Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-09-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.

p
leans of Ohio. General Grant, a Re-
publican of high standing in the state,
presided over and spoke at meeting of
Republicans at which he said he would
not vote for any candidate who would
support Hanna for senator. A letter
from Col. A. l.. Conger, long a prominent
leader in the party, and now on Cover
nor Bushnell's staff, was read at this
meeting. in which Hanna was de-
nounced in unmGaSured terms. Judge
Nash was made chairman of the state
committee, position he refused to ac-
cept until he was assured by Hanna that
no money would be used but for the legit
innate expenses Of the campaign, and
the Judge is so disgusted at the exposure
of Major Dicks use of the campaign
fund deposited in the Ohio bank at
Washington that he wants to resign.
And now Hanna is called upon to put up
the money to run campaign in the
state for the frcebootcrS who call them
selves Gold Democrats.
How can the people ever expect relief
from the eXorbitant rates charged ty eX-
press companies, telegraph lines, and
sleeping cars, when every senator and
congressman who will accept the bribes
are dead headed by all of these gigantic
monopolies? John Wanamaker, while
postmaster-general, demonstrated that
the telegraph tolls charged the public
are from 100 to 1000 per cent higher
than should bo, while competition in eX-
press companies, when real, has shown
that the rates charged are enormous and
monopoly could make a larger profit at
half the present prices than is realized
by any transportation company on the
continent. Why doesn't tsome strong man
of the people come forward and cham
pion these real and necessary reforms?
A Spanish officer has recently been all
along our Atlantic coast, examining the
defenSes. He was permitted to visit all
the forts and is now prepared, of course,
methods of defense for all the cities on
the coast line. This amounts to moth
ing so far as Spain is concerned, and
was probably intended as bluff.
Spain's fleet consists principally of old
wooden ships with few armored cruis-
ers, and the country has no money even
to man them, but the habit of allowing
any foreigner, or any American who is
not well known, to inspect our forts is
most reprehensible and should be
stopped.
1t is not strange that stock gamblers
should indulge in eXtravagent eXulta-
tion over what they call a return of
prosperity. 1t is their business to boom
everything when prices are low; but it is
incomprchensible that level headed, well
informed business men should be taken
in with such twaddc. That there is
sharp spurt in wheat, everyone knows.
1t is true that u few of the many mills
and factories that have been idle for
years have resumed operations, but
when the exhausted stock is replenshed
they will suspend again, unless the de-
mand for their products continues and
the buying power of the people is in
The possible replacement of many of
the postolliccs and star routes now in
operation by the establishment of rural
free delivery has been taken up by the
postollico department, and an expert
ment in this line will very soon be made
for the purpose of showing the extent to
which the Offices and routes can be done
away with and be replaced by the rural
delivery service. The town of Grand
Isle, in Vermont, has been selected for
the test. The test may result in con
greSs being asked to give authority for
the extension Of rural free delivery.
Mr.. Fishbach, personal representative
of Weyler's friend Hanna, has been Sc
lccted by the administration TO make Il
tour of Cuba in company with Consul
General Lee. When the service is com
pleted, let us hope that Fitzhugh Lee
will be allowed to come home and tell
the people of the United States what he
knows.
Fully Prepared.
$50 you wish to leave TO get married,
Mary? l hope you have given the mat
ter a serious consideration 2"
"Oh, ! have SIR" was the earnest re-
ply. I've been to two fortune tellers