The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-02-03
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1873

WASHINGTON, Jan. 70, 1901.
Washington has never been gayer or
brighter than during this winter. So
many men of wealth from other cities
have made this their winter home,
that our old rule of having only poll
ticians and their families as our heads
of fashion has become nearly obsolete.
Some years ago Mrs. Dalalgren was
our Mother Grundy, and her book on
etiquette dictated our gloves, clothes,
dinner manners, etc., as imperiously
as the Queens mandate in Windsor
Castle, but now we have an unwritten
code of society laws imported from the
best circles of the East by representa-
tives of bluest blood, which rules us.
AS consequences our fashionable life
has in it all that appears in aristocra-
cy's dominion elsewhere, combined
with what is peculiar to the National
Capital through the exceptional infiu-
ences given by an Executive and his
Cabinet. Mr.. Hayes receptions, how
ever, are hardly as we'll attended as
formerly, and the visitor can now Sc
cure an entrance into the White House
without undergoing that crowd and
jam characterizing his receptions at
the beginning of his administration.
The cause of this evidently lies in the
fact that others hold levees on the same
evenings, thus drawing away many
who would be at the Presidents, if
now, as in the past, etiquette alone
gave him the evening.
The Mapleson Opera troupe lent its
destinations to us this week. After a
deal Of shrewd advertising speculators
gobbled all the seats and compelled
the payment Of a large bonus by the
verdant wishing to hear a good second
rate performances.
Senators Blaine and Beck have given
tho country the fullest and clearest
presentation of the Ocean Shipping
question ever made in the Senate. The
pro and con of our carrying commerce
is most ably and pithily argued in this
debate by protectionist and frt e trader,
and every American who desires to
secure the best possible light upon this
important national issue should get
and read the speeches of these two en-
inent statesmen. The issue is fairly
Joined between them, and so ably that
intelligent men who do not now un-
derstand its bearing upon our national
welfare may form a correct judgment
by reading the two arguments. Mr..
Beck, in one of his rejoinders, spoke
of Mr.. Blaine as the Premier of the
incoming administration, to which no
reply was made, thus giving confirma-
ton to what gossip has long asserted
as fact, and which we all seemingly
must accept as determined.
The Tshuantepec ship railway.pro-
ject of Capt. Eads is by no means
buried through the action of the House
Committee in refusing to guaranty his
bonds to the amount of $50,OoO, 900.
The Captain insists he will press his
measure until Congress will appreciate
its merit and superiority over all other
projected schemes for connecting the
two oceans. AS he is plucky and
persistent fellow who goes in a fight to
win, as is instanced in his securing the
endorsement of Congress to his jetties
improvements for the Mississippi river,
over the croakings of all the govern
ment engineers, we are inclined to be-
lieve he will eventually accomplish
his aim in this project. If it be prac-
ticable we hope he may, but on this
point there is undoubtedly room for
the gravest doubts.