The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-04-30
WASHINGTON.
nnR srEnr.,L LErrER.

wAeHrxoTos, D. G., April %, 1881.
Well, we have genuine sensation at
last to chronicle, aud this time il is in the
Post Office Department. Some time ago
there was quite a breezy time about the
General Post Office, when congressional
committee attempted to investigate what
were termed the star postal routes This
was considered to be the term applied TO
such postal service as was somewhat out
of the way Of carrying the mails. Such
for instance in locality where there were
no railroads or stages, but where the mail
carrier either proceeded on horseback or
even on foot in order to reach his destina-
tion. There was a strong belief that there
was httlef in the making Of these
contracts for mail service, and o committee
was appointed by Congress to get at the
bottom facts. AS usual, however, with such
committees they never do touch the right
spot, so nothing was ever found out When
Postmaster James came in, and as accord
ing TO the old adage "new broom sweeps
point where the committee stopped, and the
result is that he has cleaned out the star
route scandal 10 tho entire satisfaction. of all
who are concerned in seeing that official
matters are done properly and right. 1t is
stated that the President requested the i'm
mediate resignation Of Second Assistant
Postmaster General Brady. There was
hat he h.a
slow to move in this matter, as it would be
difiicult to find just the man to take so i'm
portant position. The President however
thinks that he has found the right man,
and has sent into the Senate for onhrma-
| tion the name of Richard A. Elmer, Presi
dent Of the Waverly National Bank Of Tio-
ga county, New York. Now here comes
another complication, and il looks very
much as though there was going to be u
| fight over this as well as other nominations.
1t is asserted that Brady is a very impor-
tant item in the Malone coalition, and if il
is so,there will be confusion worse ccniOund-
ed. Where this nomination business is
going to end nobody seems 10 know. This
however can be said with certainty that
while President Garfield is not in any way
desirous of antagonizlng Senator Conklng.
in fact would prefer by any means in his
power to coneiliate that eminent gentleman,
yet he cannot withdraw from the position
he has assumed in the case of the nonina-
ti0n Of Judge Robertson 10 the COllectorship
of the Port Of New York. There is a great
deal Of talk about what is termed the
Courtesy of the Senate" This amounts
simply TO an understanding, long in vogue,
that no person nominated TO an office in
any State by the President shall be confirm
| al IA ha two Sapofaru from hot Stata oh
ject to his confirmation. Both Presidents
Grant and Hayes tried to butt againt this
unwritten rule, but had finally 10 accept
the situation. The question now to be
solved is whether the present administra-
ton will feel the restraint of this " courle
sy Of the Senate" Time will show.
Leaving politics aside and coming Ia
something that the people can generally un-
dersand, it is source of pleasure for us IL
be able 10 predict that the time is not far
distant when the trip from New York u
Washington and return will be accomplish
ed for the sum of ten dollars, that is only
five dollars for distance of about two hun
dred and twenty. five miles. Already by
the competition introduced in the estab-
lshment Of q through line to New York
from Washington by the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad the fare has been reduced "a
six dollars and fifty cents, and when the
new road between Philadelphia and Balti-
more is completed, SO that the entire dis
tance can be under the control of that road
there will undoubtedly be a reduction t.
the five dollar fare already alluded TO. This
would indeed be a public benelaction, and
the B. * 0. road has already begun TO feel
the effects Of the reduction. The accident
to the train Of the Baltimore and Potomac
railroad about the 5th of March, when sew
eral people were killed and injured, and
the lives of tho President and his party
were imperilled, has thrown large amount
Of travel on the Baltimore and Ohio road
from Baltimore to Washington, and it i:
constantly increasing, as the care taken in
the management OF that road is of the mi
nutest description. AUGUsT.