The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-12-06
FROM WASHINGTON
Special to the CARBON ADVOCATE.
WASHINGTON, Nov, 30, 1S

| NASHlNGTONi NOV, 20 1904.
Election excitemenis having nearl,
died out, and there being no other ex
citement pecuEar to the place aud sea
son, Washington has grown suddenl.
very dull. Rhe protracted Indian sum
mer, weather so becoming to these lati
tudes, is at length shut off by gloom,
November sky. The Cabinet Secretaries
are all back in their places, and the
clerks in the departments, having di
gested their prospective fate, haYe settled
down once more to their desks; every
thing has taken on look of the approach
of winter and Congress and the consum
nation of the political revolution. The
present Congress to be opened on Mon
day, consists of 201 Democrats and l24
Republicans. The next will consist o
1874 Democrats and l41 Republicans.
The season in Washington, although
it must necessarily be short, promises tc
be one of the gayest ever known. 1t has
opened with an unusual number of wed
dings, some of which have already taken
place and others are still to come.
There has been much betting by Gov.
ernment employees. who as a general
thing are losers. The aggregate amount
of department stakes is very considerable,
for the gambling has been reckless. L
naturally would be there. No thunder
clap ever WAS so startling as Blaines de-
feat, not only to the gamblers. bat to
Government employees in general. AS q
rule those who have bet are not prepared
to pay their losses without irconveni.
ence. An unsnspected number of de-
partment clerks, male and female, are in
debt. Some are hopelessly in the hands
of ten per cent. sharpers. A number
borrowed money at extortionate rates 10
bet with. Nota few who have been long
in the service find that their latter end is
going to be moro deplorablo than theil
first. A squandered life is the experience
of the larger part of those who obtain
clerkships. They manage to liye and
that is all.
That the Patent Once, which yearly
turns a profit int the Treasury, should
not be given the force necessary for the
efficient transaction of its business has
long furnished inventors and the public
generally with just cause to complain.
1t is to be hoped that Mr.. Butterworlh's
return to Congress will result in the re.
moval Of this evil. As commissioner Of
patents be has obtained practical fam.
iliarity with the needs of the Office, and
his Influence in Congress, which will bC
considerable, will be cast. no doubt, il
favor of suitable appropriations, Were
the Patent Office burden on the Treas
ury there might be some excuse for 6
policy of retrenchment, but as its bust
ness is a source of income to the govern
ment there Is no reason for net facilltat
ing it as much as its requirements de
mand.
James S. Grinnell, :, OF GreeufielA, Mass.
and former Commissioners of Patents
is booming up as formidable candidate
to succeed Mr.. Butterworth, and it is
sincerely hoped that inasmuch as Dem.
ocrat must fill the place, he may win the
prize. Mr.. Grinnell will be acceptable
to the large maj prity of inventors as vel
as to every attorney who bad any dial
ings with him under former admins
tration. The general expectation thai
the exceptionally gallant services of Ser
geapt Brainard rs a member of the Gree
ly Arctic expedition would be recognized
BY his appointment to vacant lieuten
ancy in the army is not, it appears, likely
to be realized. The coveted prize ha,
fallen to the lap of the adopted son o.
Attorney General Brewster. Why iit
we have a Brewster? How happy would
we not have been without him.
The female population of the Capita
is in state of effervescenoe over the
question of President Cleveland's selec
tion of the White House mistress. Yet
l hardly imagine that the present mem
sers of the social class at Washington
have any business to concern themselye,
about an incoming administration
toward which few of them have any af,
fection. This social business in Wash
ington, like that in ether large cities
runs in rut, and every attempt to gel
out of it, results in capsizing the vehicle
Mr. Cleveland has married sister a
Cleveland, Mrs. Bacon, another married
sister now living at the Governors resi-
dence at Albany, and a maiden sister
Elizabeth Cleveland, who is said to b,
not only thoroughly accomplished, bu
is an earnest instructress in the accom-
plishments, 81 that there may be N,
unnecessary alarm lest the White Hous,
may not be furnished with its prope
| mistresa