The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-12-28
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.

mas RETURNED from SL. Lewis, where he
addressed a convention of sorghum
sugar growers. The commissioners adj
dress embraced the state of the indus
try at the present day, the work of the
department in this direction, its con-
illusions and those of the committee of
the national ACADEMY of science, and
at its close resolution was enthusi-
astically adopted thanking DR.. Loring
for the sound judgment he had exer-
cised, and the judicious course he
has pursued in his investiga-
lions. DR.. Loring has done
good deal of running about the
country since he came into his Office,
and the press during the summer
months were full of charges that he
was using the governments time to
advance his own financial standing by
lecturing at country fairs, ct cetera,
for so much per discourse. This NAV
be partially so, but one thing is certain,
and that is that he is not near so ex-
travagant in his ideas of conducting
the agricultural department as his
predecessor was.
LoquaciouS Congressman Robins
son, of Massachusetts, says
that it would be money in Uncle
Sans pocket to send the entire senate
and house of representatives down
the Mississippi river and let them see
for themselves the magnitude of the
work that must be done there if the
channel of that mighty river is to be
confined and controlled. The infer
ence is that the job is too big an one
even for this Opulent government. He
may be right, and probably the
schemes for which congress is
asked to make appropriations are
a little reckless, but it is a fact
worthy of notice that any bill, how
ever reasonable, which appropriateS a
little filthy lucre for the land looking
towards the Gulf is always ridiculed
and denounced by the gentlemen COM
ing from the states in the vicinity of
the the state from which Robinson
comes. Countless thousands of dol
lars have been appropriated to Boston
and millions have been given to New
York City to have Hellgate fixed, but
any bill which will appropriate money
to improve the harbOrS of other cities is
promptly attacked by the virtous press
of the two cities named. To date no
new commissioner has been appointed
to fill Major Morgan's place, Mr.. John
F. Ohmstead, formerly of New York
state, has been nominated by Chester
Arthur to fill the seat. 1t was thought
that Chiefs" nominee probably in
spired by the lordly Roscoe would
rush through the senate like flash.
But the aged solons in that body
seemed determined to set down on the
reckless style of nominating adopted
by Arthur, and spent large portion
of Monday and Tuesday discuss
ing the fitness and anetcedents
of the said OlmStead. The selection
of a district of Columbia commits
sioner Is a matter of national concern,
and too much care cannot be used in
giving the right man one of the three
seats. Morgan, whose time has ex-
pired is police commissioner, and gave
general satisfaction for his salary I'M
til the recent scandalous developments
in the detective and police depart
ments of the district. He might not
be guilty of any wrong-doing, al
though he is suspicioned, but he is
blamed for the laXlty of management
which allowed so many scoundrels
to be among our guardians. Gen.
West may be said to be the boss Com
missioner. Heruns business very much
as he pleases, and he has declared his
intention to have first-claSs purging
of the District police officers. This
may be to spite Morgan, for he and
Morgan are not very fond of each
other, and last summer burst into open
eruptions in the newspapers. For the
last week Morgan has been going to
the senate chamber to lobby for him
self, and it was always noticeable that
West had pressing business there after
he left.
The amusement season is at its
height in brilliant Washington. Our
three theatres are in full blast, to-
gether with the numerous halls, for
which the national capital is justly
noted, and are all nightly crowded.
Thomas w. Keene, as ''Richelieu," is
PLAYING to immense houses at the
National, and the Irish AriStocracy,"
a side-splitting play, is hauling in big
gangs at Ford's, while Col. Shell
bakers naked-girl variety theatre
is nightly filled with spicy
and enthusiastic crowd, a large per-
statesmen, aged society men and
other pious voters who laugh and
seem to have keen and more than
youthful ambition for surveying the
sights afforded by feminine perfec-
lions. Last night your correspondent,
a religious and unaSSuming young
man of clerical turn of mentality,
hauled up at the comique (this is the
place., and the seat market being linn
tied and in active demand, was forced
to camp behind an aged burly con-
gresham representing an Indiana
rural district. When Ada Castleton
appeared above the footlights, the
statesman, who had never been to
Washington before, flew into ecStacieS
of laughter and continued throughout
the entire piece to exclaim, Holy
Moses, what a beautyl' and other I'M
righteous illusions. If some people
knew what their representatives did
in this town they would send here and
watch them.
The holidays are upon US, and many
of the public men Will leave the city
to recruit themselves at home. But
Texas is very far from here, and it is
doubtful whether many of the states
men from our state will reach home.
However, they need not fret, for Wash
ington is the very best city in the
world to spend a jovial Christmas Day
n;good liquor, fish, flesh and fowl and
the other inside adjuncts to human
happiness prevail here in abundance,
| and at fair prices. 1t is no exaggera-
ton to say that some of the Washing
ton hotels set out the best meals in
the universe, and where can prettier
girls be found than here in the winter
season? A wit on one of the local
papers undertook to tease the Texas
delegation a few days ago by
telling them that they could
go and come but once session
A. j. Peeler, Esq, of Austin, is
here, stopping at the Metropolitan no
tel. He represents the interest of the
state in the great land case to be de-
cided before the United States SUI
preme court. He has been admitted
to practice at the court, and an effort
has been made to have the case tried
at this sitting of the court, but to date
it was not placed on the docket.
There are great many newly mar
ried Texas couples at the national
capital. No greater evidence can be
produced of the wealth and refine
ment to be found in the state.
More again. L. S.
The Government Clock.
american Register.J
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