The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-09-08
LOuR REauLAR LETTER |
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 4,

W Aeh1NpAON, ~ O'f W
The opinion expressed day or two
since by Judge Lawrence, First Comp
troller of the Treasury, that Congress
has power to regulate Western Union
telegraph rates, is probably scuud, from
legal standpoint. Judge Lawrence,
though somewhat ofa crank in his meth
ods and practice as an official, is univer-
sally conceded to be a good constitution
al lawyer, whose views may be generally
accepted with confidence. He says it is
an outrage that this Western Union COM
pany, which is in law common carrier,
should be allowed 10 take property worth
sl5, 600, 600, water it to $50, 100000, and
then tax the community to pay large
dividends. The proposition that no
man is entitled to more than he can earn
is false one and one very dangerous to
promulgate in a country like this, where
the chief peril lies in the possibility of
communism as the population grows so
dense as to make the struggle for life be-
come more close. Every man is entitled
to what he can honestly gain, but not
benefits conferred by charter Mt the ex-
pense of the people beyond legitimate
amount. Congress has power given to
it to fix the rates on railroads in the
constitutional prerogaiive to regulate
commerce between the States; the mum
cipalities decree what street railroads
should charge and the tariff of the hacl
driver, and why should not the telegraph
companies be dealt with in the sam,
spirit? He would not dare to predic
what would be done, under existing con
diticns, but spoke confidently as to th,
powers of Congress in the premises
There is n strong feeling here that tn
time has come for Congress to take som
action concerning this Western Unici
monopoly and it is expected that th
conf Ng session will see it done. Whethe
the new postal telegraph company will
develop into = formidable rival of the oil
opticus is not ye. clear, but the prevail
ing opini IN is that a Government posta
telegraph is ons of the certainti les of th
near future. Yet there is no dagger tina
the Government will ever purchase Mr
Jay Gou!d's lines nt bis price, which i
said to be one hundred millions.
The Washington Monument has begn,
to assume nee6le-like form and t
pierce the clouds somewhat as 1t will d
, when completed. A close study of
: from an artistic point of view shows tina
, it can scarcely fail to be impressive, bu
! equally suggests that it may very well b
allowed to stand as the last of the effort
in the direction of unmeaning bulk il
l our memorial structures. We will 500,
e haYe built up to $50 feet, an altitud
= greater than the pyramids. We are nc
- likely to go any higher. Now let thi
remain unique. The best monument
e an establishment which perpetuates a
a honored name while benefiting the nee
|, pie at large. Like the Garfield Hospital
!, library, or college. Next to that com
y structures really ornamental, like
u lriumphal arch closing vista, or con
Il bining ornament with use, like drink
ing fountain, or teaching lessons in his
tory, like trophy or a group of statue
with proper bas-reliefs. Last ofall com
IS obelisks that merely seek to stun b
II their prodigious size or brass effigi,
!, without even name to identify ther
10 the stranger In the eanens of Ia
e west ire shafts of stone flung there b
j some ruGe convulsion of nature that d
/. far surpass the laborious product {
wears of human toll and hundreds {
thousands of dollars on the shores
the Potomac rs some mountain pea
i does the tombs of the i'haToahs.
scarcely seems worth while to ,Nter int
=, this kind of competition when thel al
SO many better things TO be done. n.
u Washington Monument was in measur
y forced upon MS by the zeal of an earle
= and less taught generation. 1t is alread
"a archaic, and while we may well max
the most of it, admire its pure and loft
II outlines, mark its snowy peak from lon
d distances, and celebrate its eompletio
d with great festival in our streets. "
"a may nevertheless resolve to lat il stan
alone in its glory.
'r The General Land Office hss iui
as promulgated its returns of the sales ,
Ye public lands for the fiscal year endlu
: Juue 30th last, from which it appear
!, that 10, 035, Gs3 acres were disposed of
II an increase of more than 600 600 acr,
ID over the previous year. Nearly one-ha
= OF this large acreage was taken up uud,
= the homestead laws and about one. sixi
for timber enlture. The remainder r.
u presents sales Dakota leads the Ii