National Republican., 1883-08-07
THE MAN on THE AVENUE.
Small Talk About MEN and Measure

high treasury official, in conversation or
that subject yesterday, said: "The arrogance
and the disregard of public opinion and the
rights Of labor shown by the men at the head
of the Western Union will result, as sure as
fate, in the establishment of postal telegraph
system by the general government. look
upon this move as inevitable. Gould and his
advisers have certainly lost their heads in
this crisis and long train Of disasters will
follow / am informed on what believe to
be reliable authority that the telegraph COM
pany is not doing one-twentioth of the
business that was handled before the
strike began. Their business has suffered
woefully, and ii would tako q year to regain
the confidence of the public and get back the
lost patronage, even though they were to
take the striking operators back and give
them what they ask. Business mon will not
TAX chances on the wires now,and confidence
once lost is difficult to regain
"How will tho postal telegraph be estab-
lished what will be the first step2'
Congress will appropriate money and
place it at the disposal of the postmaster
general with directions to build telegraph
lines. That will be all it can do. No mem
ber of congress would dare advocate the pur-
chase of the Western Union plant at any
thing like figure the company would want
for it, and claim that it is worth The inha-
ton of the stock from small figure to $780,
100000 puts the purchase of the Western
Union lines at anything like their true value
entirely out Of the question. If the govern
ment goes into the thing, and it will have
to, it will build its own lines"
s4n
Surgeon General Hamilton, of the marine
hospital service, has received letter from
C. L. O'Hora, treasurer of the Seymour paper
company Of New York, one of the largest, If
not the very largest paper manufacturing
concern in tho United States, in which some
facts relative to the trade in Egyptian rags
are given that are of peculiar interest at this
time. The first part of the letter is about the
recent shipment of rags to the company repre-
sented by tho writer, and it is shown that the
Objectionable merchandise was shipped from
Cairo before cholera appeared in that city.
In conclusion he writes:
"The problem with us is the future of
Alexandria egypt rag business. We shall
buy no rags for long time to come, but what
is the limit of time when it will be safe to
ion from you OH this point would be valuable,
but presume you are not prepared to give
it, have thought this matter over and cal
see no light. 1t may be of interest to you to
know that 5000 or 6,O0O tons of rags are
exported annually from Egypt 1--WE have
about half the CROP, and nearly all come to
the United States--the remainder to Eng
land. My estimate is that 1,500 to 1000 tons
are in the country now, from the contents of
the rag bags all over the country to the bales
in the "shoonahs" awaiting shipment. OF
course all these rags must be put under the
ban because q small portion, perhaps one ton,
may be infected If there is no outlet for them
most of them will be saved until the markets
are open, and why not the infected with the
others. The true remedy would be for the
Egyptian government to have the entire
stock burned (paying for them frst), but they
won't do this, as it would benefit only the
people of other countries-we may say Eng
land and the United States only-no other
nations using more rags than they produce
80
/ United States consuls abroad are at work
on reports in explanation of the credit sys-
TENS in vogue in the various commercial ma
tions of the world with view of ascertain
ing to what extent trade is stimulated by
credits, if at all, and what are the legitimate
results of the system. The inquiry was set
on foot at the instance of the Scranton board
Of trade.
&#M
Mr.. John McEmery, of New Orleans, brother
of Gov. McEmery, says there is only one
opinion in Louisiana and Mississippi on the
river improvement question, and that every
body is in favor of the levee system as the
only means of preventing annual inunda'
tions. "Mr. Cowden and Capt. Leathers dc
not make much headway, nor do l hear o.
them gaining any converts to their outlet
SYSTEM" He said last evening.
"Mr. McEnery is keen observer of politics
and is really much brighter man than has
brother. He could go to the front any time
in the place of the other member Of the fam,
lily, but he prefers to make his fortune before
starting out on that lay, and he is making one
very fast. He gives as his opinion, however
that Senator Jones is in the lead in the sen.
atorial race, and that 1t looks very much as
though he would be his own successor. Mai
Ned Burke, who was at one time accused OF
having his eye on the senate, is out as al
avowed candidate for the office. He now holds
that of state treasurer and Gov. McEnery
wants to succeed himself. The legislature
that is to be elected next spring will name
the senator, whose official term will not be-
gin for two years from March A, 1885,"
~"@
A western republican member has reviewed
the field, and gives as his opinion that Ran
dali will be elected speaker next xtwinter "rht
democrats would much prefer Carlisle" he
said "but his election would mean presiden
tial campaign fought on the tariff issue mex
year, and if there is any issue the democatl
are afraid of it is that one The democratic
, free traders in the senate and house hav
found that they overestimated the strength
f ofthe sentiment against protection, and are moi
pressing the issue to the frontas energeticall,
as they were few months ago, They SCI
that the drift is against them and they are
reluctantly preparing to fall back. HoadlS
tried to make hit on free trade, but fount
1t wouldn't work. All this hurts Carlisle
! whose free trade sentiments are known tn,
country over. The democrots will be afrai,
to commit their party to that policy, and the.
will accordingly elevate Randall to the posi-
, tion hs aspires, or somebody else of equal,
! pronounced protection views, There is no
0 body else, come to think of it,"
: