The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1879-01-05
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, January ..

CATION the senate might order into southern
affairs, finds that the act, fairly construed,
does not authorize the use Of the money by
Senator Blainc's committee The first conn.
tro!ler OF the treasury SO decided. Alto.
wards, at the personal solicitation Of SEM,
tor Edmunds the comptroller reopcncd III,
case, and the attorney general was requested
to decide the question. One Of his assist.
ants has now written an opinion under
which the money can be used by the Blaine
committee. The same pervcrsion of written
law that thus disposes Of the amount would
enable the administration to take money
appropriated for the agricultural bureau and
use it for carrying on war against France.
But am not sorry that the committee is
enabled to 90 on with the work. | hope
its investigations will be thorough, north,
south, east and west.
A lively interest is awakening in the
question OF sustaining the government aid,
in the shape of mail contract in the usual
form, to the American line of steamship,
giving our merchants direct and profita.
bic connection with Brazil. By means of
liberal government subsidies the European
nations have robbed us of nearly all our
trade in the trade which naturally belongs
to US from the countries to the south of the
United States, and the moment this ques.
ton Of helping American Interests in a
similar way comes before congress, the
European ship owners put on lot Of in
fcrior steamers to run against the American
line, saying TO congress: you see we ask
no aid for this service But the moment
congress adjourns these vessels are taken
off and our line is left to do the business
that belongs to it. This is the way they
started vessels flom New York when the
subject was before congress at the last SEES
sion: Glensannox, Feb. 10; Casini, Feb
49, NAShAoEall' It Sb' So NdSlhI, -hdTCH 20
GensannoX, April Ii; Genlogan. June :
Then congress Adjourned and the vessel
ceased running, and but for the new Amer
can line our merchants would once moe
have had to send their goods and Their
mails via England at ruinous loss. NV
that congress has come again and the sub.
.ect is brought up in an official
form by the recommendation
of the president and the known favor Of
many members Of congress of all parties
who believe in sustaining the American
line, these vessels are running again to ere
ate diversion, and induce congress to re-
iect all propositions Tor an ocean postal ser
vice The practical question is whether
this country will suffer its only South
American line of steamers to be run off the
course by the European monopoistS and
our remaining trade with those countries,
and our hope of future advancement to be
sacrificed! This country can build up an
enormous trade for nearly all our produc-
ti'ns, IL we have anything like equal facili-
lies with other countries.
Ii has been suggested, and the idea seems
to meet with favor that each of the states
should erect or purchase here residence
for 1t, senator's These senators are the di-
rect representatives, of the states, rather
than o. the people, Their number is fixed
SO that the expense might be counted in
advance The project would give to the
people of the states u more direct and i'm
mediate Interest in the Capital city The
British government erected here few years
since, for the occupation of It's minister, u
fine residence, the expense being, believe,
only some $4,000, The houses for the
senators need cost no more, if as much, and
would Of course be exempted from taxation.
Let the state Of Kentucky, or Iowa, or some
other, nearly or quite out Of debt, SGT the
example and the others will follow. Wash
ington will of course present the necessary
ground, and 50 rename its grand avenues
If that shall be thought necessary. as to
give to each residence site on the avenue
named after the appropriate state