The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-10-26
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


The general tenor of reports re-
ceiyed by the authorities here from
about every section of the country,
save comparatively small areas
which are suffering from temporary
causes of depression, such as the yell
low fever belt, are to the effect thata
business improvement
has been going on during the last
few months, and that the coming Of
cooler weather promises to give it a
still more decided impetus. This, in
the main, agrees with adYices re-
ceived here by our business men
from their correspondents at the
large business centres elsewhere
And there seems an almost uniform
feeling that we haYe never before
started from a more solid basis to
build up from the bankruptcy entail
ed by the collapse that overlook US
in '73, and has since been to the bust
ness of every company, association.
firm and individual AS with a REIN
er's fire. Plans are heard discussed
looking to the beginning or reSump-
ton of work on enterprises that had
just been conceived or were at Il
stage of partial development when
the first wave of the panic struck us,
and have been held i'll aoeyance I'M
til recently, awaiting the return of
more prosperous times. A few new
ones have been preached; and the
spirit of energy and enterprise that
characterized US in times past, seems
so to speak, slowly but certainly con-
Yalesing from the general paralysis
that has held it inert since the enOr-
nous credit bubble burst. We may
prepare to see many of the above
that are asking ENCOURAGEMENT and
material aid, come before the Con-
gresS about TO cOnVene-Some of them
worthy and others quite the reverse.
For the fast time in several years
business interests will demand fair
division Of time with politics. OF
these there will be a renewal of the
old fight by Huntington & Co. to re-
tain control of the enormous traffic
between the Atlantic and Pacific sea-
boards, against those seeking to build
trrnscontinental lines. Ana so far as
can be judged by the few indications
already afforded, there will be "a
more general disposition to decide
between these contestants on the
merits of their cases, after they shall
have been dispassionately discussed
and aScertained. And the demands
of reviving trade for additional ia
cilities, the obvious advantages to ac
crnr from opening up vast areas Of
orr lands richest in mineral deposits,
and of unsurpassed fertility but HOW
valuelesS from their inaccessibjlity,
and the c0ntiued defiance OF Congress
by the only company owning a com
pIeted road to the Pacific. will ourr
ate to lessen the advantages which it
oVce bad over all competitors, and to,
divorce the decision of the issues
forced by the situation, from politi-
cal ard sectional considerations.
Perhaps nothing better or more aC-
curately shows the comparative con-
ditiOn of business in the United
States, than the indica tons afforded
by the statistics of emi9rantS land
ing at New York. AS the times fol-
lowing 1878 became more and more
pincning, the number recorded as
landing at Castle Garden became loss,
and less, till for the year ending, 1873,
the aggregate was smaller than it had
been for 20 years. But from that time
the tide turned. In July and August
the increase was very marked. In
September there was 1868, against
II, 706 during the same month last
year. AS Spring and Summer
months have always heretofore
brought the largest, and the Fall aud
Winter months the least number, it
is confidently expected that by next
Spring, the number arriving here
will have nearly or quite reached
tIlc OtO ny ulGSs
The party representatives at Re-
publican and Democratic headquar-
ters here, having extracted and com
municated to their side whatever of
comfort tn y could torture from the
late elections, have fallen back to
routine work. 1t would he folly to
deny that the results in New York
and Mas achusetts are awaited with
a great deal of anxiety by Republic
cans as well as Democrat. But all
are striving to look ther happiest and
most confident, and | suppose we
shall, as in duty bound, keep up this
appearance Of being certain of VIM
ming, till the occurrence of the cleo
tions shall have set all c0njectures at
rest. Among Republicans there APP
4 pears little fear of losing Pennsylya-
MIA and Democrats are correspond
,ingly hopeless. The most candid
admit that the vote in Massachusetts
will he close. If it is a defeat for
Butler, it would seem that his goose
must be effectually cooked, and that
our politics will lose for good, one of
the most braZen and miscellaneous
demagogues that has ever been per-
mitted to worry, torture, and set by
the ears, the party with which he