The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-01-03
RANDOM NOTES.


lin Christie, the Assistant serReant-at-Arms Of the
senate, who generally accompanies Senatorial i'm
7estigating committees in their summer isunts in
earch Of information, OF which the following IA not
he worst: When the Wallace committee (nes
Teller was investigating the New York elections,
he subcommittee having the matter IN chhfne
vent down TO Coney leland 10 stay over night, With
Christie In charge Senator Joe Mcdonald was Of
he pnmSer. While enjoying his evening Havana the
Senator Was approached by diminutivc specimen
u humanity, who begged to be permitted to borrow
some OF your rc.n Being politely accommodated, hc
settled himself alongside OF the urbape Senator, And,
growing confidential, told Vncie zee tnat he dhe
strangerl belonged tctte Midget troupe "Indeed,"
said the sesstor. "I hope you have had a success.
ful tour" "why, are you in the same line OF bust.
ness7" eagerly queried the stranger. ayes" replied
the Senator; I'm one OF the end men In chr,stiep
Mnstrels.r
There "a seSldently kindiler feeling toward the
Army among members Of the Forty-nInth Congress
than has prevailed since the Reconstruction era.
Members who some years since we're ready to re-
duce the number OF enlisted men to 10000 are con-
siderlng the propriety Of increasing the number to
oooo, at least. The argument is that, for while at
least, as civilization advances into the Indian coun
try, we will need larger army on the frontier
Many, indeed, talk OF the necessity Of having rea
sonabe force In reach OF the large cities, but this
Idea nnds no favor, with the Democrats at least 1t
is argued that the number OF enlisted men might be
Increased TO 10000 or even $4,000 enlisted men, with
out proportionatey increasing the expenditures for
the Army. There is here and there a sentiment ex-
pressed In favor Of popularzing "wcst Point by
largely the number OF cadets, and pro-
vldinR by law that only certain number OF grad.
yates OF the highest merit-the number being con.
hned to what 1t now averagcs-shal be appointed to
the Army, and the remainder to be mustered out.
The promoters Of this scheme say that by this means
the country would be provided with trained soldiers,
who In time OF war could be relied upon as an add.
tional nucleus for large army. As the appoint.
ments would be rateably divided between the Con.
gressonal districts, every section would share in the
benefits Of the system alike.
Scientists are not satised with what they call the
"perfunctory performances Of the superintendent
Of the Coast Survey, and are whispering quite
audibly that It is time that some one who knows
something about the scientific needs Of that bureau
be appointed. In this connection they are throwing
out the iniimatlon that 30 important an onicer as
the Superintendent Of the Coast Survey, with O
salary OF $1,000 per annum, ought to be appointed
only with the advice and consent Of the Senate. A
prominent member Of the lower House has prepared
bill to this end, but refrans from pressing the
Commission investigating the scientific bureaus o.
the Government shall be made The member In
question expresses some dissatisfaction as TO thu
manner in which removals and promotions have
been made. lie says that while officials were re
moved on the plea OF negligence, incompetency
bad habits, or participation In Irregularities, tina
persons dismissed for bad habits BY former Ad
ministraton have been reinstated, partners In tn
irregularities have been promoted, and that promo
N tvh vNu1j ha1, 10
out case.
1t was also said that some cooness had arisen be
tween the Superintendent and Auditor Chenowitl
growing out Of the dismissal of one OF the clerks VIII
was prominent In furnishing information, and VIII
found himself way ahead OF the drum major whe
the investigation stopped. Auditor Chenowith'
zeal In ferrelug out Irregularities in the scentin
bureau seems to have somewhat abated-perhar
because the frauds that were neralded to exist wer
only Irregularities Of the imagination. The receu
approval by the Comptroller Of the accounts OF III
Fish Commission tend to show that the startling d
coveries heralded with flourish Of trumpets
especial correspondents" are indefinitely postpone
| Any one who was at all acquainted with Professc
Bard's character and standing, or who knew Ma
Powell, OF the Geological Bureau could not be MAD
to believe. without evidence OF the clearest kind h
| either had been guilty Of anything crooked. A
sire Of finding "irregularlties" has been evident,
| Is presumed that for a little while calumny b
lnuendo will cease so far as these oflcials are cor
cerned.
The story about secret bar.room adjoining Ii
| old Senate Chamber, where the sllk-robed JustiC
Of America passes final verdict upon questions
constitutional law, is denied, and truly denied, /
| several OF the Justices Of the Supreme Court Tn
/ raa mfr fhot
Webster was preparing to address the supreu
Court, then held In the room now occupied by II
| law branch Of the Congressional Library, that
used to fortify himself with draughs from brant
bottle kept in the Marshals office adjacent. But Il
| dgnihed Justices were never invited to partake.
Mr.. George Gray, OF Delaware, who succeed,
MI. Bayard In the Senate, trained lawyer of gre
capacity possessing all the elements that go to NAL
up ready and effective deblter. Should the occ;
sion require it, he s fully equal to the task Of discus
ing the questions of the day with any Of the train,
| leaders Of the Opposition. His want OF legislat
experience is supplied to great extent by his varle
practice at the bar, where he has been easily for
most In his own State. or the junior Senator
Kenna, OF West Vlrglnla,is another who may teat
| the Opposition lesson that merit often accompan
modesty. Mr.. Kennas experience In the House hi
| qualified him to use with effect the great powe
| with which nature has gifted him. On questions
finance Mr.. Kenna spoke In the House with ablllt
his speech on the greenback question In 1871 belI
one OF the documents most largely circulated In II
Congressional campaign OF 1873. AS member
the House Committee OF Commerce he sustaln,
| with v9or In debate the positions assumed by tn
committee in making large appropriations for Il
| Improvement OF rivers and harbors In his sectio
Mr.. Kenna has also been close student
affairs which attracted his interest. AS
| stump speaker he had no equal In his Stat
and 30 far from owing his promotion
the Senate to his being DrOte0e OF ex-Senat
Davis s concerned, he secured the honor by his ON
| unaided efforts, In spite OF Mr.. Davlss canddac
and solely from high appreciation by the people
his abilities. His youth and modesty have kept hi
In the background In the Senate but II the occasit
arises he can be counted on to do himself and par
credit. OF the old guard Beck has o memory ia
holds for ready reference every event OF America
history. and force and dIrcctness In dealing sledg
hammer blows that reminds one OF his countryma
| the legendary Hal Of the Wynd. Harris has y
superior as q parliamentarlan II he has an equa
and Vest and voorhees, In brllliancy Of dlctlon au
courage OF opinion cannot be overmatched. VIII
the fight comes OF there will be less chuckling O
the seats to the left of the presiding ofrcer.
Growing out OF the circumstances OF Mr.. Big
lows declination Of the once OF Assistant Treasure
| Of New York, there has been much discuss,
whether or no II was legal for an oicer OF the Unit
States to perform the dutes OF more than one one
30 distinguished constitutional authority as Chi
Justice Marshall settled the matter In his own ca
some eighty years ago. On the I'd OF Januar
1901, he was nominated as Chief Justice, connrmt
on the 27th, and commissioned on the 3lst. lie pr
sided on the bench OF the Supreme Court from Il
4th to the 9th OF February, or during the Februa
term, 1891. Hickey, In his work on the "Constil
tIon," says: "From message OF the President
Congress, accompanied by report Of John Marsha
Secretary OF State, dated 2Th February, 1901, 1t q
pears that he also continued to act In the latt
capacity until that day, and from other circumstanc
that he continued to act as such until the Sd
March, 1901, on which day the then administrati
terminated
The American Of to-day who sends his lett,
weighing an ounce, from New York TO San Fra
cisco, In less than week, and for the small sum
two cents, can appreciate the rapid advance una
In the rapidly and cheapness OF our postal sery,
Prior to Mr.. Folks administration July /, Isi5)
rates were somewhat different "For every lett
composed Of single sheet OF paper conveyed 4
exceeding 30 miles, the cost was cents; over 80
not exceeding 50 miles, 10 cents; over so and not
ceeding i5O miles, l2k cents; over 150 and not c
ceeding 400 miles, is11 cents and for all distanc
over 400 miles, 26 cents; and for every double lett
or letter composed OF two pieces Of paper, doul
these rates, and In proportion for additional pleC
! OF paper. In those days II would have cost a Sun
|. fortune TO send letter from New York 10 Chlcai