Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-23

With the exception Of occasional gl1mpSeS OF
what the miners cali pay color, 1T must be said
that up to this point the Shipherd investigation
has hardly panned out In the way the public was
led to expect from the character of the surface in
dicatonS. Mr.. Shipherd has way of leading his
hearers to think he Is on the point or disclosing
something very wonderful, but when he opens his
budget 1t is found TO contain very little after all
that any one really cares much about. Is 1t pos
sible that Mr.. Shipherd is posing as person who
knows great deal IL he only would tell 1t, In order
20 advertise himself and his schemes as things Of
some consequence? Just where the hitch exists in
the case is hard to determine as yet. Various
theories are held 1t may be one thing, and it may
be another. To resume mining metaphors, when
a venture OF which great deal was expected
turns out to be failure that result Is sometimes
due to the fact that the digging was done In the
wrong place, though in good faith, and sometimes
TO the fact that there is really in the vicn-
fty- IL happens too, occasiOnly, that prospectors
themselves are not always willing to disclose the
true vein. Meantime, however, those who are In
search OF spring novelties should not despair Mr..
Shipherd may do better by and by. Besides, it
must not be forgotten that some other gentlemen
are TO be heard from after he gets through. Gen.
eral Hurlbut Will probably take the stand, and
when he does his story viii doubtless be worth
listening to. He Is liable TO have views on any sub
ject that interests him. and he has moreover pic
turesque and emphatic way of expressing them.
Advocates OF the franking privilege say that
"the postal service is Intended the public" and
that therefore there Is neither sense nor reason in
compelling members of Congress to pay postage
on thousands of letters to their constituents in
answer to inquiries" The answer to this is that
1t Is as much the business OF meNSer Of Congress
TO answer the inquiries OF his constituents it Is
that OF merchant 10 send out circulars and
answer the letters of his correspondents 1t is all
In the line OF business, and if has the right to
send his mail matter free the other Is equally en-
titled to the privilege. The talk about one being
public and the other private interest Is all bosh
Running for Congress is business occupation as
much as practicing law, carrying on a store, Or
running factory, and should be put upon precise
ly the same footing as those pursuits.
The editor OF the Providence Press does not hest
tate TO intimate in so many words that Mr. VIII
liam Brown, the noted Kentucky letter writer,
made persistent efforts to get Office under Gar
field on the plea OF having helped nominate him, I"
and leaves the cruel inference TO be drawn that
disappointment the Inspiration of that gentle
mans recent assaults upon the late Presidents
reputation. What the facts may be in this instance
we have no means OF knowing: but Ii Is safe as
general thing to assume that there is a grievance
OF some sort at the bottom Of the matter when
ever the memory Of the dead is assa1led. Mr.
Browns case is probably no exception to this rule
1t Is understood that it cost something over
5000 TO carry the Congressional mourners from
Washington to Cleveland and back. on the occa-
Sion OF the Garfield funeral. This Is about $50 a
piece Considering that the railway company fur
nished transportation free, the sum named must be
supposed TO represent what it cost to furnish food
beverages. carriage hire and other light refresh
ments suitable for a season of mourning 1t seems
Ike LIBERAL allowance, to say the least, and
ought to cover g cod many nice extras