The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1878-03-02
Our Washington Letter.
The Financial QuestiOn-Too
Many Sdamps-Tea Plants
Sug C0mmission-H3tc

W ~ Va L GU. 1900.
EDITOR CHIEF:
The old adage that "money is the
root of all evil " is true now as in CEN
tnries past, as is also its counterpart,
that lack of it brings want and desc
/ lation; and this land of ours is now
i'll the depths of financial strait and
EN- barrasSment. In vain have the
people begged imploringly for relief
from the chief executive and Congress,
but the old story Of "fddling while
Rome is burning" is being repeated
at the Nations Capital. This whole
| financial question might have been
settled in two weeks aud every bust
ness man with some degree of conf
dence could have been prepared with
the opening spring time for the work
Of the incoming year. But Congress
men are to be re-elected-aud bun
combe speeches must be read to
empty seats, that they may be printed
and transported at the expense of
Uncle Sam, to honest and suffering
constituencies. The passage of the
| Silver Bill in the Senate by SO large a
vote is a sure Indication that the
measure will become law, irrespec-
tive of the Presidents action. The
fall in quotations of gold, and the rise
in price Of stocks in New York on the
news OF its passage in the Senate,
seems a hopeful omen. 1t is certain
that this fearful cliasm between hard
money men and infQtionists must be
spanned by some compromise and the
financial qnacks must yield something
for the sake of the patient. IF the
people would rise up in their majesty
aud let themselves be heard, the pa
tirnt would recover in spite of these
legislative and financial doctors. The
withdrawal of the postal currency and
substituting a subsidiary and Gebased
coin was fearful blunder, and i'm
posed a great burden upon the whole
people which will cost the government
500, 100000 interest and principal.
Fractional currency was great con-
venience to the people, being convert
ible iDtp greeubacks aud receivable in
payment of business paper, while sill
yer must be sold at ii ruiuOus discount |
to he used in like manner
A Publisher of a magazine in this
city with $3.50 of postage stamps re-
ceived for subscriptions was seen rush
ing franticly to the Treasury to sell |
his wares, but John Sherman was not |
buying. Tearing up street he visited
the Post-Office Department, bnt the
placid Key had just received supply
from the government. In despair he
returns to his office and asks himself
why fractional currency was abol
ished.
The Agricultural Department has
over 100000 tea plants that are
looking thrifty and General LeDuc
intends that we shall grow our tea
and keep the money now spent for
the foreign article in our own coun
try.
The Grassllopper Commission want
an appropriation of $25, 600 for next
year to continue their researches into
the habits OF this ralnpageous insect.
They say that with annually increas-
ing appropriations they may be able
to catch Il grasshopper and. find ont
what he really is by the year 1900.
They are ready to serve the dear peo-
pie, for consideration.
Ben. Butler wants all government
advertising done by the Congressional
Printer, and Ben Willis thinks the
Government printing office should be
abolished. How statesmen differ.
The approach of Lent fills the street
with ladies making social and official
calls. Thursday is Senator's day"
when the wives and daughters of
those diguitaries generally receive.
If one brings letters of Introduction,
the better way is not to present them
in person, but send them to the fami-
Ties in question, leaving it optional
with them to cultivate the sequaint
ance or not. TIE families of Senators,
Representatives, and Supreme Court
Justices receive" or not, IA they
please, and return calls as iHciications
may dictate. Cabinet families are mt
the mercy of the public. every body
being at liberty to call, aud every call
must be returned Besides this heavy
1 l. I.