The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-01-09
Washington Letter.
N"o"S W." DOetOt
From our regular corresponden

The new year has opened full of
promise. Without reviewing the
melancholy things among the events
of 1878, or referring to the distressed
conditions belonging to its predeces
sors, we know that it brought us full
granaries, and passed us twelve
months further on in the grand adj
vance towards healthy state, and it
makes its exit leaving behind unmis-
taxable signs of better things to come.
And resumption is now legal fact,
though it can not be said to be an nc
complished fact. Probably many of
your readers are among those who
have regarded 1t impracticable, yet
no " that a trial has come, even though
it Is only a shadow and not the sub
stance, they will hope none the less
that 1t may succeed. Failure would
be a hundred fold more disastrous
than the past unsettled condition
could have been even if prolonged in
definitely.
1t is, however, sheer nonsense to
assume that this SO called resumption
will produce an immediate change
for the better" or an immediate
prosperity" The improvement now
beginning to be felt in business, has
been slowly taking place for months
past, and returning confidence and
buoyancy is not consequence of re-
sumption, but the very thing that
renders it even remotely possible.
These hopeful signs are not the result
of any thing Secretary Sherman has
done, but in spite of it. He did not
create the usual foreign demand for
our products, nor did he grow the
wheat, corn, cotton, hogs and beeves,
that enable us to supply it. As a
strong constitution will enable a pa
tient to throw off disease and slowly
cOnvalesce toward perfect health de-
spite bad medical Treatment, so this
young, vigorous country, aided by
boundless resources, has been recover
ing from depression, despite all the
evils of bad legislation and the cruel,
grinding policy of Sherman. There is
reason to believe that the same causes
that have been helping our financial
condition and great industries, will
continue to help them. In short,
while the indications for the future do
not promise a speedy return to the
ieverish speculative period of prosper
ity more apparant than real ; they do
point to a season OF wholesome, we'll
grounded business activity, drawing
capital out from its hiding places and
giving employment to those who are
willing to work. One of the most dis
couraging features of the last few
months has been the widespread
feeling, amongst the possessors of
means that nothing was safe but
government bonds. But with gold
and silver and greenbacks on an equal
ity, and enough of all to transact the
business of the country. moneyed men
will brace up and find more active use
tor their accunlulatiOns.
New Years day is state occasion
in Washington, always, and it never
was a alivelier one than on Wednesday.
While the gray light and fast falling
snow were painting the atmosphere
with cold tint, the streets were
thrOnged with carriages and well
dressed pedestrians making for the
receptions and their rounds of calls.
The White House was the theatre of
in the morning the carriage ways
were thronged with vehicles, and ut
II o'clock when the doors were thrown
open the Chinese Minister followed
hy his suit entered, attired in the
court costume of tlieiI country. After
them came in quick succession the
French Legation, the Russian Min
lister and suite, and the Turkish em-
bassy, all decked out in the full cere-
monials of their respective countries.
They were pleasing sight, these
foreigners, and attracted much atten-
tion. Then came the Cabinet officers,
the Judges of the Supreme Court, and
after them officers of the Army in
dress uniform. At l2 O'Clock the
general reception ensued, when there
was a prOmiscous rush of citizens.
Speaker Randall and Secretary Evarts
Schurz, Thompson and McCrary, also
held receptions in the afternoon.
which were largely attended. Secre-
tary Sherman did not receive on ac-
count of the death of his brother,
Judge Sherman, Il: Cleveland.
Quite large proportion of Con-
gressmen have remained in the city
during the recess and the industrious
ones among them have been preparing
to contribute their share towards a
season of activity after the reassem-
bling on Tuesday. Ii there is any one
thing more than another that the
average congressman wants IN pre-
pairing his speech it is "fggers" and
judging from the numerous calls upon
the variou. departments for "tiggers"
a goOdly number of irrational efforts
are to be fired off before the end OF
session. But speechmaking isn't all
there is to be done. There is going to
be u hot fight over some of the ilnpor-
tant appropriations, and general
stirring up of numerous other things.
1t is evident that the new army bill
will have to run the gauntlet of sharp
opposition. The charge is already
made that the section depriving the
government of the right to manu-
tacture arms, is vast job in the in
terest of some private establishments.
But most Objectionable of all is the
provision which reduces the Secretary
of War to mere cipher, and over
throwing all civil control OF the mlli
tary estahlishment-in short, making
military superior to civil authority,
and the General of the Army above its
Constitutional Commander-in-chiet
the President. 1t won't 90 through
in that shape.
Dom PEDRO.