Evening star., 1914-04-26

As the spring of 1854 advanced hopes
IN the north ran high that the collapse
of the Confederacy was
FINANCIAL close at hand. The Star.
Weakness in an editorial printed
April is, 1864. however.
pointed out conditions that were not gen.
eraiiy appreciated by the public. possibly
obstructive of the early restoration of
peace. The Star said:
ihe country evidently has more to
1ear Just now from Congress than from
the rebels in arms. The government is
prepared with military force to crush the
rebellion in the course of the coming
campaign. Never before were it's means
IN the field, and about to be brought
IN the field. so ample, while the rebels
must night the campaign of this spring
with hardly more than half as efficient
strength as that with which they began
the spring campaign of last year. But
congress stands seriously in the way of
the success of our country's arms The
majority seem bent on playing into the
hands of the rebellion, as we'll as into
those of the opposition, who hesitate not
10 aid the rebellion in their work of max
ing political partisan warfare for the
control of the government. The weakness
OF the government now lies in the de-
probation of it's currency and securities
IN the accumulation of its war debt That
is under the control of Congress. vet the
majority. through fear Of buncombe.
seem determined not to apply the neces-
Sary remedies. These are but two in
number, heavier general taxation and re-
stralnt upon the local and state banks
from flooding the land ad libitum with
paper never destined to be redeemed 1t
Is being issued for the most part wholly
at the pleasure of the issuers, without
any other security for its ultimate re-
demption than such as has been found
to be mere mockery on every occasion
when the never failing financial crash has
followed tn: oft recurring undue expan-
sion of the currency. The local and
state banks are active political workers
and members of Congress-or rather
many of them-elect to legislate under
their duress. though knowing that in so
doing they are aiding them to perpetu-
ate wholesale robbery of the masses of
their constituents-that is, in preference
to iegislating SO as to strengthen the
credit of the government in this hour
of its sorest need and trial since the
close Of the revolution"
At this time fifty years ago a lively
warfare was being waged on the water
front of Washington be-
Rival Ferry tween rival steamship
Companies. co companies; In In. The Star
following statement of the commence
ment of this trouble:
"On Saturday afternoon there was
some little excitement in the neighbor-
hood of the steamboat wharf, foot of 7th
street. in consequence of an apprehended
collision between the rival companies of
which there are now three. the new Po-
tomac Ferry Company having put their
boats to running last week. The new
company some time since purchased the
and Alexandria Company, which was
lhen running from the wharf in common
with the Young America, of another
line. and claim that they also bought
with 1t the lease on the wharf to Janu-
ary next; but this proprietors of the
Young America deny. The new company
claiming possession at the old wharf,
ON Saturday morning moved up two
boats, the Ballacca and the Phoenix, and
moored them to the wharf in such a
manner as to prevent the Young Amer
lea from landing upon the wharf She,
however, came up along the side and
Ianoed her passengers across the bows
Oh the Ba!lacca, and SO continues to do
tnis morning. The new company have
the Fulton. new Ferry boat, running
from the slip at their own wharf, a few
hundred yards below, and the Collyer
which runs from the Young America 8
wharf We understand that the Young
America Company have served a notice
on the new company to remove the
blockade. or they will be charged heavy
wharfage and damages. The competi-
ton has had the effect to reduce the
price to 10 cents or less between the two
cities"
X
Ihe civil war gave rise to all sorts
OF enterprises and some of them were