The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-01-29
Our Washington Letter.
Special to the REPUBLICAN.


with very few cities either at home or
abroad, by comparison of vital sta
tistics, such as are published by our
Health Office. Indeed, with the ex.
ception of the cOlored population, few
cities of its size will show lower av-
erage of mortality; and it only re-
quires a tour for few hours personal
observation among the class excepted
to make the causes of the appalling
death rate that prevails among them
clearly apparent. This being cOnced-
ed explodes the charges and insinua.
tions of Washington's exceptionally
unhealthy climate which have been
advanced by some correspondents here
who start out with that theory so man
ifestly at variance with the facts, to
account for the excessive mortality
among Congressman this session. With
the few exceptions of those from our
large cities, the men sent here as Sen.
ators and Representatives are to a
great extent unaccustomed to the in
toxicating tendencies of the society
maelstrom in which they find them.
selves on their advent here. Not a
few of them have lost their mental bal
ance by their political success before
leaving home. Their position gives
them the entree into the "best society,""
4. E., where every hygienic law is ig-
nored. Turning night into day, eat.
ing and drinking to excess, are some
of its most constant features. AT
time in life when sudden changes in
the habits and usages of life time are
always attended with risk, they at
tempt to "do as the Romans do"
They jump at one bound from the at
mosphere of their comparatively une-
uentful village life into the unhealthy,
exciting one of this great political cen
tire, subject to the most violent vicissi
tudes. To-day is all wild excitement /;
tomorrow comes the inevitable de-
preston. The temptation to resort to
stimulants is always present and is too
often yielded to and many man has
ended his one or two terms in Con-
gress a confirmed topper, who started in
a teetotaller. No man, however large
his reserved vitality, can go through
the wear and tear of one Congressional
season without feeling the deleterious
effects of the imprudences of which the
average Congressman is guilty; add
to this several terms, taking into ac-
count the frequent and prolonged de.
bauches in which not few members
have INDUCED, and the wonder is that
so few succumb to the fatal ending
they constantly invite. The lack of
ventilation in the House and Senate
Chambers undoubtedly have their eff
feet. We are, in some sections Of the
city, subject to malarial influences.
Uncomplicated pneumonia is not es.
teemed a very fatal disease save with
the very young or old, or those broken
down by previous dissipation. But it
is one of the prevalent winter ailments
here, and it occasionally claims vic
tim among Congressman who have set
the laws of health at defiance as above
indicated. Then it must be remem.
bered that men not infrequently come
to Congress already suffering with in
curable diseases, and the fatal termi,
nation is doubtless often hastened by
the course of life pursued here. Alto
gether, we can account for many o.
the deaths in the Congressional dele
cations that are here from year to year
without resort to lbels on the climate
of Washington.
Congress seems to have reached tha
point in its dealings with the Hunting
ton-Gould Pacific r. r. ring, where j
must assert its superiority to this crea
ture of its generosity and easy indul
gence, or abandon all pretentions t,
any right of control over it. 1t ha
always shown itself impatient of an,
restraint, and has grown openly def
ant since Congress seriously attemptec
to restrict it within reasonable limits
It's army of able lawyers have usual,
shown themselves smarter than thos
in Congress, and it has gone on evad