The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-06-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
HOW THINGS ARE BEING WORKED To
CONTROL THE SOLDIER VOTE FOR
THE REPUBLICANS.
A Interesting Statement of Farm Wages
in Different States of the
Union.
From Our Regular Correspondent.

| nCans are the CuCeSI pOuClclanS In the
world. They know full we'll that the
course pursued by them at this session
in regard to pensions will not attract
the soldiers vote. During the last
campaign they made the most extrav.
agant promises, approaching that
they could not redeem them. A pur-
pose was subserved, however, the
soldiers were hoodwinked and the
Republicans secured another lease OF
power. With the failure TO meet the
expectations of the soldiers in the
present congress, and with national
election impending, they see that an
other subterfuge must be adopted
whereby the soldiers can be again
blinded, and herce the records of con-
gress have been searched for every
little item of expenditure, the idea bt
ing to show how extremely liberal the
present congress has been and what
huge sums of money it is willing to
spend for the soldiers benefit. The
total of these items is over $167 900, :
OOO, but the cute Republican leaders
fail to say that almost every dollar OF
this money is included in the annual
estimates, and that it has been regli-
larly appropriated for years by con-
gress, under both Democratic and Re-
publican auspices. Included in the
statement prepared by them and
which is intended for general distri-
button in the coming campaign. are
the amounts expended for CLERKS in
the war; this is but specimen, toe
of the way in which the total expen-
diture is run up to such huge figures.
The soldiers will be fooled thereby,
however, and that is all the Republi.
cans want from these statistics, so
carefully and fraudulently prepared.
The Investigations made by the de-
partment of agriculture into the sub
ject of the wages paid to the farm labor
OF the country presents some interes t.
ing facts. The average monthly wages
paid to farm labor, taking the country
as whole, is shown to be 1888.
The highest rates are allowed in the
new State of Washington where the
agriculturist can secure as his monthly
reward $37, while the smallest wages
are paid in South Carolina, the
amount being $12.10 a month. In
New England, Massachusetts, is the
best pay, $50 being allowed,
and Vermont gives the least,
or $24.80. Among the Middle
States there is considerable difference,
New Jersey leading with $3.50 a
month, and Delaware bringing up the
rear with $17.35. From the south the
best showing is made by Texas with
$685. monthly, although Florida is
not far behind with $685.. For the
middle west Michigan shows up the
best with $24.S0, and Ohio the least
or $22.1O, but there is very little diff
ference between the wages paid for
farm labor in this section of the coun-
try. Across the Missouri river Ne
braska leads with $25.50 and Missouri
is last with $2O.25. For the Rocky
Mountain region, Montana shows
up ahead with $3.50 and New Mexico
pays the smallest amount, $780,
Oregon gives the least wages on the
! Pacific coast, $3l.
The family of President Harrison
will shortly leave for Cape May to
spend the summer in the cottage pre-
sented to her by admiring friends of her
husband, who of course, are entirely
governed by disinterested motives in
investing thousands of dollars in real
property for the benefit of other peo-
pie. This transaction, however, is in
strange contrast to the way things
were done under the last administra-
ton. Then Cleveland brought young
bride to the White House, and
different friends, some disinterested
others no doubt, with interested
motives, wanted to start them a'olg
in the world in a handsome way, but
an animation from Cleveland was re-
ceived that his was not gift taking
administration, and then he went
down into his pocket and bought his
own country home out beyond the
city, an investment which showed up
well for his individual character and
which turned out pecuniarily to have
been a bonanza, as he made nearly
100000 by the transaction, owing to
the rapid rise in real estate values in
that section.
The interior department has been
party to a nice little scheme for the
enrichment of few of the favored at
the expense of settlers on the public
lands. These parties, one of whom is
an official under the house of repre-
sentatives, found out that there are
perhaps, about half million land
patents issued by the government
which have been retained in the land
office for year or more, the settlers
never having made demand for them.
The next step was to get an endorse
ment from the interior department
which was given in the following
words: ~ recommend your work as
at once beneficial to the government
in relieving this Office of such Lur-
den and at the same time rendering
to owners of land a great service in
the perfection OF their titles"
Armed with this endorsement Of