, 1878-08-15
ORR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, u. C., July ?6, lS7S,

Weeks ago months perhaps
VAGUE rumors were current that Il
strike all over the country was pre-
mcditatrd ON the 18th day OF June,
the last dav of Congress, as they
,unnosed. They could be traced to
ro authentic source, and occasloncd
rncasiness to only a few whose at
,en,ion could be diverted from Con-
rrcssional sensations, then rife, long
enough to pay any heed to tins al
Iered danger threatening our rear.
The time passed and no outbreak
occurred, so the reports were set
down to the credit Of alarmlsts.
But a well known correspondent of
the "Tribune" makes some state.
ments so specific and apparently
well founded, as to compel atten-
non. Substantially they are to the
effect that the preparations made by
Governor Hartranft prior to the date
mentioned to crush out at every cost
such movement, and his unmis-
taxable sincerity in the matter, in
duced the leaders to postpone the
date to August 18th. The cores
pondent claims to have his intorma'
ton from prominent Pennsylvania
manufacturer whose position gives
bin the most ample opportunities
for ascertaining the secret purposes
of the labor organizations i'll his
state. One of his employees who
participated in some of the secret
deliberations of the plotters, is men
toned as having revealed this much
of the programme. Sufficient time
has hardly elapsed to note any effect
from the "Tribune" expose; but no
one can review the terrible havoc
wrought last year by the mob in a
few days domination at various
points, and the perils we barely es-
capped, without feeling that state
governments will be guilty of crimi-
nal negligence if they permit them
selves to be again taken by surprise
as they were year ago.
Crops in the West are reported as
largely harvested, or so far advanced
that they are not materially affected
by the recent hot weather, preceded
aud followed by storms Of wind and
rain. But wheat, in certain portions
of Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin,
and, TO a certain extent, in other
states, was just at that stage of de-
velopment to be most seriously af-
fected by vicissitudes of the wealth.
er, and was so damaged as to have
inflicted a loss of from Is to 30 per
cent. on previous estimates. But
making ali allowances for these mis-
fortunes, it is claimed that the crop
will be,considerably above the aver
age. Oats we're also somewhat dam
aged, but the hot weather appears
to have been uniformly favorable to
corn. With more than an average
yield in nearly all of our principal
products, with the balance of trade
as largely in our favor, and with the
tremendous yield of our mires, our
politico. social economist is put to
his trumps, as he seldom is, to satis-
factorily account for the tardy reviv'
al of business. But there is one
cause which every rejecting person
can see as readily as the expert; and
that is the general feeling of timidi.
ty and lack of confidence that fell
on the energies Of the country like
blighting miIdew in 1878; and all
this coincidence of favoring circum-
stances has not yet been able to res
tore the old feeling of courage and
buoyancy.
Hardly day passes but new illus
tration is afforded Of the evils Of
postponing important legislation to
date so late that it must be hurried
through withoat scrutiny, if enacted
at all. June 2Ist bill was passed
reducing the fees Of pension attor-
neys; but unwittingly, | presume,
the same bill abolished the penalty
for overcharges, and the class it was
desigued to benefit may be plunder-
ell and cheated to the extent of all
that is coming to them without let or
hiudrance by the crowd Of irrespons-
ible vampires always on the lookout
for such opportunities, KNOX.