Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-25
WASHINGTON CITY.
JAY GoULO's GRIEVANCES AGAINST
POSTMASTER WANAMAKER.
Has the Wizard Bankrupted the Phila-
deiphian ?-Return OF T. c. Crawford
A Cutlery story-Tbe Force BILL
lFrom Our Regular correspondsntl

nual report will again strongly urge bis
proposition for the establishment of the
postal telegraph. The matter has been
before Congress for many months, but
the House Committee on Post Offices
did not push it as far as the Postmaster
General hoped they would go. A large
pamphlet has been compiled showing
what the press and people think OF the
proposition, and it is understood that
Mr.. Wanamaker is of the opinion that
the scheme will ultimately receive sup
port from the masses, especially as there
IS a growing sentiment among the peo-
pie for the Government TO control
the telegraph business just as it
does the postal business. Jay
Gould, es is well known, has been
trying to financially embarrass Mr..
Wanamaker. The little wizard Of Wall
street has two grievances against the
Postmaster-General. One is because
Mr.. Wanamaker cut down the rates paid
to the Western Union by the Govern
ment, and the other is because
Mr.. Wanamaker has been urging
the establishment Of the postal-tele-
graph. Some weeks ago a report was
circulated to the effect that Gould had
almost bankrupted the big Philadelphia
merchant by having beading railroad
stock deprecated, and that Mr.. Wana-
maker was hard up for ready money.
MA TIGHT PLACE.
That report was denied, but it would
seem that the latter was in somewhat Of
tight place, as the morning papers note
the fact that Mr.. Wanamaker had to
mortgage his Washington residence for
$50, 900. The deed was not recorded
here until late Saturday evening although
the money was borrowed more than two
weeks ago. The residence occupied by
the Postmaster General is the palatial
mansion formerly owned by ex Secretary
Whitney.
Mr. Wanamaker, OF course, can get
all the money he wants, as the city Of
Philadelphia could not afford to allow
him TO fail. II was stated repeatedly in
the papers that he was being supplied
with ample funds TO protect MS interest
in the Reading Company, but the fact
that a man known TO be the possessor Of
millionsh has had to place amortgage on his
Washington residence while holding o
Cabinet Office goes to show that no one
is safe from annoyance and loss when a
determined little wizard like Gould gets
after him. The publication of the mort
gage has caused much talk here, but
every one is Of the opinion that the
Postmaster-G General will probably be
able 10 hold his own even against Gould.
A NOTED CORRESPONDENT.
Mr.. T. G. Crawford, who was for many
years leading Washington cor
respondent, but has been in Europe since
1856. has returned to the capital and re-
sumed his occupation here. He is
writing for the New York Tribune and
the Chicago Tribune. Mr.. Crawford is
n great friend OF Secretary Blaine
and made tho tour with him in 1884. In
his letter to the New York Tribune to-
dav Mr.. Crawford relates a story that
Colonel Morrison, Of Illinois, told him
of now a prominent merchant Of the
West did some effective campaigning
against the Republicans.
CAPTURING VOTES.
The name was omitted, but evidently
the man referred to is Mr.. f. G. Sim
mons, Of st. Louis. Mr.. Simmons han
dies more cutlery than any other man in
the United States, and he was much pro-
voked that tho Mckinley bill advanced
the duties on knives so in the campaign
he carried bags full of knives which he
said mad been doubled in price because
of the increased duty, and ut the
meetings which he addressed he would
have hundreds and even thousands OF
cheap knives thrown ont TO the crowd.
The farmers and workingmen would get
them, and each man after hearing the
story of the sharp advance would pocket
a knife and then go homo firmly of
the opinion that the proper thing
10 DO was 10 vote against the
Republican nominees. This is regarded
as about the cleverest and cheapest way
that was devised in the recent campaign
TO capture votes. Mr. Simmons is worth
millions, and could well afford to throw
away knives in the campaign.
PROTESTED LOUDLY.
While the Mckinley bill was pending
in Congress no class of merchants pro-
tested more loudly against the advance
in duties than the hardware dealers who
handle cutlery. Delegations came here
from all parts of the United States to
protest, but the Republicans thought
they could do what they pleased.
All the hardware men of Rich
mond sent down their protests Judge
Waddill had these remonstrances and he
went before the committee. but the
members of that committee received the
petitions and laughed. Judge Waddill
voted for the outrageous bill with all Of
its iniquities instead OF opposing it. The
bill was unfair to Virginia in its every
particular, but the Virginia Republicans,
while admitting this fact, shrugged their
shoulders and said, "It's the best thing
we can do"
Many Republican merchants who
were denied any concessions had TO go
against their party because Of the out
rageous advances on cutlery and sport
ing goods, to say nothing of tinware
and groceries Common muzzle-load-
ing guns that are sold at cheap
prices, and which have to be
brought from England because our own
factories do not make the cheap arms,
were taxed so high that the duties are
almost prohibitory. This one item lost
the Republicans the support OF some big
dealers who have large wealth and great
influence.
SLOW IN COMING.
Congressman are very slow IN reach
ing Washington, and probably not half
of the members will arrive before Satur-
day. The Appropriations Committee,
which was to have been at work before
this, has practically done nothing.
The House Committee on Rivers and
Harbors will have nothing TO do during
the coming session, as there Is to be
no bill passed for the Improvement OF
the waterways. The Treasury Is so
nearly empty that it cannot stand an
other drain for these works, although
many OF the more important pro-
jects have not half enough money.
The funds have been squandered