Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1886-12-02
NUMBER 40.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
lFrom onr regular corrcspoudent.l
WASHINGTON Nov. 15. 1886.


The United States supreme court ad-
Ejourned from Friday until Tuesday
for the same reason. Ali Of the
public buildings in Washington are
draped in black for the dead ex.
president and flags are displayed at.
half mast. President Cleveland and
several members of his cabinet at,
tended the funeral and congress was.
represented by committee Of sena-
tors and Representatives.
Since the black draperies have
been hung on the front portico Of the
White House, the president and
Mrs. Cleveland take their carriage
at the south entrance when they go
out for a drive, and all the projected
gayetles at the executive mansion
will be postponed for the thirty days
of mourning. Then the black buns>
ing Will be taken down and folded
up and laid away to do service again
at the death of the next high official
or ex-official of the government, andd
the gay social season will begin. js
The custom of shutting down on
public work, and turning, fifteen
thousand employees loose whenever n
president, ex-president, a cabinet OF.
ficer or ex-cabinet officer happens to
die, IS questionable way of show
ing respect to the distinguished dead.
1t is picnic for the clerks and 81
time for congratulation and they
would be glad to multiply by hum
dred fold the occasions Of public
sorrow that give them day off and
out. There is no doubt that the GUS
tom wonld be more honored in the
breach than in the observance, but
it is one of those things that a long
line of precedent has established and
it would be difficult to decide where
or with whose demise it should end.
President Cleveland has been q
much displeased at efforts 20 get
him to interfere, in the now widely
discussed Washington police scandal.
He does not feel, in the present con-
ditlon Of affairs, that he would be =
warranted in taking hold Of the mat .
ter, although the time may como
when he may be called upon to take
some action. The president is still
deeply absorbed with=the. prepara-
lion of his message, and although he
IS subjected to some unavoidable In
5erruptlons, the approaches to him
are closely guarded. - q 6essase.,
The presidents appointment Of 5
Mr.. Fulton as paymaster general Of
,he navy was very gratifying to hGat
val officers. and his appointment Of Z
Col Moore as surgeon general of the
army was received with satisfaction
lmong officers of the army. q stsE
The regular army officers who
lave been examining the militia Of
he states and territories have report. :
ID commencing the efficiency Of the =
organizations. They
hink, however, that the armed mlli-1s
ia of the country, would be doubled
f congress would appropriate anflu-
lllY much larger sum to be dis,
ributed among the states for i'm ,
proved arms and accoutrements. In
he latter case 1t is estimated that +
he militia would consist of 800, 900
veil drilled men, who could be called a
nto active service at moments n0-5k
ice, and who would be almost as ef-sa
ective at the outset of war, as the
eguIar army. r
Many conventions and associations -
more than ever before--want to
'ome to Washington during the next,7
rear. The national grange has de- ]
,ided to hold all future meetings Of
hat order in Washington, aud
committee has been appointed to
axe measures for the erection of !,
uitable building here for its officers
nd Its sessions.
Soon after congress meets there
will be large gathering of notabili-
les here to discuss, the proposed ex-2
,osition at Washington in 1889 and
2. And later there is to be con-7a
'ention of an educational character
which will attract good many peo-
lie. 1t will bein the interest of fedeFs -
/ aid to common schools and will be
of school superintendents
rom the various states and terrific
les. sl1 slt ta4
1t has been proposed that each
tate of the Union shall erect IN this
ity handsome building to be used
s state headquarters, and perhaps
s residence for the senator's of the
espective states. The plan, which
, likely to be carried out some time,
Tould prove great convenience to
ach state, and would add much to
he grandeur Of the national capital!
A North Takoma, ". T., Indian
ad his first glass Of soda water the
ther day, and liked it so much that
e proceeded to put nineteen more
n top of it. The next day he drank
more,' and wanted to-
eep it up, but the druggist was
fraid that he'd explodey and stop