrage
left in the bill, which has brought sad news
to the ward strikers and feather-duster poll.
ticians, but, to the people at large, a ubjec
for earnest congratulations. The ballot, a,
exercised in this District in the past lef
aught but pleasant memories, and there j!
no desire whatever for a return to its blessed
privileges. Altogether, the new bill is mos
favorable in its provisions, and will dc
much to lift our citizens from the slough o
despair in which they have so long called
for relief. ...
Our female friends, who are desirous o
having certain legal disabilities remove,
and are after the right of suffrage, viii
doubtless have to renew the fight agail
during the next session of Congress, as to
5 day in the Senate whenever q bill upon tn
calendar, relating to such matters, wa
reached, it was skipped over, or indefnit
postponement was ordered.
0 The news of the death of William Guile
: Bryant, though not unexpected, has bee
received with regret and sorrow by hi
numerous friends and admirers in this city
: Mr.. Bryant, having passed through a lii
: far surprising in length that allotted by tn
psalmist, and characterized, in every stag
Of its course, by usefulness, purity, an
happiness, sustained and soothed by a
i unialtering trust" approached the gray
|. like one who "wraps the drapery of h
couch about him and lies down to pleasar
dreams" EDWARD.
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