Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1884-02-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WARHINGroN, Jan. 20, 1854.

recently. his uooS NV SAN' W -
derbilt or his species, as some suppose,
but to product more valuable to the
human race. The action OF the French
and German governments III exclud-
mo. our pork from their markets, is
the subject to which our statesmen
are deyoting themselves. Just what
remedy we have for this discrimlna-
ton against our meat exports, has not
vet been made clear. Senator Logan
strongly advocates retaliatory meas
ures by placing certain restrictions
upon the trade of these countries with
us, but other Senators oppose such a
course on the ground of its useless
ness and inexpediency. The debate
on this subject is not especially inter
esting but the talk of Senators Beck,
Miller and others as against the prop
osition of Gen. Logan shows that the
value of reasoning power is still I'M
derstood by some of our Senators. 1t
is a pity that Mr.. Logan has been de-
MED this useful gift.
One of the greatest wrongs OF the
carpet-bag era was the chartering the
Freedman's Bank, in 1865, for the use
of persons heretofore held i'll slavery,
and their descendants. 1t was osten-
siblv savings bank, the deposits of
which were guaranteed by the United
States Government. The original
trustees, who were mostly prominent
abolitionists, gradually made way for
a set of financial sharpers. They un-
lawfully established thirty branches
in various parts of the South, and re-
ceivcd large sum in deposits from
the poor, ignorant freedmen. Having
bagged large amount of money, the
trustees became tired of investing it
in Government securities, and had
their charter so amended in 1870 as
to permit their holding, improving
and receiving mortgages on real es-
tates in this District. Then came
some wonderful investments. The
money was loaned to officers OF the
bank and their friends, of the carpet
bag, irresponsible stripe, and the pa.
per of the "Seneca Stone Company
a lxite-hying concern, the 'Capital
Publishing Company" conductors OF
the ring organ, some hotel furniture
and worthless securities, with lot OF
personal notes not worth the paper
they were written on, soon represent,
ed all there was left of the banks
capital, deposits and all. This, Of
course, is an old story, but its results
are not yet passed. Congress has
wound up its affairs in the most ex
pensive manner, paying MIR. Creswell
of Maryland, and other commissioner
large annual salaries, and there is nat
urally great deficit. Hundreds o
the depositors have never received
ANYTHING, and it will be no more THAI
Just if Congress should pay ever,
bona tide depositor, as now asked t.
do. the full amount of what he or sh
invested in the savings bank. Tn
officers of the bank managed to ge
hold Of some of Mr.. Summers money
but his suspicious We're aroused AM
he secured himself before the BAN
went to smash
Senator Van Wyck, Of Nebraska
is a perpetual thorn in the flesh of hi
Republican associates, in that he
constantly offering resolutions of in
auiry into matters where crookednes
is suspected. His last call is upo
the Attorney Generals Office for il
formation concerning certain unsavt
ry transactions III connection with til
Star Route trial. Mr.. Van Wyck
resolution brought some of the R'
publican Senators to their feet to as
why that gentleman wished to attac
the Acknowledgement. 1t makes IL
average Republican very mad to thin
that one of their own party shoul
lead off in exposing wrong-doing
delinquencies. Is it not bad cnoug
they say, to have the wicked Dem
Gratis always noising around? SpeaI
ing of noising, the House Committ'
on accounts is turning up more croo
edness, it is said, on the part OF :
official Of that body in the last Co
gress, and when the facts are all o
It is intiniated that the Republica
will be sorry they had the respon
bilitv for the last Congress. keii