Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-09

The Evening Star has a regular. permanent
bona fide daily circulation more than treble
that of any other daily paper published III
Washington, and equal that of all the
other daily papers here added together.
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TIE STAR Office Is connected with the Telephone
Exchange Advertisements. orders for the paper by
mail and otherwas news. any information or busl
LESS can be sent day night. free of charge
The declarations recently made on the floor OF the
House by leaders OF both sides. that Congress is
able to attend to only small fraction OF its bust
ness should attract more general attention than
they seem thus far TO have aroused Mr.. Reed gave
eight per cent as the proportion, and Mr.. Randall
admitted that this estimate was probably about
right Ii IS, however, much too favorable. In the
last Congress- out Of total of ten thousand bills
and resolutions introduced, only three hundred. or
three per cent were passed. How many more were
acted upon and rejected cannot be stated, but the
number small IL is safe say that the Forty
eighth Congress only acted on four per cent OF the
business submitted TO II.
If il be indeed true that 1t has become "physi-
cal mpossibllity," as claimed, to deal with much
larger percentage of the pubAc business than these
ngures indicate, the situation must be regarded
serious IL is not To be accepted as proven how
ever, that such is the case To begin with, Con-
gTess at present is In session less than one-haf of
the time, and when in session gives itself many
holidays, and generally adjOurns for the day before
an early dinner hour All through the first months
OF session 1t deyotes only fifteen or twenty hours
Ii week to its meetings in open house. Except at
the end OF the session, Saturday is always holi-
day and Friday generally so and fourteen out Of
twentyfOur months spent in vacations. Before
conscientious members give up in despair and claim
1t is physically impossible" TO attend to their bust
ness. they should at least give it that measure OF
their time which every successful merchant, profess
sonal man or trader devotes TO his private bust
ness
The fact that we have to go TO England to buy
TWO ships with which to organize an Arctic expedi-
ton IS a striking Illustration OF the poverty OF
own country in this respect. II time permitted we
could no doubt build the vessel, desired but crisis
finds Us wholly barren of resources. There are tits
u be- presumed, few staunch ships left In the
American whale and seal fisheries, but they are
mostly Of antique type and lily adapted to the SER
vice of cruising in polar latitudeS. The experience
with the Iantic seems to have satisfied the govern
ment that 10 ship i'll the navy is adapted for this
work.
The purchases viii remind Congress of the i'm
portance of the shipping legislation before 1t.
That we cannot find the American coasts
native ship to convey assistance to party OF our
countrymen imprisoned in the Arctic Ice is an ad-
monition and appeal 10 which Congress cannot well
be indifferent.
Congress has got into an unfortunate snarl over
the Greedy relief expedition, which members should
try TO untaDgle as soon as possible. People will
aSslredy not find fault with Secretaries Chandler
and Lincoln for going ahead their own RESPONSE
billy and negotiating for the needed vessels instead
OF waiting TIL the two houses have had their quarrel
out The dispute is largely technical and is not
one that should delay relief The general character
or the expedition is settled upon, and its probable
cost can be estimated with sufficient deniteness so
That there need be no deadlock on the amount OF
appropriation. Then as matter OF fact, the OFF,
GERS and crew Will be volunteers whether so stipu-
lated or not that Is, will be forced 60 on
the expedition, as there will be trouble in get
ting the more efficient because more hearty service
OF enthusiastic volunteers.
In his testimony before committee Of the legis-
ature the county clerk Of New York county stated
that he expended about $50 for his election The
sum, he added, might not have been more than
$2D,oC0, but he thought $4,000 would come nearer
the figure. He gave his check for $500 to the
treasurer OF Tammany Hall as his share of the cam
palgn fund Of that organization. Corruption in
Office Is the natural product Of such system. The
man who pays more TO get ofice than it is worth
lestfmately cannot be expected to administer 1t
honestly Hence IT IS not surprising that the OFF,
Gals OF New York city and county devote most Of
their attention to swelling the fees of their reSpec
tive Offices one OF them Is unable to explain his
right 70 over 900 in fees that he pocketed at q
Single grab. But 50 long as the people of New York
submit to boss rule they cannot expect any better
system than the one prevailing.
The recital elsewhere OF the daring operations of
TIE gang Of burglars, highwaymen, sneak thieves,
monte men and ''fence men" who in CO.
operation with certain detectives plundered the
community right and left for years, reads more
like page from the history of the James brothers.
Than narrative OF events In the capital city of the
nation The citizens committee and especially
their energetic chairman, who finally succeeded
with so much labor and personal sacrifice In break
Ing up this peStilent gang OF criminals, deserve
the gratitude OF all good citizens.
The expeditionary force against the pirates Of
Pocomoke as fitted out by the state Of MARYLAND
consists OF the police steamer William J. Harnt-
ION, four guns; the steamer Leila and sloop The
hOtllla Is In command OF Captain Gordy and car
Ties large force OF men, each armed with a
sprlnghedrif cutlasS and two revolvers. The
expedition Is compete, even 70 a group OF war cor
respondents who have been sent TO the front by
the Baltimore newspapers. The fleet was to start
ioT the oyster beds at eight o'clock this morning
and expected TO reach the pirates lair by three or
four O'Clock this afternoon The pirates are said to
number two hundred men with fleet of thirty
SHIPS ana fun Of fight. On previous occasions they
have given proof OF their strength, pluck and dis
regard OF law, so that it Is possible that this may
be a bloody day on the oyster beds OF Maryland
Mr.. Randall visited his faithful 'henchmenn In
The eleventh ward OF Philadelphia yesterday and,
as friend 70 friend, spoke words OF counsel warning
and hope. He let himself be doomed for the prest
dency without frown, and laid out a program OF
arithmetical progression on the White House
which has all the remOrSeless logic OF geometry AS
goaS the eleventh ward, he argued, 80 goes Phila-
ceiphia: as goes Philadelphia, so goes Pennsylva-
MAJ as goes pennsylvania, so goes the Union. And
rs Mr. Randall IS solid In the eleventh ward that
seems to settle the presidency; and Payne Tilden
curtin, Thurman, Mcdonald, Butler, Bayard, Dor
shei'ner. Hewitt, Morrison Field and all the other
nVal candidates might as well put their booms In
Soak for 1893.
The need OF free pubic library for Washington
Is presented IN forcbe terms In Mr. Brainard's art
Gle elsewhere The capital city should be I'D
10 the front IN the line Of facilities for mental
culture OF this kind, and not be surpassed as at
present by cities very much smaller.
The first step towards the abolition OF the trade
DOLLAR has been taken by the vote OF the coinage
committee of The House fayoring the conversion of
thiS coin into STANDARD dollars at par. While such
policy VIII not satisfy those who look with disnay