, 1878-02-16
Our WASHINGTON Letter.

w NASHINGTUN. JAIL Oks 100
EDITOR STATESMAN The most cheering IN
dication on the face Of public Attain here is the
decided tendency of the democrats in congress
to stand together in struggle for economy and
retrenchmc at Until quite lately it has seemed
almost certain there would be lack Of harmony
on these subjects, and that the republican
leaders, with An experience In leaderShlp OF
nearly a score of years, and used to the excesses
and corruptness of war times, and the unsettled
period Immediately following the war, would
succeed in keeping the government IN the old
road to bankruptcy. But there is good hope
of better things. Expenses will be reduced In
all branches Of the government The army
will be reduced in numbers, and excessive exs
pentlitures for the force decided upon will be
cut off The navy, which has cost since the
war, fifth as much as the whole amount Of our
public debt, will become far less expensive.
Our relations with foreign countries will be
made to cost less The revenues will he cOllec-
ted for less money In short, unle1s there
should be an unexpected lapse from virtue ON
the part of democrats, the cost Of carrying on
the government will be very materially reduced.
1t is time, for the general government Is not
only exhaustins the people by burdensome
taxes, but is setting fearful example 0f ex-
travagance to states, cities and individuals.
A neat job was killed by the supreme court
grades of pOstmasters are fixed upon the basis
Of the business at their offices in given pre-
ceding period The wording of the law was
such that various postmasters, thought they
could get increased pay under it for time prior
to the date when the readjustments were Of
fcially made. Test cases were tried In the
court of claims, and, on appeal, in the supreme
court, and this latter court decides against the
applicants This court also decided the other
day that the sale by the confederate govern
ment Of certain stocks confiscated by 1t IN the
city of Charleston, S. c., did not take away
the title Of the owners, or give title to the Pur-
chasers.
The Pacific railroad men are now here in
force All the roads, from Dul.th to the Gulf
of Mexico are represented. The chief interest,
Of course, is in the rival southern roads. The
anti-subsidy resolution passed by the house q
few days since is not considered dangerous
blow to any road that seeks government aii.
The resolution does not prohibit assistance to
works of national necessity" and every man
interested in Pacific railroad feels that his
particular road is excepted from the prohibition.
But what with quarrels among themselves and
| the rapidly growing and consolidating belief
that economy is the greatest and most pressing
| Of national necessities l believe all these
railroad subsidy men will come to grief.
| "A leNee system ior the hlSSlSSlpti TiNcr diiu
some of its tributaries is, however, not to be
| classed with the railroad schemes, and govern
ment aid to it wonld meet comparatively little
| objection Captain Eads has been paid, with
little ;5rumbling from any quarter, an enor-
| nous sum for his jetties at the mouth of the
| great river, and will yet receive much more.
| 1t is idle to make a distinction between pay
ment of money for this purpose, and payment
for the construction and preservation of levees.
1t is very generally conceded now that the
silver bill of Mr. Bland will, in some shape,
pass the house and senate, even over veto. l
confess | cannot vet figure out two-third ma
jority in the senate, but the friends of the bill
find no difficulty in doing so.
| If rumor is correct the boss" of the Louis
lana returning board-Wells- on his way
here to consult the president of his creation as
to probable means of defeating justice in Louis
lana The other members of the board remain
| at New Orleans to stand trial. The coming
interview between Wells and Hayes should be
made the subject of great painting. The
event will live in history, whether or not the
artist of this generation puts it on canvass. The
local robber, under indictment at home for
crime, comes to the man benefited and made
powerful by that crime, to ask for protection.
The great man has no power to grant it his
own position would be imperiled if he should
attempt it. There is but one thing for Wells
to do. He must so home and to the peniten
tiary. His fate is an example for all time to
| subordinate rascals and teaches theIa. not to
make the receiver secure in his plumber until
| they, too, are secured against punishment for
| the theft REX.