The Arizona champion., 1889-12-07
WASHINGTON LETTER,

SN0 S0AAA 0AAN VI families under the old roof tree be- comes customary, from the number Of Northern and Western families that have built houses here in the last few years. The idea of boarding house is incompatible with Thanks giving; in fact, the real observer of Thanksgiving always offers up pray CT of pity for the outcasts in boarding houses, the blessings of Thanksgiv- ing will be restricted to the few. The boarding house turkey is a non descript bird and the boarding house mince pie nightmare.
 There was less drinking yesterday than I have noti,ed on any previous holiday in Washington. In fact tine heavy drinking among government clerks is not so general as 1t was a few years ago, when not one half the employees could be found at their desk on day following a holiday Stric- ter rules are largely responsible for this. The increased consumption of beer and the correspondingly de creased use of whiskey has also worked its part of the reform.
 The President attended devine services at the Church of the Coven- ant and later in the day discussed one of those big turkeys the Con- neticut farmers spent anxious hours pushing buttered walnuts into, un- til the fat shakes as they walk. The sky war leaden and the air raw and damp as the President stepped into church, and if he saw anything to be thankful for his sombre face did not show it. Perhaps he was thankful to be alive. The family seated around the White House board later i'd the day was the larg- est that had been gathered there in forty years. The only missing figure was that of Russell Harrison.
 Secretary Noble and his wife and nieces dined at home and the circle was not enlargened by guests The Tracys followed their example, as did the family of Secretary Rusk Secretary Miller wife and daughter were the guests of Major Claus. Secretary Windom spent the day in Brooklyn. The Wanamakers gave big Thanksgiving party at "Lin- denhurst" their country seat.
 The Honorable the Commission CTS of the District of Columbia, are distinctly unhappy, The looat pro hibltion element asked these gentle men to restrict, in the granting of licenses for the ensuing year, the number or saloons, as far as possible; out of this suggestion some one evolv- ed the brilliant idea of restricting the bar-rooms in any square to four. Exactly how the sheep should be chosen from the wolves in such cases was deemed of not sufficient import ance to furnish an objection to the new rule. The rule was adopted and now the Commissioners are to enforce it. Among the first license granted in squares having an exess- i've number of bar-rooms, were licen- ses to places notorious for violations of law-places that pay no attention to the Sunday and after-midhight closing law. Saloon keepers on the same square, who close promptly and keep orderly places, have been ignor- ed. In the emergency the distillers and wholesale dealers of Philadelphia Baltimore, Louisville and other cities, have come forward and will endeavor to enlist the cooperation of sufficient number o1 Senators to I be able to show the new Commis- sioners that unless they retract the new rule they will fail of confrma- ton by the Senate. If the Commis- | sl0nerS wish to be the true friends of temperance they will close up every place in the city that has been convicted during the past year of violating the law Or can now be proved to have violated It. The people will not be hoodwinked by the substitution of any other scheme of reform.
 A s250, 900 suit for islander would not add better relish to most mems turkey, but certainly the fact that Samuel Strong had filed such suit against him on "Wednesday did not affect the cheerful spirit of Ben