Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-09
WASHINGTON IN A LETTER.
Pathetic and Pertinent Personal and
Political Prattle.

good deal being said just now in favor of
the enactment of an income tax law
The talk in this direction will grow. it is
always a predecessor to a Democratic
House of Representatives This fact is
due to the well-known sympathy of the
Democratic party with the poor man.
The poor man wants an income tax. 1t
would lessen his burden and make the
rich pay more proportionately IN accord
ance with the wealth which they enjoy
There are many things to be said in favor
OF an income tax, and some Things to
be said against it. Six years ago
Democratic House endeavored to enact
such law, but found itself divided. and
the result was a failure The attempt
will be made again next session. The
Hon. ). ). Cox is full of the theme.
lie announced to a friend, while in the
city the other day, that he would intro
duce bill, and as early after the first
Monday OF December next as possible,
and try to have it favorably reported bv
the Ways and Means Committee. mDos-
ing tax on all incomes over 81. 200 a wear
1t is doubtful if such bill can pass. 1t
IS an axiom, that whether there is
Democratic or Republican House the
wealth OF the country generally manages
TO nave legislation drift in the
general way that it wants it to. 1t is la
mentable that such is the fact, but it is.
At any rate the question of taxing in
comes will be one of prominence before
the next session. 1t will create when it
comes up one of the liVeliest debates of
the session.
SENATOR EDMUNDS, OF VERMONT,
is receiving a great deal of sympathy just
now from his friends here. Not long ago
Mr.. Edmunds lost a beautiful daughter
from that dread disease, cOnsump-
ton. He had done all he could
distinguished medical attendance to save
her, but it was in vain. The Senator is a
widower. He has but one child remaining
to him, also a daughter. She is as beau
tl1ul as her sister was, and, sad to say, is
afflicted with the same fatal disease. She
is dying slowly. Her father is constantly
by her side. He has had more sorrow to
his lot than falls to the average man.
Many people have wondered why he has
never pushed dhimselfpolitically or allowed
himself to be pushed by his friends. 4
personal friend of his told me to-day that it
was because of the family Affections
Until his wife died Edmunds was a very
ambitious man politically. His ardOr
was dampened by her death, and COM
pletely killed when he lost his first
daughter. Edmunds is now centent to be
a Senator from Vermont, which position
it is unnecessary to state he will hold as
long as he lives and has the inclination.
THE ONLY NOTABLE PREsENCEs
i'll Washington just now, beyond an old
stray statesman or two, are the new men
who will take their seats in the next
House. These gentlemen in taking their
summer vacation manage to drop in on
Washington, just to see how
the thing looks. The majority
of them are thus paying their first visits
to the national capital. The House of
Representatives is hermetically closed.
But as soon as the new member gets here
he hies himself to the capitol to take
look on the scene of his future glOry-and
gets disappointed in not being able to Sc
cure admittance. A watchman at the
capitol told me that not day passes that
he has not requests from two or three men
who will be members of the next House
to be shown through the hall where they
Will play their little acts. These new
members are not at all modest. They
beam with Importance and even attempt
to oyeraWe that important parsonage,
the hotel clerk. AS member of Congress
is very common thing here he does
not Oyerawe the average citizen.
Therefore how futile it is to attempt to
down the hotel clerk! The visiting new
members who are known to be such give
their views very freely to the local re-
p0rters. In the measure of being refresh
ing these views are a godsend in this
warm weather.
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT
is just now worried about smuggling ON
small scale which has been going on
from over the Canadian border for some
time. Beet is cheaper in Canada than IN the
united states. 1t appears from the reports
received at the Treasury Department that
half dozen enterprising butchers on the
Canadian side have been sending over
their newly dressed beef and selling it in
the United States, and thereby they have
done thriving trade. That cOnglome-
ration, the new tariff BILL put duty on
dressed beef that renders its importation
by no means profitable when the duty is
paid. 1t appears, however, that the peO-
pie who are now guilty were not cogni-
zant of the new tarifflaw or either did not
understand it. In the latter position they
are not alone, as the Treasury Depart
ment officials themselves do not under
stand that law. After worry
ing over the matter for
sometime, those who were guilty of buying
the Canadian dressed beef (that is, those
who were detected in the transaction
have not yet been prosecuted. The Treas
ury Department has arrived at the con-
clusion to allow them to 90 free by the
paying Of the full value of the ''smuggled"
article.
TREASURER WYMAN
said to-day: "There is at least one thing
that the standard silver dollar is good
for. 1t is very convenient in moving
the crops. Annually about this time the
silver dollar commence to boom, and the
demand for it keeps up until the middle
of October. 1t is wanted in handling the
productions Of the soil. This year is no
exception. The demand for the silver dol
lar is increasing every day. Bankers all
over the country, especially in the South
and Southwest, are sending for them. We
are abundantly able to supply every de-
mand that may be made upon us, and are
making large shipments daily. The sill
yer dollar may be derided, but it is very
convenient in supplying the place small
notes, OF which there is not a sufficient
amount to meet the demands made by all
the branches of trade and commerce in
this country"
Gath's View of the Probable Outcome
of the Telegraphers' Strike.
Gath, in a special to the Cincinnati En-
Qltlrer, says:
Several cards and letters have been
sent me by your readers to ask, on behalf
of members of their families, whether the
toll i. .-Nn.f l. I