Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-11-01

consequent upon the accession of ;
Democratic majority, are all aniici
pated with eager interest. Presiden
tial possibilities may be met every
day and the long list that will appear
upon this scene of action before thu
season is far advanced is almost ludi
crous to contemplate, as we'll as pa
thetic, when one thinks of the ambi
tious, human hopes that will be
blighted with the frosts Of 1884.
But do not imagine the local pros.
perity Of Washington is dependent on
anything so evanescent as Congress
that comes and goes in the space Of
six months. Such might have been
the case in more primitive times, but
now the city has perennial resources
independent of the presence Of the
national Legislature.
The vast machinery Of the United
States government, by which the ma
tional affairs of nearly sixty millions
of people are conducted, being CEN
tered here, entails the employment of
thousands of people, and consequent
ly the expenditure of immense sums
of money. The government expen-
ses are one and half million month
ly, or eighteen millions yearly. This
amount discussed regularly to gov
eminent officials and employees with
out regard to seed time or harvest, or
other matters which to some extent
effect the business centers Of trade
elsewhere, insures to the Capital a
more uniform local business than any
other city enjoys. Then, again, the
bold system Of public improvements
wrought out for Washington by such
progressive engineers as L'Enfant,
Shepherd, and Twining, has furnish
ed work to thousands of laborers, and
has done for the Capital of the Uni
ted States what Hansmann and Ma
poleon III did for Paris. 1t has
grown so substantially and improved
so beautifully in the last two decades
that persons of wealth and culture
from every section Of the Union are
seeking permanent homes here. They
are attracted as much by its physical
beauty perhaps as by its political or
social advantages, and, wooed by
winter sunbeams,' visitors from the
north, and west, make the Capital as
desirable resort in winter as Ocean
Grove, Saratoga, and New York are
in summer.
There is every probability of a
crowded city this winter. The Real
Estate Men report that they could
rent ten times the number of houses
they have on their books. There are
hundreds of boarding houses in Wash
ington. The house that does not
hang a sign "Rooms to Rent is ex-
ceptional, almost every house holder
in Washington ekes out his income
in this way. Small houses are
scarce; the real estate men say that
ground is too high in the city limits
to pay to build small tenements. For
this reason people with small incomes
have to take large houses and sub
rent to set the price down with their
means. Washington becomes a camp
IN the winter. One-thlrd OF the pop
ulation is transient. 1t seeks Con-
gress as summer flies swarm to a
lamp. Here is the center of legisla-
ton, of power, of national wealth, Of
political preferment Of social stand
ing. Fifty million people look to
Washington every day as the index
of their progress. The news from
Washington is no small item in the
daily lives. Is it any wonder there
fore that this place attract crowds Of
visitors from all parts Of the Union.
An Answer Wanted