The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-04-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, DC, Z
April IA. lSS4.(

WASHINGTON, DC,
April IA, 1884,
The Danville Investigation by Sen
ator Sherman's special committee,
is attended at intervals with some
interesting tits between members of
the committee and the witnesses, and
some of them are some thing more
than exciting. The evidence of Mr..
Dezendorf last Tuesday, and that of
citizens of Copiah county, list week,
will furnish Mr.. Lamar with all the
Iabulum requisite for an interesting
speech. He has been watching these
Investigations with eager interest,
and he doubtless intends to give US
the results of his observations. He
finds that most of the Northern peo-
pie are ignorant of the real. condition
of that sentiment in tie South among
the negroes that %interprets Demo-
cracy to mean that slavery is to be
restored and negroes again reduced
to Bondage. The Democrats in Mis-
sissippi, while in q numerical minor
ity of 10000, go on year after year
securing victories, to .he surprise of
those who take it for granted that
the 10000 negroes, in excess of the
whites, r all Republicans, and that
Democratic success must therefore
come through fraud. This: theory
is not by any means correct, for the
negroes are not organized as are the
whites, and they are apathetie at
elections unless impelled by some
strong sentiment. They conceive
that their interests and those of The
men who possessing the wealth, the
learning and the governing expert
ence and conservative opinions, have;
striven for the control of power, the
collection and expenditure of taxes,
and the maintenance ofsgoodsorder.-
In the elaboration of these1 points,
Mr.. Lamar w%illinviLe. q long and it
may be a most interesting contro-
yersy.
The end, aim and object of the
Democratic party is to protect labor
from the reaction of enormous and
grinding monopolies. The-argument
that is urged against tariff reduction
is that it will tend to reduce Ameri-
can labor to the condition of the
"pauper labor" of foreign countries,
which if true should put an end to
any debate on tariff reform. But, see
if it is not true. To day the spinners
of Fall River to the number. of 3d.
600 are working on two thirds time,
while every loom in England is run,
ming full time, and while cur cotton
manufacturers enjoy the protection
of average fifty per cent. duties, the
wages of American operatives are no
higher than those of the English
spinners. Mr.. Shaw, the consul at
Manchester, England, in his last re-
port says: Operatives here are the
best paid and most comfortable work
ing class in England, and their in
ffuence and wealth are Increasing at
a rapid rate" Mr. Shaw is a Re-
publican, and yet he gives this un-
biased evidence in regard to what we
are pleased to call "pauper labor" in
free trade England. The Manchester
operatives are happy and contented,
while the Fall River spinners are
fighting, and fighting continually
against a reduction of wages that has
aggregated in three years more than
sixty-seven per cent, and more now
threatening. The contrast is one
worthy the study of the politician as
well as the political economist. When
properly studied out, it is possible
that the American operatives may
desire to shake off a system that robs
them of their earnings Under the
swindling pretense of protecting
them. q
Everybody remembers that when
the old public functionaiy, James
Buchanan, was President, his beauti-
full niece, Harriet Lane, presided at
the White House, and never, since
the days of Mrs. Madi. on, have the
honors of the Executive Mansion
been administered with more grace
She at once became so popular that a
revenue cutter was christened after
her and once upon a time she accept
ed an invitation to take passage in
the vessel from Washington 70 New
York. This simple act, which was in
violation of all precedent in the his
tory of the Republic, called. forth a
most.stern rebuke from the President
about whose ears came animadver-
sions from all parts of the country
How different things are in these
days, though two de cades have pass
ed since this simple social innova,
ton! The successors of Mr.. Buch,
anan, with the exception Of ohnson,
have used the vessels Of the navy for
purposes of pleasure without regard
TO time, season or expenditure. Grant
led off in the business, Hayes follow.
ed it up, and Arthur has. outdone
them both by using one vessel fol
himself during the summer of las
year and the year before, while he
sent his daughter on a junketing toul
in another. Nor is this all of it, moi
the worst of it, for three weeks age
the U. S. man of war Yantic was dis
patched to the Bahamas by Secretary
Chandler to bring home the family
of Mr.. Edmunds, the upright, The
~incorruptible and accomplished Sen
ator from Vermont, and who expect.
to be in q position next year to re
ciprocate these hospitalities from TIL
Executive Mansion. While it may
seem odd that Mr.. Edmunds under
the present stress of circumstances
should take q hand in this sort o
business, the tax payers may wei
pray for q little less of the f lmunds
method, and a little more of the Buch
anan style of prepetuating nationa
integrity. PHoNo.