Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-02-06
a Bill for the Relief of the Brass
band and Beneficial Burial AssO.
citation DndustriPsS

Two or three of our contemporaries are favor
ing a return to the ballot and the election OF
District delegate. Doubtless they do this with
the philanthrOpic purpose of reyiylnS some or
our crippled election industries, as there seems
to be no other tolerable excuse There are two
OF theSe,-the brass band industry, and the
Galilean Fishermen Beneficial Burial aSSocia-
ton industry, that have been pretty nearly
ruined by the abolition OF suffrage. In the
uaInv DAYS of the feather-duSter franchise
aud rule there were probably more brass bands
IN existence In Washington than ia any other
city OF its size in the world. In those stirring
times what with ward meetings. professions
and spontaneous ovation serenadeS to candl-
dates tpaid for by the recpients) the brass
bands were never out of job during the week;
and on sundays they were in even greater
demand, for it was on that day that the
lOurishing Galilean Beneficial Burial as
ISOLATION. managed by prominent local
politicians, buried their dead In that an
mated period of free whisky for the noble
voter, with no end of scrimm3ge5 riots, cut
Iings. shOotings, aud Standings. that energetic
burial association had no difficulty in maintain
ing punctUal weekly supply of C0rpSes. which
they kept on ice until sunday. thelF gala fune-
raj day- During the height OF the registration
and election season, they Were able sometimes
10 start four or five hearseS of Sunday: and
as they used to do the thing no handsomely
with brass band to each procession, playtnp
fuDera! marches to the cemetery and Pop
Goes the WEASEL and other Lively airs on the
return they not only gave profitable employ
ment 10 the ice-dealers hackmen. and brass
musicians, but they furnished very notable
sunday diversion for the people But those
lush times have passed away; the brass bands
have lost their weekday employment. through
the abolition Of suffrage and OF the ward poIj-
tlclanS, and, at the same time. the sunday
business, through the decadence or the Galflean
FisheTmen- who seem TO have lost their grip
with the loss OF political power They did. for
awhile, try TO keep up their sunday funerals
with their customary dash and pomp bat il was
soon evident that they were not up 10 the old
mark, and finally they got into such bloody
hghtS az their society meetings that the Suspi-
zion was created that the INSCRIPTIONS mana
gers were e8ging on these rows ia deSperatef
attempt to repleniSh the falling supply OF
tofpses- The result was that the Galiieans fell
Under the ban of the police and their meetings
were virtually suppressed.
So it has come about that the brass hands of
Washington have lost their OCCUPATION. onr
District officials, not being elective have no oc-
caSion to hire brass ba nds and Oh the other
hahd While they favor such unpopular meas
ureS as the Water-meter project. it is pretty
certain the people Will NOT ovate them must
caliy il brass bands can be hired for nickel an
ho'r- TO be sure the plan adopted by the
Grant boomers of serenadn@ Grant Senators
on their arrival in Washington Will give the
bands some work: and Ii The Senatorial ad-
hefentS OF other Presidential candidates are
Serenaded TOO they will get more employment,
but these deSutOry Jobs viii not 90 very far to
support the great bulk OF the idle brass band
population. But should the glorious right OF
suffrage be restored t0 Murder Bay. Crow Hin
and Tin cup Alley, then there VIII be full en-
ployment for all the brass bands and the Gall
lean Burial association will be able ID pack
away i'll their Ice boxes a six months supply of
c)rpSeS. and hold a Stock OF badly wounded i'll
hospital as a reSe-.e for the rest OF the year.
The bill before Congress should, therefore, be
entitled: "A Bill for the Relief or the depressed
Brass band and Galilean Burial association in
tereStS; authorizing 10 that end the Election OF
a so-called District Delegate TO Congress-