Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-01-03

WASHINGTON, January There are in
Washington a number OF government gardens
devoted to the culture OF rare flowers for bou-
quots and Ornamental purposes, The chief of
these are the botanical gardens, just east Of
the capitol The others are ofrshoots. The
botanical gardens we're founded a few years
back upon the nucleus Of a few foreign plants
brought home by naval officers Since then,
with the offshoots the cost of keeping things
gong and increasing has been moro than half
million dollars. Every year there are large
annual appropriations for this purpose. Mr..
LeFevre, Chairman of the House Agricultural
Committee, a shorFtime ago secured permis-
sion from the HOUSE 20 investigate the govern
ment flower gardens and report He is
assisted by a subcommittee, and has
deduced some interesting, if somewhat
scandaIous facts The subcommittee has
started out by examining Mr. Smith, who is the
superintendent OF the botanical garden at very
nice salary IL was de 1uced from him that the
people generally were allowed to go through the
gardens only on certain hours and never get
any flowers. Flowers were issued to members
OF Congress and TO prominent government Of
1cials Smith was forced to admit that these
favored mortals were in the habit, when they
gave parties or receptions, Of having the floral
decorations furnished from the government
gardens without expense. Their families are
also supplied with flowers upon demand. MIR
smith also confessed that frequently the floral
decorations seen upon the desks OF mem ers of
Congress, and supposed to be the offerings OF
friends or admirers, are ordered from him bv
the apparent recipient OF the floral
offeripgs-and at no expense whatever.
I Upon being closely erOSS-examiued Mr.. Smith
again divulged an interesting part of his
duties He has time without number, at the
request OF our wise national legislators and
prominent government officers, sent bouquets
to the inmates of houses not considered exactly
du Idit as a rule he said tbs bouquets sent
to these places were more costly and elaborate
than those usually ordered Mr.. eFevre's
COMMITTEES are OF the piniOn that they have
even at this early stage of the investigation
found out sufficient to warrant the Iecommen-
dation in Congress that all the outlying gar
Gems be cut of and a reduction Of expenses in
the botanical gardens proper be made, with
the proyisO that the flowers and things grown
therein shall not be given indiscriminately to
members TO suit any purposes that they may
have in view.
vESSoR, THE CANADIAN WEATHER PROPHET -
Vennor, the Canadian prophet who is so sue
ceSsful in his predictions of weather TO come,
not only immedia' ely. but months in advance is
a young man. Heis only abont thirty five years
Of age but has evidently got the science CT
! meteorology down to g very fine point He has
been far more accurate within the past two
months in giving predictions for the United
States than our own Signal Service. Conse-
quentiy our Signal Service is mad. 1t costs
about half q m lion or dollars TO run our
service, while VennOr supports himself and
1t is enough TO make our signal
Service mad When q man gets mad he de-
nounces the other fellow. Our Signal Service.
acting as one man. isldenoun"ing Vennor. It
IS getting itself interviewed and putting forth
statements that the Canadian is not a man or
"science," +" and Is only haphazard. IL would be
much better for the American people L our
Signal Service was not so deeply scientific and
was haDhaZard like Vennor. We would know
more about the weather that is to come. 1t l.
noticed, however, that despite the denuncia-
1aFG loo hic rara
dictions are more eagerly looked forward to
and have more confidence placed in them than
these Of our Signal Service.
THE cENsUs.
Gen .raI Walker estim ties that the tc tai foot
ing up Of the population Of the enlted states
being gain of about ten nj lions over the
census OF 1870 The figures OF the census Will
be sent to Congress shor lY after re assembling
and an immediate attempt VIII be made to
make the reapportionment on this basis
Since Congress assembled on the first Monday
in December, there has BEEN somewhat OF a
change in the talk of Republicans in regard
to reapportionment by the present House:
Many of them are not so decld oily opposed TO
it as they were. IL remains 70 oe seen, now
ever. whether they viii hllbuster TO prevent
b II for rtapportionment going through
sTIcKNEY's NOMINATION.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, to whom
was referred the nomination of J. Stickney
for United States District Attorney for Florida,
Will again. Nuc titAIrs ACpOAb ~
versely to the senate And if all signs do not
fail, Stiezney will again be rejected by the
Senate Probably after that Mr. Hayes will
G Jnsent to nominate a man for the place who
will at least be somewhat acceptable.
wHIFTAKERs CASE.
The President and Secretary Ramsay, yield
In to the maWkish sentiment OF the Repubh-
can party in favor Of the negro or against the
while man, have granted the copper-colored
youth who siit his own ears and tried TO swear
! the deed on gentlemen a court-martial. This
court viii be organized outside OF the corps of
officers at West Point, and will devote its
efforts to white-Washiog young Whitaker. 1t
will be practically instructed to override the
result of the court OF inquiry that
found beyond doubt that Whitaker
is a fraud, a sneak and a young vii
lain If his skin was white he would have been
incontinently bounced from the army months
ago Because he is slightly colored he must
be whitewashed morally and given aaother
chance. He ought to be white washed hter,
ally in freshly slaked ime; not that It would
make him much lighter in color, but the lime
would make him hop if applied at the right
POTOMAC.