Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-09-24
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington, D. c., Sept. 20, 'Si'

WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, d. c., Sept. 20, 'St'
The political situation grows more
and more interesting, from Wash
iugton standpoint, as the campaign adj
vances, and the Office holding class of
politicians here grow more nervous and
excitable. The new installment Of
Mulligan letters. or rather "Dear
Fisher letters, have been the leading
topic of discussion, aid the prevailing
opinion is that they close the case for
Mr.. Blaine. Some of those whose in
terests tie them to Republican success,
and others of the class who stood by
Dorsey and Brady, who believe in buy
ing al election and wink at all sorts of
official rascality, pretend to see nothing
in them. But these do not constitute
the majority Of the people here, any
more than in other parts Of the coun-
try. Although we have in politics a
great many men who live by it and
who do not care how they succeed so
their side can keep in, still the great
majority of people are honest and ap-
precate the Importance Of electing
honest men to office. From every
quarter intelligence reaches here of the
increasing number of Republicans who
are convinced that James G.. Blaine is
a scoundrel who took advantage of his
high position to blackmail railroad en-
terprises and other schemes, whereby
he has without Il dollar of capital or
without ever being honestly engaged in
any business, accumulated more than a
million dollars. These men are quiet
ly deciding to cast their vote against
such candidate, and they are so nu-
merous that he will be overwhelmingly
defeated. A tremendous effort is to be
made by Elkins and his crowd to buy
Ohio as Indiana was bought in 1880,
and as Maine was bought a few days
ago, but even should this desperate
game succeed, it will not come any,
where near saving Blaine.
So far as is known here it is still an
open question who will succeed poor
Folger as Secretary of the Treasury.
A good deal of speculation has been in
dulged in by the politicians and news
paper correspondents, but the President
has not yet spoken. 1t is be hoped
that Mr.. Arthur will not make it the
vehicle for comforting further rewards
upon his old New York city ward
chums, like Bliss, Sharp and O'Brien.
Mr.. Coon, the Assistant Secretary,
now acting, is such an excellent officer
that most people would be very well
satisfied to have him continued at the
head of the department.
Although it is three months since
Congress adjourned, and three more
before it meets again, the city is in
tested with thieves, small and large,
vagabonds, courteous and audaclous,
swindlers, official and otherwise, to
say nothing of ten murderers, black
and white, who have made way with
their victims since February last.
Neither Sodom Or Chicago could ever
boast of such vileness as exists in the
Capital Of the United States to-day.
yet the schools are crammed infinitely
beyond their capacity, and the white
element at least affects the very highest
stages Of civilization. Crime is indeed
so rampant that the Chief of Police in
his recent report announces the utter
incapacity of our police court to attend
to the business, although St. Louis
with population three times larger,
and Chicago with its cosmopolitan pop
ulace four times larger, require but
one. The police force here is ineffi-
cient both in numbers and discipline,
facts so well known by the thieving
gentry that their raids upon the Capt.
tai occur at periods as regularly as the
phases of the lunar system. PuoNo.