The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-04-10
Our Washington Letter.

Our Washington Letter.
Congress Hastens Slowly The Pulp
Monopoly-A Tax on 1ntslligence-
Patent Office Changes business and
| Crops Booming.
WASHINGTON. D. C. April 3. 1850.
EDITOR CHIEF:
The House on Saturday attempted
to make q show towards weeks
work, and managed to refer quite
number of bills reported from COM
mittees to the calendar. The Con-
sular and diplomatic appropriation
bill was then taken up, and the gem
eral debate concluded, and the read
ing Of the bill by sections for amend
meDts begun, which cuts the debate
down to five minute speeches and
gives some assurance of the speedy
disposal of the bill. Having accom-
plished this much, the House closed
the week, most fruitless in resnlts, by
adjournment to Monday. The Senate
had adjourned on Thursday to the
some day.
| The argument, if such it can be
called, urged by the advocates of the
pulp and paper monopoly, that the
increase in the price Of paper is only
that which is marked in other articles,
and means return Of healthy bust.
ness, is as weak as it is impudeDt.
It is to be observed hat the jump
ing up of values 90, without a paial-
lei, in the last eight months, is COM
fined to sucl, articles only as Congress
has given monopoly by pIohibi-
tion in duties, that has taken them
out of the list of revenue and made
them simply bounties. While iron,
steel, paper, and few otl.er staples
have gone up, wheat has not jumped,
nor corn, nor any other product Of an
agricultural origin, although such in
dustry is the underlying prosperity Of
the country.
| Keen, active agents of the press are
watching the progress of this contest
and the names of members daring to
aid in this monoply will be duly taken
down and forwarded home for publi-
cation, so that the papers may pub
lish to their constituents the wrong
done. The remedy lies in the propo-
sition made by Senator David Davis
of Illinois, to admit not only the raw
material free of duty, but the paper
itself. There was a cry Of a free break
fast to the poor man when the duties
on tea and coffee were abolished.
Now let us have free reading for the
poor in land where food for the
mind is considered of vastly more
Importance than stimulants for the
stomach. @
It seems to be understood that
General Paine will not retire from
the direction of the Patent Office for
some time to come, as there is con-
siderable business that he desires to
close up personally. There are many
names mentioned as the probable sue
cessor of General Paine, and it sis
very doubtful whether the right one
has been suggested. The civil service
theories Of Secretary SchuIn would
lead to the belief that Mr.. Doolittle,
the present Assistant Com issioner,
gentleman we'll qualified and popu-
lar in and out Of the Department,
would be promoted to the position,
but it is rumored that the Sherman
boom will have preponderating in
fuence in the selection Of a Commits
sioDer.
The reports from all sections are
made cheering in relation to general
business. The crop prospects uere
never more encouraging and the mild
winter and the forward spring give
signs of a very early harvest. The
acreage is unusually largeand 81 ,000,-
OOO, GOO will be coined ont of natures
great laboratory and put into the
bands Of che sturdy yeomanry Of the
land. Mining and manufacturing in
terests we're never more hopeful.
More miles of railroad will be built in
1880 than in any previous year. Real
estate in city and country is in ac-
tive demand at advancing prices.
The insane idea that nothing is real
except a Government bond has faded
out of public mind and men of means
find it more in accordance with the
material growth Of the country to use
money in business and thus give en-
] ploy ment to the Nations music than
| to sit with folded hands, scissors
ready to clip the coupons from Uncle
Sans promises TO pay as they fall
due. With foreign complications
warlile iD character, with activity
every where, hard times are forgotten.
Hope is Frightening, songs are breaking
Hill and dale now smile in gladness,
t No nsore traces now of sadness.
SENTINEL.
l.
Last Friday, at Cleburne, johnson