Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-05-17
nEn AND THINGS At WASHINGTON.

debate. MIR. Mills certainly failed to meet the expec
tatons of his party friends, and the close by Mr..
Springer was dull, might have been expected. That
Mr. Carlisle the head and front of the tariff reformers
should have cut figure in the discussion is matter
OF both surprise aud disappointment The only plaus-
IDLE excuse offered is that he found himself occupied
with the contest for Mr.. Becks vacant seat but this
explanation is not satisfactory, because public
want should remain at his post of duty and not desert
for any purpose and especially for the purpose OF
conducting campaign for another Office The fact
is the public has grown weary of these discussions and
there is nothing so dscouraging to public speaker
as an unsympathetic audience.
The forthcoming wheat crop is now estimated at four
hundred million bushels, being about ten per cent less
than the average crop. This will serve to keep the
price from falling to the low level which has prevailed
for years past and insures to the farmer better pros
pect for the future The home consumption of grain
is keeping pace with rapidly growing population,
and seem to be fast nearing the point where wheat
growers will be independent of foreign markets. Once
this point is reached better era will dawn for
American agriculture and the American farmer will be
relieved from ruinous competition with the illpaid
labor of India and Australia. The enormous consump-
tive and export demand is rapidly diminishing our
great corn crop of the past year. and although prices
have risen five cents per buslel the appreciation in
value has but commenced. Our farmers will find sale
for all their next winter at price exceeding three
dollars per barrel. With wheat at IA dollar and a
quarter aud corr at 60 cents the farmer ought to be
able to rid himself of the mortgage which has haunted
him like nightmare during the long, dreary years of
low prices.
Mr.. Cleveland continues to devote much of his time
to writing letters to Sunday school children, political
cranks and others who wish to magnify their mpor.
lance by seeing their names print in connection
with that OF an ex-president The astute Republicans
gratifed at this display OF Mr.. Cleveand's vanity
because it generally proves fatal to would be candi
date People admire industry, energy and perscrver-
ance when displayed in mans private affairs, but
they very properly discard the politician who lives
upon the cheap notoriety obtained through the inter
view inspired by himself The daily issue of letter
upon some thread bare subject. If Mr.. Clevelands
friends wish to him president again they should
lose no time in placing muzzle upon him.
Indications point to general breakup of the politi-
cal boss business. In Maryland Senator German will
have to yield his arrogant control to the Republicans
At the end of his present term he is pretty to be
succeeded by William A. Fisher John X. Cowen. In
South Carolina official ring has dominated the poll
tics of the State for twenty years 1t has perpeuated
its iron rule by depicting "negro rule" the only
alternative, but the people have TO the conclu-
sion that they are intelligent enough to govern and
hence the oligarchy is in danger of overthrow. The
Republicans have their full share of the trouble.
In Pennsylvania Senator Quay is feeling the rising
tide OF political independence among the masses and
it is matter of great doubt whether or not he can
maintain further control of politics in the Keystone
State. In fact the political boss aud the purely pro.
Il SSiO ms mos nd no
will find his occupation gone. The country needs
men who have the ability to legslate wisely and well,
and who unselfsh enough to devote themselves
her interests but it has for the politician who
seeks office simply to crafty his vanity or to fill his
pockets.
The recent decision by the Supreme Court to the
effect that State cannot prohibit the entry and sale
within her borders of sealed package containing
spurious liquors has produced great commotion in
the ranks Of the Prohibtoniss and promises to have
far reaching effect upon national politics If tais is
to be the law,-and it has been decided by the
Court OF last resort,-a state laws enacted for the
purpose of enforcing prohibition must prove inopera-
tive and there can be remedy by COnglessOn.
al action. The result of this will be to at call into
existence a national prohibition party whose aim will
be to engraft their principles upon the organic law of
the land What effect such an event would have upon
political parties at present organized cannot at
present be foretold but there be doubt that it
will produce important results. The advocates of en-
forced prohibition earnest and aggressive and 1t is
believed that many of them, both North and South,
will sunder their party ties and give their undivided
allegiance to this new creed,
The Farmers Alliance has had its representatives
before the committee on Ways aad Means during the
present week in advocacy of tie establishment under
government control of stoIehouses subtreasures
whereby the farmer may store his products and pro-
cure advances on the same at low rates of interest
The project is u novel one, but this is progressive
age and there is just much to be said in favor of
such measure that of permitting the capitalist to
deposit government bonds which draw interest and re-
ceve currency therefor Its true the does
not establish repositories for the latter purpose, but
1t is nevertheless fact that the result is attained by
practically the The banking institutions
are VIGOROUSLY used in the interest and to the advant
age ofthe wealthy classes while the funds lodged
therein are in II great measure, made up of the
savings of the The agitation of the question
cannot bu prove advantageous to the cultvators of
the SOIL the result must be the enactment of laws
which will secure to them better advantages and
privileges than they now enjoy. G. w. q. BLACK.
Democrtic senatorial courtesy is playing b h-havoc
with the Republican offices. Mr. Colston has gone to-