The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-09-20
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER


There is no need Of taking advan.
tage of the usual custom of beIittling
orspeaking derogatory of Democratic
attempts to get up an enthusiasm in
behalf Of the forlorn hope ticket, for
the facts warrant me in asserting that
the Democratic ratification meeting
held here last night was far from be-
ing up to the standard of Democratic
meetings at the capital. There was
boiling temperature in the weather
which seemed to make the enthu-
siasm of the meeting all the more
frigid. In fact the meeting could not
see anything that was specially wor-
thy of ratifying at this distant day,
and the speakers happily confined
their remarks to persons and issues
as far remote from their candidates
and their platform as it was possible
to get. Of course Mr.. Blaine furn'
ished all the material for the StereO-
typed diatribes that have filled Up
the Democratic papers, while the
speech of Carl Schurz was rehearsed
over and over again by the orators of
the occasion, although they were
duly advertised as renowned"
A book by Washington author is
now no unusual phenomenon, for the
political capital of the country il fast
becoming centre of literature and
science. Within few days past there
has been issued from the press of the
American News Company, neat
duOdecimO volume of one hundred
and twenty-five pages, which is at
tracing large share Of attention
among those interested in the great
economic questions of the day. 1t is
from the pen of Professor ]. r.
Dodge, the accomplished statistican
Of the Department Of Agriculture,
and bears the appropriate title"Farm
and Factory" one Of its leading pur-
poses being to show how greatly the
farm is benefited by the proximity
of manufacturing establishments and
of Il nOn-agricuItural industrial pOpu-
latiOn, among whom the farmer may
find home market for the produce
of his land and labor. The statistics
which Mr.. Dodge presents in support
of his views, are mainly derived fr0fa
the official figures of the last census,
and the results which they show in
respect to the influence of manufac-
turing industry in promoting the
prosperity of agriculture, are certain
ly very striking. Dividing the States
into four classes, according to the
percentag of n0n-agricultural work.
ers, it is found by several tests that
agricultural prosperity is greatest
where this percentage is highest. and
falls as it falls, though in larger pro-
portion. And this prosperity is not
confined to the farmer himself but
extends as well to the farm labOrer.
-1r. Dodge suStains his thesis by sta
tistic5 from foreign as well as Amer.
lean sources, showing that where az
ricuIture greatly preponderates over
the sister industries the people are
invariably poor, and he makes on
the whole an argument for the sys-
tematical distribution of industrial
forces as attractive in its literary style
rs it is mastery in its logical group
/ ing of facts and figures.
To follow the example of two ex-
Presidents who served in Congress
after their Presidential terms, Mr..
Arthur seems to think that it would
not detract from the dignity Of the
stallion if he would take IA term 0fsix
years as Senator from New York
to succeed Mr.. Lapham. whose term
expires on the same day with the
President. 1t is not to be denied that
Mr.. Arthur has put himself into the
hands of his New York friends, with
the understanding that the New
York Assembly will be invited to
consider Mr.. Arthur's merits, quail
ficati0ns and deservings for the posi-
ton held by Mr.. Conkling, since
whose retirement. Appointment New
Yorker said, he had been oblidged to
look into an almanac to ascertain who
were the New York Senators. Mr.. |
Arthur's acquired knowledge of the
condition and needs of the country,
and his thorough acquaintance aud
influence with the public men of the
nation, would make him most ex-
cellent representative of the interests
OF the greatest Of The States.
JUNIUs.