Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-01-03
wAsHIHGT0N LETTER.

WAsnINaroN. Do. Bis. ls8S

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3lst, 1888
The Christmas time is unusually
quiet and orderly i'm Washington. The
President and Mrs. Cleveland ate their
Christmas dinner alone, and everybody
did likewise. Even large family gath
erings were rare. hope that that gal
Vanic cook who is always trying to in
terview somone about "Meester IIar-
rison's palate" was kind to "Meester'
Cleveland on Christmas day, but
doubt it. His great gastromic mind is
fixed upon the future. To Wash
ington New Year is everything. On
this blessed day the high and mighty
may pay their respects, in strict order
Of Importance, to the President, after
which the mob can rush in ut the pub
lie reception. Patient, common people
may even stand on the sidewalks and
see fine gowns and uniforms galore.
There are women otherwise sensible,
who have not missed the public recep-
tions since Lincoln's time. Every New
Years day they spend a half dozen
hours in the maddening, pushing, pull.
ing throng that packs the rooms to suf-
location. And then they go home per-
fectlY happy with ruined dresses.
L
fourth districts of West Virginia and
the third district in Tennessee are not
yet in, and there is no prospect of full
returns under ten days. The last adj
vices from Tennessee are TO the effect
that General Taylor will give the GER
tificate in the Chattanooga district to
the Republicans. Both the recount
and original returns in the West Viz
ginia districts are said to show the
election of Republicans. The Demo
Gratis claim one West Virginia Con-
gresham. In the event of such a
showing the Republican majority i'll
the next House will be four, leaving
out the Chattanooga district, in which
case the certificate. the Democrats
state. appears TO beinfOrmal.
The tremenduOus struggle for Office
has reached the masses. Not only are
Republican congressman overwhelmed
with applications, but even the mail of
local claim attorneys is loaded with in
quiries and requests for advice as
to applications. One man wants to
know how to get post-tradership, an
other wants a Star-rOute mail contract,
and thousands want to be pOstmasterS.
Many rural preachers are anxious to be
in the diplomatic service, probably
from vague idea that there is a rela-
tionship between the minister diploma
tic and the minister clerical. \ New
York man writes to know if he can get
the post-office at his place before the
middle of next April. But the most
sublime confidence is exhibited by an
Indiana man; "Do you think it will be
safe" he writes, for me to move to
Washington before March 4, and be
certain of place by April ?" There
are innumerable applications for De-
partmental "Blue Books" from which
the applicants desire to select their
berthS.
The Republican Senators from the
west appear to be little disappointed
with their party's tariff bill. The bill
was hastily prepared as campaign
measure, and such Senators as Mr.
Henderson do not hesitate TO say that
the Eastern capitalists obtained undue
influence as to certain articles. Sena-
tor Stanford objects TO the sugar clause
as injuring the sugar culture in Cali
fornia. Altogether. it is quite proba-
BILE that the bill will undergo many ma
terial changes before it suits all the
Republican Senators.
The expense of the immigration ball.
together with the alleged evil effects of
dancing, has aroused the ire of some
local clergymen as well rs those Of the
West. They seem TO regard the ball rs
a sort of Official. National endorse
ment Of the powers Of evil. a sort of a
carnival Of sin. 1t may not be ander-
stood by these good people that the ball
is entirely private affair toward which
the government pays not one dollar.
The people who pay the fiddler,
therefore, have only a personal and
private responsibility. and General
Harrison cannot be held as responsible.
4 great many stories are told about
Secretary Whitney that serve to leave
pleasant impression of the man
During the last campaign he was wait
ed upon late in October by hungry as
sessment committee with doleful tale
of the impossibility of getting the en-
ployes of the Navy Department to give
any more money. The Secretary had
already given. it is rumored, over
$4,000. "Well," he said impatiently
81 can't choke it out of them, how
much did you expect to get?" They
told him that $1,000 more had been
hoped for. He turned TO his check
book, and made ont his check for the
amount, cheerfully asking the commit
tee to give the Navy Department a
breathing spell, and let the clerks get
enough together to pay their board.
Among the curious patents ISSUED
recently is one to Gillette, the actor au
thor, for the stage effect representing
the clatter of horses feet. which has
been so much used in recent plays
The issuance of this patent establishes
the right to patent any stage trick
even if it be as simple as producing
| thunder In other words no man cal