The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-04
The New Year Reception Too Expensive for
General Observance.
PROSPERITY ALL IN THE IMAGINATION
Warrington Rcni Estate Mortgngcd
ana Ifusincss in n Condition That
Invites Roco. vership-Dcmotraiio
Movement That Gives silver Load.
Grs Anxiety.
Especial Cor. of The virglnlan.)
Washington, Jan. 3. 1895

Washington, Jan. 3, 1898.
No Christmas holiday recess in recent
years has been so quietly observed as
the one just passed. The death of the
Presidents mother caused all New
Years obserYances to be abandoned at
the White House, and official society,
following the wishes OF the President,
also did away with New Years recep-
tons and calls. Coming as it did at a
time OF great financial depression here,
me omission has been q distinct ben
eft to many people who hang upon the
outskirts OF official society and strain
themselves to keep up the gait which
their means do not warrant. This
New Years observance is very expen-
siVc, and for .he past few years has
been on the decline. a few columns
was sufficient to contain the names of
those who kept open house this year.
while five years ago the papers pub
lished several pages OF the names alone.
Only the florists, dressmakers and
hackmen are the losers this season. It
is probable hat the custom Will de-
cline as the years go by.
Our local papers, following the Gus
tom OF years, publish q review for the
year 1897. They make out a prosper
Gus year and draw largely on the imag-
ination in %picturing good times for the
future. The papers s~tudiousiy refrain
from stating that there are 5000 houses
Tor rent In this city: tina rents have
decreased 30 per cent; that property
cannot be sold, even at auction, at
one-half Its value OF three years ago;
that three pieces OF property out of
hre are mortgaged for their actual
value; that not five pieces of property
out OF 100 sold during the past year at
trustees sale but had to be bought
IN by the trustees to save the parties
holding the trust; that more men are
idle than at any period In Washington's
history within ten years; that such men
as are at work are receiving from 30
to 10 per cent. less wage than five years
ago. mat not one merchant In ten Is
even paying expenses, much less max.
ing money: that the only profit realized
by sales of property at trustees sales
Is by the papers that publish the legal
noticeS; that these notices fiji a whole
page of the principal city newspapers
daily ana has done so for a year past.
All these facts. we'll known here. arc
religfousiy suppressed by our local pa
,pers In all articles relating to the
return Of prosperity" In conversation
with n merchant here to-day on one of
our principal streets, who IS worth
w O0O. mad In better days, fe stated
tnht IN his opinion not 100 merchants
OF the city were more tEan paying en-
penses, ana not so making any money.
lie cited his own case, when his sales
amounted 10 500 n day. Now, he said
" or $40 n day is q. fair DAYS sales
lie figured M his expenses, and with
OUT counting the rent, as he owns his
business place. he said he was making
y per Month. He did not count his
" services, but hire OF one clerk AMI
gas and fire as expenses. This is a
SAMPLE case of the small merchant,
lie attributed II to the combined cause
OF hard times and combination stores.
iollticlnns here are watching with
much interest recent political move
mcnts I'm New York and the East.
fhe complete control obtained by Tam
many IN New York, and the election OF
quincy as Mayor of Boston by The
aid CT Republican votes is causing sill
YER Democrats TO believe that a concer-
ted action is to he made by Eastern
Democrats. packed up by Republican
cApitai and corporations, TO divert The
next Democratic National Convention
from the silver issue. In New York
n new Democratic organization called
the Democratic club has been formed
Ex-Governor Flower, who refused IN
supper Bryan, and declared that trusts
were n benefit to mankind: Jefferson
49, 10 IL TtSIleII Oh New York
In the winter and of Virginia i'm the
nmme Richard Croker, of Tammany,
ana others, are members Of this club.
It's object Is thought to be to control the
next New York delegation along lines
oH2"Siie To those framed n: Chicago.
IL VIII give Crokcr and the others an
opportunity OF doing quiet work In that
way, and If unsuccessful. to fail back
upon their Tammany connections with
out Jecpardizing their party standing
~ similar effort is on foot in Pennsylva-
mia and Massachusetts,.
]! is because of this activity among
those who are known as corporation
Democrats, or gold bugs. that has
caused National Democrats here N feel
some uneasincss about the formation
OF the next Democratic Congressional
Committee. and brought out the dcclar
atrjn among Democratic Congressman
that oniv silver men shall head 1t and
direct It's policy. This fcaling will find
expression when the full membership
Is announced within the next few
weeks.