The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1884-12-04

DumNG the past two years, according
TO the Financial Chronicle, the decline
in prices of the various neoessaries OF
life has in many cases full equaled the
reduction in wages. What the country
needs now is another turn of the wheel
that will affect wages only, bringing
them to better average, without In
creasinP the cost Of living.
ON TIiE subject of change of the adj
ministration, the Brennan Banner con-
sstently observes: "As a rule all the
Federal office holders did what they
could /, keep the Republican party In
power acd defeat the Democrats. This
being &; .ated, they certainly are enii-
tied to no consideration at the hands OF
the successful party. For years the Re
publicans have religiously excluded
Democrats from Federal offices of all
kinds, even down to nominal positions.
Such being the case, the Republicans
have no claims whatever upon the Dem
ocratic administration, and 1t Is likely
that, with the exception Of some OF the
old, true, tried and trusted clerks in the
departments at Washington and some Of
the old Government employees. there
will be a clean sweep, especially In the
offices where the trust is great and the
emoluments large. The books Of the
Government need an examination by
experts who are disinterested. The
Democrats will furnish the experts"
TIM present proposed railroad line
to Arkansas Pass from San Antonio was
suggested years ago, according to let
ter written by T.. a. Perrenot, of Rock
port, which was published in the Texas
sun in June, 1850, In which he says:
years before the war, under orders of
the general government, II. Il. Marcy, of
the United States service, and believe
at one time Secretary of War, or State,
was instructed to make survey of the
most practicable and economic route
from San Antonio to the coast. His sur
vey revealed the fact that the best and
most direct route crossed the san An
Medina, and found its terminus between
the points interesting Copano and st.
Mnry's bays, which Is almost an airline
to Rockport and not more than ten miles
distant, with less distractions to build
ing. than any other route which could
be selected, and which, according to
Marcy's report, would furnish on the
route all the oross-ties necessary, with
less grading. and treslle work than any
other, and passing through Il section of
country destined to be rich in agricul-
ture and stock raising. On this route
no expensive distractions are to be en-
countered and overcome, and 1t inter
secis, or is in close propinquity to rich
farming lands on the San Antonio river
and smaller streams"
UNDER the head of "Ilarbor Appro-
priations" the Corpus Christi Caller
writes MS follows about the Eads bill,
and other appropriations for the Texas
coast: ''rhe harbors on the Texas coast
dependent on national aid for improve
ment will meet powerful and well or
ganiZed influence in favor of the Eads
scheme for Galveston at the next Con-
gress. An attempt will be made to
carry the bill through at any cost. Our
Senators and Representatives tell us
that they find it very difficult to pro-
cure as much as 100000 for any Texas
harbor, and there is great opposition
generally to the river and harbor bill.
This opposition is growing every year.
There is n strong belief that Congress
should not appropriate money for that
purpose. With our Congressional rep
resentatives united, we find 1t difficult
to get for the great coast of Texas with
her several important harbors as much
as 100000 out of total river and har-
Dor bill of Sl3,5si,700. Texas goes be-
fore the coming Congress divided. She
| tells the Government that her work at
| Galveston is failure and absolutely
refuses to receive further appropriations
for it, demanding special bill for Gal
weston amounting to $500, 000-more
than half the amount appropriated for
the entire United States coast last year.
In the next breath our representatives
must say that they want large APP
preparations for Arkansas, Sabine,
Pass Caballo and Brazos, on the
regular river and harbor bill, though
declaring in their argument for Calves
ton that the plan adopted by the United
States engineers is failure. Could
anything be more inconsistent? Is II
reasonable TO suppose that our harbors
will fare well when such arguments are
used before an intelligent Congress!
The prospect Is that the Eads' scheme
will not only fail to go through Con
gress, but will be the means of injurinl
the other Texas harhors by defeating
generous appropriations for them. Sen
ator Coke assured us that the Eads bill
would not affect the appropriations FOL
other harbors; that he would get at leas
100000 year for Arkansas until tn,
deep water is secured there. We hay,
faith in the ability of our worthy Sena
tor to do valuable service for us. 4,
him more than to any other one repre-