Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-12-20
AT THE CAPITAL.
A CHATTY LETTER FROM oURREeUL ~
CORRESPONDENT. 5
The Daily Press-Wiy It is a Falure-A
Long Primer Town-Bob Burdets's
Remark-lmpeeuniosity-
Guiteau.
THE NATIONAL BANKRUPT Law.

the Sunday papers this morning the
thought occurred to me THAI Washington
| orght at least furnish journals OF national
prominence. The seat of the national gov
| eminent, where the best intelligence of the
| country is supposed to centre, where poll
cies are shaped and moulded, where the
| first intelligence of events affecting the
| common welfare is received, ought to be
| the place of publication of newspaper that
would prosper and secure and retain the
attention of the whole country. And yet
Washington is sort of
Newspaper Golgotha.
1t is o bad place for skulls, so far as jour
terprises of that character in existence here
are but slialy supported, and the history
of the Capital is strewn with newspaper
carcasses. The time was when the various
administrations had their organs here, and
the crossroads politicians all over the
country looked to- them for their inspira
ton. They furnished dry reading for the
most part, and within comparatively re.
cent times it was proposed that the worst
| class of criminals should be condemned 10
read the old National Lteliiqeaccr in lieu of
capital punishment. But they spoke cc
CGthcdra, and their utterancea commanded
the attention of at least the party in power.
That day seems 10 be over.
The Present Administrations,
ii it has an organ. at least reserves tie
right TO disavow any OF its statements that
turn out To be unpalatable. The rapid
growth of teleSraphic facilities puts the
newspapers Of the other large cities Of the
continent on an almost perfect equality, so
far rs Washington news is concerned, with
the local press. The leading papers Of New
York, and Cincinnati, and Chicago, not
only vie with, but outstrip their local breth-
ren in the presentation of news from the
National Capital. Not only absolute news,
but forecast, and comment, and eXplana-
ton are sent nightly over the wires by the
leading representatives Of the mctroioll-
tan press, and in many cases over private
wires. with fullncss of scope and com
plctencss of detail which is wonderful
The Rest Exponents
of American journalism find their way
here during the Congressional season. PO-
litiCal economists and constitutional advis-
crs. as well as news gathercrs sound COM
mentatorS on current history like NOrd-
hOir and BOynton. AS well as picturesque
deScriptioniStS like Townsend, who ClOthc
the skeleton Of fact with the rich garb of
fancy. and give not only the body but the
spirit Of the aye in which their work is
done, are sent here every winter To furnish
their contribution for the readers Of the
outside press. Add to this the fact that in
most instances the Washington press is
controlled by
Marrow and selfish Influences
and there is sufficient explanation of its
inf pf,ri,ritr fnrtlnr A. Y
sitiOn is necessary ii may he found in the
fact that Washington is bynO means a COM
| merCial CITY, and advertisements, those
| chief nourshCrs in liles feast, SO far as
| newspaper prosperity is concerned, are
| comparatively scarce. After all the advcr-
tisrr controls the measure OF q newspapers
usefulness. There said genial Bob
Burdcttc rs lie pointed to the business
manager of his cheerful journal, there is
the greatest editor of our able organiza-
tion. He edits the
Spinal Column"
talked sometime since with one Of the
old regime Of Washington editors who had
gotten out Of active participation in news
papcr work, and was in a condition 10
philosophisC upon the subject. II was one
of the editors and managers he said, "of
the old Washington Patriot a newspaper
that was started with the avOwed purpose
of becoming national journal. II was the
only newspaper | ever saw which had more
money than IL wanted from beginning 10
| end. II was conducted on metropolitan
| ideas: had q staff Of editors, reporters and
| C0rrlsLOndCnts sufficient to run the London
! TiwC, and was carried on in an unCNCcp-
| tionahlc manner SO long as ii lastcd. The
only trouble was that after a full and talr
cypc.imcnt We found that the available
| support was about sufficient to support an
! establishment about OnC-tenth the size OF
| ours, and having no ambition 10 run an
| affair of that kind We concluded 10 discon.
| tinue 1t was the old story Of nonpariei
! paper in
Long Primer Town.
With these preliminary "reminiscences,
! the present condition Of the Washington
| newspapers can be better appreciated.
! The Post, which in some respects
! is the best edited Democratic
daily in the country, labors under the dis
! advantage OF an income INSULT.
cicnt 10 enable it to carry out to their full
! extent. the many COmmendab!c features
! Impressed upon il by the present enter
! prising management. The Republican, APP
! parently. has plenty Of money and is q
| crisp and ncwSy sheet but everybody on 1t,
! from the chief editors and the proprictorS
| down 10 the devil and feed boys. are appar-
| other and the paper has just about the
amount of influence which would be ex-
pccted from an establishment Of that
! character. The Star. which il the most
prosperous Of the lot, is little more than
a Department bulletin, and the CriIic is be.
| ing run very ably as n tender and push
| behind By the Star Route fraud defendants.
AFund for the Impecunious.
A fund for the purpose of furnishing
! return transportation 10 unfortunate VIC
| tins of decapitation by this administration
| from this city TO their homes, is the latest
| proiect of humanitarians here. \ recent
| writer estimates that there are at least ten
| thousand persons now in government en-
plov in Washington who could not get up
| in the morning and make affidavit that
something would not turn up before night
which would place his or her head in the
waste basket II is thought that this class
| would be glad to stand liberal assessments
| for fund of this character, intended for
their own benefit while Congressman and
| visitors who have, at present, 10 stand the
brunt Of impecunious constituents aud
| fellow citizens out Of a place, would come
\ in Cheerfully to promote and sustain an
| enterprise which at least would measure
their liabilities.
| The Bankrupt Law.
The difficulties which stand IN the way
| Of securing legislation on which everybody
is substantially agreed, are illustrated In
the matter of the attempt 10 re-enact
national bankrupt laws which Congress un,
fortunately saw fit TO repeal instead oi
amending. There are few business men who
do not now see the necessity o. some uniform
proceeding by which a bankrupts affairs
NAV be settled. State regulations upon
this subject differ 50 widely that no man
doing business over wide extent Of terri
tory can keep advised as to bis righu as a
creditor, where debt due him is imperii-
ed. nor property regulate his credits
with view 70 his own protection.
The old bankrupt law was undoubt-
ediy faulty. being expensive in its
operation and opening many loop holes for
fraud, but il was good deal better than
none AT all. and at least afforded basis for
impr oTements. Now, when every body Il
COW inced that the interests OF both eredi
tors and debtors require general bankrup,