The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-01
Capital NOT DESERTED
MANY PEOPLE THINK WASHINGTON A
GOOD SUMMER RESORT,
And Find Amusement Even When
esting Talk with Major Steele.


WASHINGTON July S1.-Although Con-
gress has adjourned Washington is far
from being a desert. Public business con-
tinues to be transacted and the immense
machinery of the government keeps in mo-
ton, executing the laws of Congress and
administering the public service. In fact
Congress is of less Importance in a physical
and material sense to Washington than
most people suppose. A session of Congress
is important from a hotel standpoint but
aside from that the comings and goings of
the national Legislature do not visibly affect
the community. Congress attracts a tran
sient population of possibly two thousand
or three thousand people, about per cent.
of the total population of the city When
Congress is not in session the people have
time to think about their own affairs and
to give attention to matters of Importance
not directly connected with legislation.
They have chance to become acquainted
with the men who direct the expenditure of
close to $50O,O0O00O year. While Congress
is in session very little thought is given to
such matters; hence, the recesses have
their usefulness aside from giving the coun-
try a rest from the agitation which is ever
a part of the sessions
Not all of Washington goes away during
the heated term. A few thousands of the
well-to-do close their houses and fly to
the mountains or seaside and 70 per cent.
of the department clerks avail themselves
of the thirty-day leave of absence which
the law allows them, and take little trips.
Aside from this the people Of Washington
stay at home and find plenty of amuse-
ment. Half dozen lines of electric radI-
way penetrate the surrounding country
many miles and tens Of thousands If men
women and children crowd these cars light
ly, and enjoy cool rides into the rural re-
gions, where resorts abound for comfort
able rest. About twenty excursion steam
ers ply up and down the beau
tiful Potomac, making two or three
trips daily to popular river resorts
within an hour or two of the
| Seventh-street wharf. These steamers do
a great business in summer. Washington
itself is a landscape garden, and is full OF
splendid parks and broad avenues. 1t is
the cleanest city in the United States, and
is the only large city where ladies can wear
white dresses with the same immunity from
dirt as in a small country town or village
Washington is entirely endurable Its peo-
pie are slow-moving and not given to ex-
element. If they had the hustle and hustle
OF The large Northern cities the mortality
heightened. -
The statement by Mr.. Preston director OF
the mint, that the worlds production of
gold has more than doubled during the last
| ten years will be a surprise to those who
| do not keep close watch upon the develop
ment of mining ard of the yield of pre-
cious metals. The annual production OF
gold at the present time approximates $225,-
100000. In 1887 it was S106OO0,0O0. Thirty
| years ago it was 1874, 100000, and In 1874 1t
ran down to $91,OOOO00. The production in
| the United States will be close to 60O00,O00
| the current year. 1t was about $50 600, 900
| last year, having increased since 1888 when
| it was $50, 900 600. 1t has been making rapid
| jumps. the annual increases being about
| S. 900. This is due to a large degree to
! the improvements in mining machinery and
| in the processes for extracting the pre-
cious metal from the rock Director
| Preston is Of the opinion land his views
| are shared by other experts) that the
| world is on the eve of it's greatest min
| ing development, and that the total out
| put will be enormously increased during
| the next few years not so much, perhaps,
! by the discovery of new fields as by the
| more profitable working of old territory.
| The free silverites are watching this
|
many of them firmly believe that the
forces which are now at work to increase
the production of gold will cheaper that
metal and gradually reduce 1t TO CONNER
cial parity with silver, thereby settling the
| controversy which is now raging, and
peacefully terminate the struggle for BIZ
metallsm. The free siverites fervently pray
for a new Klondike every day
Representative Steele, of Indiana, who is
business man with widely diversified in
terests throughout the West, was discuss
ing the condition of the agricultural classes
few days ago. His views upon this SUBJ
ject were sufficiently interesting to merit
reproduction in print He said:
THE farmers of the West really believe
that they are having a very hard time and
that they are in distress, but as a matter
of fact, their condition is better, compare
lively, than that of any other class of our
population. The selling value Of their
property has doubtless decreased, but so
has the property Of everybody else under
gone great a shrinkage, if not greater.
Yet the hard times Of which they hear 50
much and which they incidentally feel to
some extent has caused them to adopt
methods of economy which has reduced
their aggregate Indebtedness enormously
and really put them in better shape than
they have been for many years. AS a rule,
they are more nearly cut of debt now than
they ever were before. They have good
houses which. as a rule, are we'll
furnished They are able to give
their children good educations and
to dress them as we'll as the children in
towns or cities. The country girl Of to-
day has practically the advantages of her
city cousin, and when they mingle to-
gether it is impossible to tell them apart.
1t is hardly fair to judge Of the condition
Of the farmer by the isolated instances OF
sacrifice sale of farm lands. During PEE
RODS Of hard times all property which Is
| forced TO sale under the hammer goes at
| ruinous figures, but as I said before the
| farmers Of the United States have Jared
better during the last five years and they
are in better shape now than any other
class. When they look around them and
compare their condition with that of others,
particularly those living in large manufac-
| turing communities they have every rea-
son to be satisfied. AS a matter OF fact,
they are beginning TO realize the true
| status OF affairs and are less prone than
they were year ago TO give vent to ex-
pressions of discomfort at their lot"
Vice President Hobart has proven him