The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-12-06
Our Letter from Washington.


preached by MoRLRy.
Our Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON, d. O., Nov. 70, 1872.
For days past there have been strong symp-
toms Of Congress In the air. Already the
pulse Of the city beats fuller and stronger for
the TRANSMISSION Of new life. We read the book
OF Exodus, like Sansorit, backward. The no.
tel registers disclose each morning new names.
Senators in single file and Representatives
in groups come back with them comes the
inevitable floating element which is so marked
an ingredient OF Washington society. The
men Of bronze and marble in public squares
we have always with us, but Congress we
have not always, and the comparative stag
nation which ensues when the gavel falls is
unbroken till that magic wand is lifted again,
and under it the city is galvanized into new
life. When ongress goes washiugton's oc-
cupation is gone. Events Of interest may oc
cur. The world does not really stand still
She may busy herself with National fair or
the unwilling of a great military statue may
stir her pulses, but not until congress comes
does she really arise and put on her strength.
The whole structure of our capitolan society
is more or less official, and the opening Of the
social season waits on events political. So.
ciety cannot be so social that 1t quite loses q
seml-official air, which is on the whole be-
coming. Perhaps fair women are never hap
pier than when, wearing the title ofthe brave
men whose names they bear, they watch the
social boundaries and keep up in the enchant-
ell circle of the drawing room, the traditions
of Republican rank and caste. Up at the
capitol the spirit of improvement that all
summer has been tearing down and building
up, rests on its laurels. Masons and carpen-
ters and painters go their ways and the up
holsterer is busy. The vacant space of the
Senate and the House are once more pcpu-
lated by desks and chairs the pictures come
from the chrysalis of brown Holland. From
crypt to dome, the Capitol has been renovated,
freshened und beautified. The season begins
and the town is filling up. Each evening the
theatre goer, sweeping the social horizon
with his opera glass, discerns new stars of the
first magnitude. Presently, looking at his
play bill, he will notice that "members of
Congress and others can order seats" etc.
When he reads that, Congress will be here,
and mankind will be divided into two classes,
all who are not ''members'' being merely the
land Others" No wonder the arrivals cut
number the departures. No one who has
known the fascination of winter at the Cap.
ital would willingly forget it, and the strong
attractive forces of politics, science and social
brilliancy draw hithcr the best material Of
the Republic.
Democratic Congressman from the South
and West have expressed themselves, in re.
cent interviews upon the coming session OF
Congress and Its labors, in favor of abolish.
ing the national banks and substituting
greenbacks for the currency Of those banks.
Congressman Buckner, chairman of the
House Committee on Banking and Currency,
has Since the fall elections, declared his ad.
herence to the policy of doing away with the
national banks and their circulation. The
Democratic papers Of New York and the
East, and so far as they have spoken, the
Democratic leaders OF the East, too. insist
upon the retirement Of greeEbacks and the
maintenance of the national banks. Here il
direct conflict within the party, and the ques
tion is which side shall yield, II either does
On questions Of finance the eastern Democ
racy have ever dominated their brethren o
the south and west. But MIR. Buckner say,
1
him, and will vote to abolish national bank!
. and substitute greenbacks for their circula
tiOn. If this be correct the coming session
may witness the same sort of an union on thj
currency question, between the western anC
southern members, as was brought about b,
the silver question. Then "slver league
was formed, and In behalf of the dollar o
e the daddies" Republicans and Democrat
consulted together and forgot all politica
differences. The indications now are tina
financial questions will command cUnsplcuou
: attention during the coming session, but as t
what shape the legislation, If any be enacted
shall take, nobody, short of prophet, coul,
foretell 1t is very evident, however, .tha
t the Republicans are more in harmony upol
r this question than the Democrats, though tn
q Importance OF the presidential election ma
enforce unity in both parties.
The receipts from internal revenue shoy
that twothirds or more of the entire ordinar
expenses Of the government outside of tn
n interest on the public debt are met by tax Of
[ tobacco and liquors. Thus the consumers
e what may very properly be regarded as lux
. uries contribute the great bulk of the fund
required to support the government. Intern
al taxation, which for many years bore s
u lightly as to be almost unknown in the I'm
v ted States, has, however, contributed more O
o less to the maintenance of the governmen
y from the beginning Of our national history
: and 1t may be assumed that 1t will contlnu
Tor a long time to come an established featur
OF our financial system; since 1865, when th
e internal revenue receipts footed up the emo
n nous SUN of three hundred millions and ove
d and when scarcely any species Of propert
a was secure from the hands Of the tax-gathe
>, er, Congress has from time to time lightene
internal taxation, so that now 1t does ne
, bear heavily. In a comparatively short tim
Is we may expect that the Internal taxes will b
y still further abated and ultimately restricte
D. TO the luXurles Of liquor and tobacco, Whe
n, there Will be no cause for complaint.
AUGUST.