Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-12-16
DAILY POST.INTEIulGENcEn
TEE FALSE pnsPHErx OF TEE
POTOMAC.


POTOMAC.
Tbs Weshington Newspaper sore
spondsrts have been distinguishing
themselves for the past fes months
Ordinarily they distinguish themselves,
bat recently they have Leen more thsn
distinguishing themselves They have
alloved their irnsginationJ 20 lararists
a. they would and have ;hras, the fruit
Of the laruriatinE 1pon the publie stih
the utmost disregard OF truth, ressos sr
probability. The amount Of specnia-
ton which has been sent from Wash
ineton ss news sinee the IuIlriAiing
process began t. almost iBconceivAbls.
Every correspondent has had somsihing
20 say on every subject, and with few
exceptions everything said has been
wrong. II the news CATERERS Of WASH
inaton had deliberately undertaken tbs
task Of deluding AID nisinforming the
poblic, they could net have accomplish
ed that object any more completely than
they have.
Among the things most thoroughly
lied abou, was the Presidents message.
Apparently each eitizsn Of Washington
took his turn at specializing a. to the
probable nature Of the message, and
every speculation vas telegrapbed 70
the country 40 q statement Of assured
facts. On one or two points the
enssssrs generally agreed, and on sboss
points they we're farshest from the
truth. For instanss. the public vas In
formed that the ease OF Dakota would
be discussed and that the admission OF
that Territory into the Union would be
urged. Indeed the arguments and
almost the precise language which the
President would use on this point were
made pablie BY the omuiscient GORE
spondents weeks before the message
vas isssed. As 9 matter Of fact, how
ever, the message said nothing at all
about Dakota, and one would never
knew from o perusai Of that extraor-
binary documsnt whether Mr.. Clevs-
land was aware that such o Territory
existed or that II vas ready and anxious
10 become State Of the Union. Again.
IL Vas stated positively several days be-
fore the message vas delivered that 1t
would be very short. containing only
about six thousand words. As II in de-
rision of the prophecies Of these mahais
Of the Potomac. however, some maliR-
nant spirit put IL into the head OF Mr..
Cleveland 20 appal the country with the
longest message yet delivered, contain
ing, not six thousand, but thirty six
thousand words. Still the false prophets
are not discouraged.
Bot 1t Ia not the Presidents message
alone which has resolved these pro-
phetic attentiobs. Mr.. Cleveland him
self has been made the theme OF pre-
distions innunerable and this hero OF
scenes which have never occurred. and
In all human probability never will
occur. Not 10 mention the thousand
and one times which tho Presi dents
engagement has been announced, each
time to different lady, the moss extra
ordinary and impossible things have
been related ss occurring at the White
House, and all these stories are told az
solemn facts. II Mr.. Cleveland has
actually bad all the remarkable oonvsr.
sations With offics seekers and deleea.
sions Of the friends of office seekers
which be has been reported a. having
be must be an extraordinary man. in
deed. Numerous anecdotes have beer
drifting about the country in which th'
President Ii repress nted as carrying or
extended and heated arguments with
oaioe- seekers and other volunteer ad
visers as 10 the ACCESSIBILITY OF chang
ing posimasters In some little tosn OF
Kentucky or Arkansas. or on somt
ether question Of equal Importance &c
the people Of the United States. Such
stories may be true, but II the Presi
dent engages in such undignidsd
vrangles, he IL not the kidd Of man
be is generally supposed TO be.
Bat ID Ia not the President alone who
Q regarded as legitimate prey by the
correspondents Numerous other per.
sons Of national reputation have been
prophesied about In the same rockies I
manner. Commissioner Sparks, OF the
General Land Ofiioe. has received e.
pecial attention. He Ia represented al
Q most pugnacious individual. and the
nswspspers have contained 90 many
accounts Of his quarrels with Secretary
Lamar and Assistant Secretary jerks
that those gentlemen have Rrosn weary
of denying them, and OF announcing 10
the public that they are In hearty 90
cord with Commissioners Sparks. SsA-
ators Logsn. Hamards and EvArts have
also been made objects for the imasina.
zion Of the correspondents 70 dwell up
on; and Mr.. Blaine. although be 10 no,
In Washington and has not recently
been there. 10 talked about a. freely az
the others.
Altogether, Ne think the liars Of the
Washington press have the lead this
year. Joseph Mutation. Tom Oshil-
tree and Eli Perkins vere good liars in
THAR day and generation. bas their
glory has departed. Far pure. crystal
liasd untruth in iss moss unadulserted
form. Que maa nos visit the Washing.
ton bureau OF 3 metropolitan ness
paper.
IL 10 time for the Tacoma Wees 90
esese ne senseless and unius,ifaols At
saeks upsn aovsrsos sqairs. The ysei
made itself ridiculous by beSinnins
thsss ATTACKS, and 10 making itself NOR,
ridiculous by continuing them. Neishel
the prsss nor the people % the Terri