The Rock Island Argus., 1884-05-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. D. c., May 28, 1884.
The revelations issuing out of the quar-
rel among the lawy ers in the Star Route
cases are getting to be as interesting to
the people as they are profitable to the
Government. Yesterday Ker was on the
rampage before Springer's Committee, and
having sworn to tell the whole truth, |
don't believe that he kept anything back
From his stimony the fact appears to be
conclusive that George Bliss was employ
ed by the Government specially in the
interest of Dorsey, and was paid $3.50
per day. not convicting anybody but to
ses that D orsey above all others should
not be disturbed His zeal in behalf of
Dorsey became SO conspicuous that Mr.
Merrick was compelled to insist that Mr..
Ker should remain in the case especially
to watch Mr.. Bliss The facts sworn to
by Ker, show how the Government has
been Handicapped not only in its attempt
to punish the Star Routs thieves, but in
the other cases where the power of money
could be invoked to effect the conversion
of that pliable portion of mankind den
ominated Washington jury.
Congress has gone into the business of
erecting public buildings at this session
by Wholesale So far no less than g.
have been ordered, ranging in price from
$50, to $4,000, 900, and the end is not
yet. But there are some things about
this public building business that shouli
be ventilated, and this very week two bills
were adopted in the Senate that never
should have been. One is the giving of
$3.50. 600 for the new custom house at
Portland, Oregon, place of $4,000 in
hsbitsnts, which already has building
that cost the Government 100000. The
other is the appropriation of 100000
for public building at Saratoga, little
watering place of 10000 population,
which has not half the need of public
building of this cost that it has for mis-.
sionaries during the gambling season.
1t will be remembered that through the
efforts of the sanity Mr. Frye, of Maine
and the theological Mr.. Blair, of New
Hampshire, the truly good men in ths
Senate concluded to abolish, so far as re
solution could abolish it, the dispensing
of cold tea in the basement of capitol
Frye declared that the whole capitol ha(
become veritsble gin will, and Aminidal
Sleek Edmunds turned his eyes to thu
ceiling and called down upon the Senat,
the terrors of public sentiment if thi
''cold tea" abomination should continue
don't know that Edmunds makes out t
get rid of more Of the exhilerating fuiC
than any man under the capitol dome
But ! was going TO say that the anti coll
tea resolution was JOINT one, had to g
to the House for concurrence. The tenn
perance folks have been now Just 81
months watching this resolution, o
watching for it, and you may bet you
silver ware that Edmunds has been watch
ing 1t too, for it has never yet reared il
head over the Speakers table in tn
House, while the infinitessimal "tea cups
down stairs are clinking from morning ii
night-yea from night till morning, tot
As the result of logical corrollary
the fact is established that the revenue
Of the Post Office Department increase ;
postage is reduced, cannot see VII
Congress should hesitate about passiu
Mr.. Robinson's bill which provides for
still further reduction of postage on lie
ters to one cent for each half ounce. IT
Stationer's Board of trade of New Yor
and other commercial organizations of Il
county are petitioning for the measur
and should it fail in the present Congress
as it is doubtless will, there will be GOO
chance for the economists in the ne
Congress to pcrpetuate its record as beir
distinctively party to which alone Il
people need look for benefits like thes
And here is one thing that the attentit
of postal and political economists shou
he called to, and that is the fact that 4
Government is paying the price of
mail steamer every year TO carry our mai
TO Europe by single linel And the Go
ernment contracts with half dozen
these foreign lines. What sort of ecol
omy Is il to do this thing-subsidizil
English, French, German and Scandin
wan vessels. with whole fleet of equal
servicable vessels for this purpose, rotti
ut our navy yards aud belonging to o
Government DON PEDRO