New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-18
SPECULATION IN WASHINGTON
AN ALMOST UNIVERSAL MANIA.

AN ALMOST UNIVERSAL MANIA.
BUCKET-suOPs AND MONEY-LENDERs-TH PASSION
FOR PUBLIC LIFE"-GOING TO THE RACES.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUNE.
WASHINGTON, May lin city, perhaps, consid
orng its size is the spirit of speculation rife as in
Washington Especially is this of speculation in
small way. Among the thousands of Government en-
ployes receiving average from 5000 10 81 OOO
a year there are very few venture say, who have
not at one time another taken flyer at stocks or
dabbled in wheat The opportunities for doing so are
many The temptation to increase their little income
by some lucky hit is not always wiJhstOod and
the vct ms who are bitten at an early stage of the
game do not always benefit by the lesson taught them
Tho spirit of gambling extends the Army and Navy,
and even some the foreign diplomats attaches prnci
pally whose way of eking living is much prob
lem to them perhaps Others have caught the fever
and are seen at times make their way into bucket
shOps and kindred institutions The latter in certain
quarters plentiful GROCERIES in the Fourth
Ward in NewYOrk Some of them are highly respect
able looking concerns. You wouldn't suspect them Of
doing anything but legitimate banking business.
Others carry their trade-I might almost say pro-
esson-withou the least attempt to conceal it.. Flam-
ing signs announce the passerby that so 4 So are
ready 10 take orders for stocks margin of per
cent. In windows you will which inform
the public that private wires offer special facilities
for the transaction of business viz, the fleeing OF the
innOcents No wonder then. that with such tempta-
tons thrown into their way, women, and clergymen
even walk into meshes If which they cannot hope
find their way without being ruined in reputation OF
bringing disgrace upon themselves and others.
To think that Congress has successfully put stop
to the ten per-ceners, they are commonly called
the men that lend money to Government clerks upon
assignment of their salaries IN advance Mt the rate OF
10 per month. is to suppose something very
The business of these sharks Is in as flourish
ing condition Ii only yesterdayithat one
of them mortgaged his house hs furniture and every
thing upon which he could possibly raise money, at q
per cent in order to be able TO lend it out again 10
per cent n month The Government, it is true. does
not recognize any the validity Of pay vouchers
assigned others in advance of the time when they
fall due but the shylOcks apparently are willing to
take the risk and, far as can hear have no reason
regret their Willingness to trust the honesty Of their
victims. II IL needless TO say that most Of the money
lent out bv them finds its way into their pockets
within twenty four hours after having left them they
being for the greater part either owners OF OF partners
in " bucket shops"
lsSome very curious skeletons might be brought to
light yon could but peer into the closets OF some OF
the people high IN the employ OF the Government
How many OF them, | wonder, manage TO keep up the
style Of living they do on the salary they receive
They not rich when they entered Orlce. Their
wives did not bring them handsome dOwries. To sus
pec their integrity would be doing them gross inus
tice But 10 speculate little bit Ell Trade. maybe
upon superior knowledge of affairs which their official
position may give them. l. it, after all, very wrong
Is it, at any rate considered 50 by.many Of them
Without wishing to moraze any further in this line
ScannOt help remarking what horrible thing the
official Register is 1t tells you at every public
mans income. In majority of nearly
You cannot help expressing establishment at how
Mr. aud Mrs X. az whose house you dined only the
other day, afford to entertain 50 handsomely Turn
ing page 53O8 you run down your finger until you
come TO friend KS name and opposite 10 you find
" 81 200" Well. declare You exclaim. how \. man
ages to dress those girls Of his l. mystery-and, by
J0ve. there il w; look here He gets only $500,
anil Last weak IL
have cost at least-Ueil, wOuldD Ike to mention the
figure. Let's what 4. gets know the H. pay at
least 900 rent for their house not TO mention the
wages they give their big greasy porter whom they
pass in the presence of all their friends family
sery ant has been in the family since he was pic
annny, sir, Il. says played with him when was a
boy on the old plantation his mother was owned by
NV father and brought mp the whole family etc yes,
z. gets here it is, only $500. How do they manage
Washin gton unique perhaps In presenting examples
of broken down in spirit and fortunes, whose I'M
desire to feed at the public crib makes
them willing 70 accept any position, however l0wiy
rather than be kept out of Government employ for any
time. Not that they unable to secure employment
elsewhere on the contrary their past experience
should make their services valuable in many respects 10
priyate individuals and undoubtedly would do so II
they could bring themselves to abandon what they per
haps consider public life | know of an ex member
Of the Wisconsin Legislature, now a doorkeeper and
of of the Senate Committees another,
also doorkeeper who not long ago was bank presi-
dent in Virginia and occupied some responsible public
position in his State still another who Is the OF an
ex United States Senator and SUCH very likely i'm
bbed the taste for holding public office which he now
grafes by filing the position of doorseeper and
could 20 on citing indefinite number Of cases In sup
port nv proposition if space permitted me TO do 80;
The Senate and House have presented deserted ap
pearapce this week after o'clock The explanation is
10 be found in the fact that the have begun at Ivy
City When the hands OF the Senate clock point 10
quarter you can see Beck get ready to lock his |
tesk even tariff debate would have attraction for
him them get his hat and cane and tOdde down the
Baltimore and Ohio depot in hurry. This is the sign
90 ha 70 rl.ah a,
with as much gee as schoolboys when school closes
In the House the departure of the boys attracts less
attention. The body is too large But when " Joe "
Blackburn ileads the they generally stop their
way the depot at place the door of which
mysterious sign hangs. displaying the cabalstc words
First Chance Whom they return the sign reads,
Last Chance and you may just rest assured they
AXE IT, every time