South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-09-14
Letter from Washington.
From Oar RegaIar cmrespoa aent.
WAsnrNoroN. ID. G. Sept. no.

ing winter, to haunt the galleries, the
Hobbies, and the waiting.rooms of the
capitol and ply their vocation. One
OF the most notorious, aud at the same
time one OF the most successful of
these fema.e Lobbyists has just died in
Philadelphia almshousc. In her
youihhoOd she was fascinating to the
lisenthrallment of statesmen AID di-
piomats aud men supposed 10 be in.
vulnerable to female charms. She
led them all in her train for she was
perfect adept IN the ar, sIe had chosen
for her Washington existence. Yet
she was incapable oil intrigue, and no.
body ever for q moment questioned
her chastity, else her usefulness TO her
self and her art would have been pas.
She was prudent to u degree that er-
abled her to accomplish her work sue
ccssfuliy aud many dollar did she
lay by TO be expended upon a thrift
less husband. Few OF the women
who pose as lobbyists in these days
ainoCnt to much in that line, because
the times and the names Of the law.
makers are essentially different from
those Of thirty years ago.
These women lack circumspection
and they are wanting in almost every
necessary quality for the gaining Of
influence enough over the votes OF
Congressman TO make their purchase
an object. Consequently year by
year the female lobby decreases in
m tNr
SIGNALS are concerned, but their places
are more than filed by the persistent
female who desires, and makes her de-
sire equivalent to Il demand fora clerk.
ship in some one Of the departments.
For lack Of nerve, or some other
cause, these persistent creatures are
not hustled out even after they have
threatened the life OF the Official who
has politely informed them that there
arc no vacancies; and one young In
dy who has already perforated the son
OF Senator, has signilied her inteu>
ton OF repeating the operation upon
the Secretary Of the Treasury in case
OF his refusal 10 approve her applica.
ton for place il his department.
Such prank3 as these are not calcula-
ted 10 invest the public mind with the
cxpcdlency and Eropriety or justice o:
filling up the departments with this
sort OF clerical help.
There has recently dawned another
era OF investigation under the ausp.
ces OF the Internal Revenue depart
ment, upon the reported discovery
that the revenue officers in the upper
part OF South Carolina have been on
the still-hunt, ut the price Of SO per
still, Tor some cars past; AID this is
another instance Of the alertness ofthe
watchdog5 Of our p.cthoric Treasury.
The mode adopted for this new fang.
led compound felony is 10 hire charac
terless persons to put up old stills in
some vast and remote wilderness and
when the job is complete these reven.
ne officers come down upon that o.!
still, like the wolfnpon tho Arayrians.
capture the material anl get the Gov.
crnment reward OF $50 for the seizure.
These captures are always made in
the night, because internal revenue
officers can always see better at that
time. The same material is then lug.
gcd Oft to 10 duty III some other part
of the State, the same officers Selling
it again and bagging another 500, ana
SO on until there is no rest for the old
still. And beside the reward OF $50,
which these officers receive for each
seizure. they get tirst,clas3 sond.oF
from the department for their adroit
ness and official canning in smell.no
out the existence Of these Illicit stills
IN mountain businesses, whcro no man
but revenue officer would ever
think of looking for one. and tue
rhetoric Of the department is eXpond
ed in the elaboration of it's wonderful
achievements in the direction Of ex,
tinguishiug Illicit stills that never pc
gan to have an existence.
Attention is just now being attrac.
ted to one OF the minor evils OF too
high tariff by reports that there is q
great amount of SMUGGLING across our
! Canadian frontier. 1t is even said
that for every dollars worth Of goods
on which duty is collcc cd 200
worth Of goods are smuggIed into tits
country from the British Provinces
A little reflection is all that Is neces e.
sary to show that the contrabani ,rlf.
fic oyera line of This character, stretch
ing thousands Of miles. muslin The M.
turc of thirgg bc enormous ! you'd
require vast army Of cu-tom.house
officers to prevent it. 1t suit OF
clothes. pair OF boots, or almost any
other protected article costs nearly
twice as much 10 the United States as
IN Canada, i' it - be expected that
our citizens living near The border
will pay the duty when 10 can 80 casl-
/ ly be cyadcd? or course tho incy!ta.
bic result is THAT persons fayorably
situated compromising q consiIera-
bic share Of orr population all along
the Dominion bDrlar--avojd tho hel.
West part Of tho taxation horne bv i,,.ir