The Morning herald., 1878-09-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Special Correspondent.l
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 4, 1878.


WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 4, 1878.
The first fall election in which interest.
ia felt is that in Maine. There has beenai
belief abroad in the land for the last six or
eight years that harmony in the Demo
cratic partv and able leadership would
have resulted in Democratic success. /
shall not offend any reader in that State by
saving that little capable leadership has
been known in that time, and that har-'
mony is, to Maine Democrats, an un-
known virtue. They have seemed to
delight in running their prospects over
questions which he! 10 prcr-r place IN
their councils, and thus TO assist the enemy
when, perhaps, he was at their mercy. l
do not expect much at the coming election,
but still hope that in the near future the
party in the State will take sucn action as
will at least make success possible. i There
are many men in the Democratic party in
Maine whom it would be pleasant to all
good citizens and profitable to the country
10 have in Congress. The result of the
election next week will have considerable
influence in other States. ........s-. .
Hon. Fernando Wood failed signally in
his attempt to pass bis customsbill through
the last House, and the indications were
that even modified bill would have been
defeated. We may be sure that radical
change in that direction will not be posi-
BILE until the public debt becomes under
standable and manageable, and commerce
and industry assume something of a solid
and radical character. But Mr.. Wood is
not disposed to let the subject alone, and
everybody will be glad that his, special
committee to inquire into the execution of
existing custom laws is at work in New
York. All men who impart anything are
constantly complaining on this subject.
One official after another tries TO inaugu-
rate reform, and still the faults and the
complaints continue. The largest import
ers will appear before Mr.. Woods COM
mittee, and intelligent statements Of
grievances will be made. These the clear
head of Mr.. Wood will reduce to order,
and Democratic House and Senate will
embody them in the law of the land. Mr..
| Wood deserves we'll of all who are inter-
ested-and why not Pin the commerce Of
| the country.
Il Secretary Sherman reports a reduction
of over $6,000,000 in the debt for the
month of August. In the next Senate
Mr.. Davis, Of West Virginia, will bt
Chairman of the Commitleeon Appropria
tons, and we may hope forreal substantial
} reductions. l,
Il In view Of the great success of oul
, citizens who sent their wares to the Pari
Exposition, and the fact that larger ant
earlier appropriation by Congress woult
: have resulted in far more exteusiv,
representation of our products thinl
: those Congressman. Democratic and Re
publican, who persistently fought even tn,
meagre appropriation made, will be NOR,
I liberal on similar occasions in the future
one can tell how much of our marvel
a lously increased expectation of manufac
tured articles in the last year is due to til,
knowledge of their excellence, which wal
derived by foreigners from the Centennial
y Exhibition. Yet Congress loaned littl,
$ sum to the promoters Of that great affair
I and drove sharp bargain with them il
. dem auding its full return from thei
empty pockets. HILTON.