Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-03-06
FROM WASHINGTON.
tFrOm our Regular cOrr.,pOnS.ni.I

business Is moving along quietly IN
! Congress, but there are indications that
rapid progress will be made hereafter.
The committees OF the House have been
working like beavers piling up and
marking out business for consideration
on the floor and when the reports begin
to come in there will be lively work.
President-making is the chief business
Of interest outside Of Congress, and on
the Republican side great deal Of anx-
ious attention is being given to the con-
test now going on in the State of New
York over the selection of delegates.
The friends of Mr.. Arthur are straining
every nerve to capture a majority ofthe
delegation and hope by that means to Sc
cure the solid vote of the State for the
man who John Sherman when Secreta-
ry of the Treasury, said was not worthy
to be entrusted with the office of collec-
tor of the port of New York. But they
have found good deal of strong oppO-
sitiOn which develops more and more
every day. The tools and methods re-
lied upon by Arthur to secure the State
for him are satisfactory to the better
elements of the party. They belong
purely to the lowest machine workers
and tactics. The strongest point made
by the Presidents friends i'm his favor is
that he has done nothing to offend any
body; and it is true that large quanti-
ty of empty champagne bottles are the
sole monuments of Mr.. Arthur's official
career. He dont't even fill vacancies in
office when they occur, least the unsuc-
cessful applicants should be against
him, but holds them open to promise
and tra1n fn, 1nlocsofoa
many vacancies which have been ac-
cumulating for several months and old
politicians are beginning to remark that
the President is OVERRIDING the thing
and that it will finally do him more
hurt than good.
In this connection I may state that
Mr.. Springer's proposition for an
amendment to the Constitution, maxi
ing the Presidential term six years, and
rendering the President ineligible to re-
election for the next succeeding term,
is received with great favor. 1t provides
for direct vote for President in each
State and abolishes the electoral college.
Each State shall have a number of
votes equal to the number of its Rep
resentatives and Senators in Congress,
to be given to each candidate in proper
ton to the total vote cast for each. The
term of Representatives in Congress is
fixed at three years, and Congress shall
meet each year on the first Wednesday
in January the first session to convene
in the January succeeding the Novem-
Der election. There are many consider
ations to recommend these changes, not
the least of which would be raising the
Presidential Office and administration
to something above a scheming ma
chine for the succession.
| Some idea of the danger we are ap-
preaching through the destruction of
, our forests may be gathered form
the fact, reported by one of the first
| lumber statisticians now living, that
the entire stock of standing white-pine
in the United States does not exceed so,
000, ,000,0 900, feet, which Includes the
small and interior trees which used to
be thought not worth cutting, and 10,-
000, 100000 feet out of these $4,000, 900,
OOO are cut every year, with the de-
mand steadily increasing. The annual
value of the product of our mills as it
falls from the saw is 100000, 900, of
which white-pine is the chief item. At
the lumber-yard from which it is OBJ
tanned by the cOnsummer, the worth of
this annual product is so per cent.
more, or $3.50, 0,0O0,0 900. To replace this
from other countries, which, by the
way, is an impossibility, would require
more than all the tonnage of the world
for its transportation, and it would then
cost in the yard more than twice what
it does now. Here then, we have an
annual deficit of 81, 600, 100000 to say
nothing Of the loss from gripping of
manufactures depending on working
wood, and the arrangements of the wa
ter supply. In Michigan to-day, good,
standing pine, bought of the United
Safes Government for $3.50 per acre, is
valued at 5000 per acre, and yet the re-
morseless slaughter of our remnant of
| pine timber goes on at increasing speed;
and the cut of last year was the greatest
ever known. One out of the eight
years supply is thus entirely taken
away, and the end is therefore close at
hand unless we begin to economize.
These are cold facts to which Congress
should promptly apply remedial legisla-
| ton.
Hon. John B. Alley and family, of
Massachusetts, and Col. Bob Ingersoll
and family left Washington few days
since for New Mexico where they have
gone to take possession of the Bosler in
terests in Dorsey,s ranch, which is so
miles long and "a miles wide, and wa
tered by the Chico Springs River.
There are now on it 45, 900 head of cat
tie and 900 horses, divided into small
herds, each one of which has its corral
and herdsman's house. Dorsey mort
gagged one-half interest in this estate to
the late Mr.. Bosler, to raise the ready
cash necessary for his defense when he
stood his trial in the Star route cases.
and the death of BOsler placed him in
an unpleasant pecuniary position. Col.
Ingers0ll extricated him by convincing
Mr.. Alley that it was good invest
ment, and Mr.. Alley drew his check for
$400, 900 to clinch his bargain, following
itin few days by $4,000 more. Mr..
Alley may, after all, have the seat in
the United States Senate which his
friends have claimed for him, coming
from New Mexico, however, instead of
Massachusetts,. PHoNo.
For Sale.
l IA IL