Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-12-11

and public buildings are heavily draped
in black. 1t is quite an item of expense
to the government to put up official
mourning. 1t took twenty men three
days to drape the patent official alone.
Each Of its big pillars, and there are forty
eight in all, required forty yards OF bunt-
ing. All together about 5000 yardy We're
used for the Interior department at a cost
not far from $1,000. When this depart
ment was draped for Gen. Grant the cost
was nearly S1,700. But a great deal of
new material was purchased at that time,
some of which was utilized for Vice
President Hendricks, and some OF which
is now being used for the third time. OF
course the expense of draping the Inter
ior department is greater than that Of any
other, because it, includes the Patent
office, Indian office, Pension bureau Of
education. the Geological Survey, and
others which are all in separate buildings.
The cost of draping other departments
is about $3.50 or $175 each. The superin-
tendent of the postot1ic department, for in
| stance, is disposed to economic. lie
buys the bunting and employees his own
men and carpenters to do the work, Q
ing after it himself. The bunting used
costs thirty cents a yard. It remains up
for thirty days and then it is taken down
and such of it as is not tattered and faded
by the wind and rain is packed away for
the next occasion of public sorrow.
The president has completed portions of
his message to congress. and has read
them to the cabinet. The message will be
shorter this year than last, which is a kind
of reform that will be approved by every
body. The presidents friends as well as
his alleged enemies are kept busy deny
ing what the newspapers accuse them OF
saying and thinking and planning and at
tempting. His old law partner, Mr.. Bis
| sell, who has just been here, denies ever
having sought to influence the president
in making appointments. He says Mr..
Cleveland, whom he knew as sheriff,
mayor, and governor, always discharged
the duties of these offices without much
advice or assistance, and he believes he
will be equally successful IN his present
trust. He also denies having advised the
president to sell his country place as quick
" as possible because of the gossip about
the syndicate formed over his property to
advance real estate in that direction.
And Senator Edmunds, the presidents
so called bitter foe, denies SOM things.
He denies that he is preparing an attack
to be made this winter upon the presi-
dents civil service policy, and he says the
attempt to criticize Mr.. Cleveland in con-
nection with the purchase Of his country
home is unfair. The extensive improve
ments contemplated in the direction of
"Oak View" have become q public neces-
sity and the subject came up in congress
long before the president had ever seen
the place.
One Of Senator Edmunds' constituents
is indignant at the allegation that the SEN
ator intends to become a candidate for the
presidency in 1888. Ge says Mr.. Ed
munds has a ioftier ambition, namely: to
represent Vermont in the United States
senate; and that the Green Mountain
state will allow him that privilege as long
as he lives. why says he, should ;
great statesman want a small position
like that Of dispensing petty offices, tt
which the presidency has degenerated:'
This reminds me Of what Mr.. JOSEPH
Howard, IT,, says about Journalism ant
politics. He thinks Dir. Cummings, th'
New York Journalist recently elected Il
congress, is taking u step Ia the Wron:
5 direction by forsaking an honorable posi-
, ton in that sphere in order to go to con
gress. Mr.. Cummings explains his reason
> for coming to congress by saying that h
simply wants to get behind the scenes i
: politics il order to make himself NOR
competent and useful in Journalism. IL
has no intention of giving up his neWspape
: work. The experience will be Of gre5
advantage to Mr.. Cummings, but it is nc
= certain that his constituents will approx
: his motive.