Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1884-10-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
fian oar Regrl,u' Correspondent

From oar Regtiu Corrcpoa9cati
WASHINGTON. ID. c., Oct 24ih.
DEAR FREE Press; Washington with
one eye skauce on the political field, is in
an unhappy state ot anxiety jus; now. The
average Washingtonaa does not stand on
velvet during presidential campaign.
asked a real estate agent this morning
what five acres Of land on the hills two
miles west of the city could be bought for
II, replied 20 is high and will cost $500 an
acre" "Blt viii it net come down ," Not
ii Blaine IS elected he said. Il thought
YOU were q Democrat, said l. And SO
am, he replied, but Blaine is in the syn
dictate that owns all the land ont there, and
if he Is elected it will, of course. have a big
BOOM"
The fact is that Blaine is in the syndicate
tina, controls not only large portion Of the
best real estate about Washington. but he
is ia the syndicate that controls the rail-
roads, and the corporations thai levy, d.
rectly or Indirectly. taxes on fifty millions
of people Heis in fact. of the syndicate
that owns this government Nine ;enths
of tine people OF this city who hold Office. or
are supported through the patronage OF the
Republican syndicate, are trenblingly
anxious for Mr. B,sine's election. This is
why they DO not like Mr. Blaine in the
Hooking Valley speculation stand ON
velvet
There Is no doub, that the city would be
more prosperous under the millionaire mo-
nopolist dispeusatiou that Blaine would
bring. than under the plain and frugal adj
miuistration of Cleveland.
II has been said that, during the reign Of
Louis NV all the blood and treasure of
France was used t. feed the bloated excres-
cence Of the Capital. \ parallel may not
be wanting in our own country and time.
ann told that ii is Mr.. Blaine's intention,
if he shall be elected to live IN his own
grand house on Dupont circle, using the
White House only for Offices and for great
receptions. Mrs. Blaine is not a society
woman in the popular sense, she is devoid
of the magnetism with which her husband
is supposed 10 be loaded, and would no
doub, prefer the seclusion Of private home,
after the notoriety of The campaign that is
JUS, closing.
The work of the campaign is over so far
AS the Democratic managers are concerned
AZ this centre. The Republicans too, have
distributed all their documents, and have
now little to do besides seeing that their
brides are judiciopsiy placed, and that every
Government clerk shall 90 home to vote in
the doubtful states
The coming session promises TO be one Of
unusual interest and the fact that a new
president will be iuaugurstsd on the fourth
of March, The day it closes, will keep inter
est alive 10 the last. If Cleveland shall be
the success sul candidate, as now seems
probable Washington sill bo shaken up
politically. officially, and socially as she has
never been since Mr. Lincoln made his en-
free twenty-five years ago The city has
/ quairupled her population and Occupied her
wealth since that time, so yhat a shaking
up viii be a much bigger local agitation
that it was then. Wei, the health of the
city aud especially che Government needs
the shaking up. Some public men wili be
hur, and the Republican party will be us-
tery shaken to pieces Berot Of office it
VIII have nothing 20 hold it together, and
Che political philosopher, going about with
a lamp. will meet with no better success in
dnd.o. Republicans, than did Diogoncs in
/ his search for au honest man.