Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-26
A home IN VIEW.
Congress to be Asked to Establish Head.
quarters In Washington for the Red
Cross Society - Secretary Windows
Conservntism-women ns Fair Hypo-

Cross Society - Secretary WINDOWS
Conservntism-women Fair Hypo.
critics.
rcoRREsPoNDENCE OF THE DIsPATcH.l
WASHINGTON. August A.-A great deal has
| been said recently about the work of the Red
| Cross at Johnstown. 1t is not unlikely that
prior to the meeting of Congress a delegation
of public men will pay visit to the Red Cross
settlement at the scene Of the great disaster,
as the guests of Clara Barton. An invitation
has been extended already, understand, to
the President and if he can be induced to pay
a visit to the stricken spot, before returning
to Washington from Deer Park, he will go as
the guest of the Red Cross. 1t is not generally
known that the President IS one of the officers
of the Red Cross. He is President of the
Board of Consultation, while the Secretary of
the Treasury and Secretary of War are trus-
tees of the association. This relation between
the Red Cross and the National Government
has existed since 1882, when Congress passed
an act, which was afterward signed by Presi-
dent Arthur. recognizing the association and
its auxiliary societies. 1t is possible that Con-
gress at its next session will be asked to estab-
lish headquarters for the American National
Red Cross in this city. Washington is the home
of its President and of most of the members of
its Executive Board. It has no official head
quarters, however The wonderful work
which it has done at Johnstown has broughti it
very prominently before the public, and there
recognition for it from Congress.
Rather n Remarkable Meeting.
There was an odd meeting at the Department
of Justice one day last week between a Federal
office holder and the man who will probably
succeed to the position he now occupies. Frank
Strong, the General Agent of the Department
of Justice is a Union veteran. He was a sup
porter of Mr.. Cleveland. He has not expected
that he would be allowed to remain in office
very long under Mr.. Harrison. Not long ago a
Texas Republican, who expects to succeed Mr..
Strong. paid a visit to the Department OF
Justice for the purpose of inspecting his future
quarters. In the course of conversation he
asked Mr.. Strong If he had been in the army.
II was in the Union army" said Mr.. Strong,
'and voted the Republican ticket regularly
until Mr.. Cleveland was nominated and ran for
thejPresidency." II was in the army, too"
said the Texan. at was the Confederate
army, however" The situation was an excel
lent illustration of the dying out of old sec
tional feelings and differences. Some years
ago it would have been regarded as rank
heresy for Republican President to appoint
an ex-Confederate TO the position from which
he had removed a Union veteran.
General Wlndom's Conservatism.
A great many people believe that the civil
service law should be enforced, however good
or bad it may be; in fact there are few sensi-
Bile men who will not admit that laws should be
enforced. and that If they are bad laws the best
way to remedy their defects is to amend or ap-
peal them The conservative course pursued by
Secretary Window, therefore, will likely meet
with general approval. It is said that he has
had the Presidents sanction for it, and it has
called forth approving comment from Republi-
can, Democratic and Mugwump journals alike
that is If you admit that the Mugwump can
exist now as an Independent being and has not
been merged into the Democrat There have
been fewer changes in the Treasury Depart
ment since March than in any other depart
in the Bureau of Engraving. and Print
Ing however, f.. who Who, will gg1OsSsHiy have
tary Windows supporters. He is an engraver
who was appointed in Garfeld's time, on the
recommendation Of all the Republican mem
land man. When Mr.. Cleveland came into
office this man began to tear for his official
head, and SO he filed new set of credentials
man and all the Democratic members of the
Maryland delegation. A few days since he
made an effort to withdraw from the files of
the Treasury Department his second set of
papers; but he was not successful, and the
proof Of his political hypocrisy will probably
be deemed reason sufficient for his removal.
The majority Of the two-faced Office holders are
women. They are usually appointed on
count of their family connections, and it is not
very hard for them to find sympathetic rela-
tives of either political belief.
One Pair of Gloves for Two.
The incident of which Mr.. Strong and the
Texas Republican were the heroes recalls an
odd friendship existing between two men in
public life, one of whom fought for the blue
and the other for the gray. General Joe
Hooker, a member of Congress from the Sew
enth Mississippi district, was one of the heroes
of the late war against the Union. He carries
an empty sleeve as a relic of his experiences on
the field. Major Powell the Chief of the &C.
illogical Survey, was in the Union army, and he
also carries an empty sleeve General Hook
rfo Lost 10 frhf f6a nA hos<
Powells on the left. Their remaining hands
are of the same proportions, and they have a
mutual agreement under which they purchase
gloves in common, Major Powell using all of
the rights" and General Hooker the "lefts"
No difficulty ever occurs between them about
the selection Of these gloves, for they pay little
attention to the perennial changes in modes
and fashions.
Keeping Up With the Procession.
1t does not take season in Washington to
teach some men the novelties of fashion. The
clerks who handle the acquisitions for supplies
in the various departments could tell tale or
two about this. One of them, who has made
special study of the subject of soap, tells me
that the demands for that useful article from
the different bureaus of the department in
which he is employed, are varied as the
changes of the kaleidoscope. One offceholder
from the wilds of Missouri, who, few months
fashioned soft soap and a basin of water in the
back yard for the performance Of his ablutions,
now sends for a soap of a brand known as
"Fleur de Tropique." The demands from the
heads of other bureaus range all through the
well or Unknown brands of French, English
and American toilet soaps. At the Capitol.
Senators and members of the House make de-
mand for special brands of soap, but they are
usually men who have been accustomed to use
those soaps at home.
He Had His Own idea.
Ex-Postmaster General Frank Hatton tells
an amusing story of our Minister to England,
Robert +. Lincoln. Mr.. Lincoln was the only
member of Garfield's Cabinet who was re-
quested to retain his portfolio during the in
cumbency of President Arthur. Mr.. Hatton
was also member of Arthur's Cabinet Most
men have pet phrase with which they punctu-
ate their sentences. With some of them it is
"You know;' with others do you sect" and so
catch NV idea?" Mr.. Brewster, one of the
brightest men who ever sat at the head of the
Department of Justice, was the Attorney Gen.
eral in Arthurs time. At one of the Cabinet
meetings held shortly after Garfeld's death,
Secretary Lincoln was laying down a proposi-
ton to another member of the Cabinet in his
most forcible way, punctuating his remarks as
usual with the frequent query: "Do you catch
my idear' Finally the person addressed re-
sponded: "Yes, 1 get your idea" Attorney
General Brewster leaned across the table and
said impressively: what is Lincoln going to
do now-has he his idea?' The serious deliber-
ations of the Cabinet were badly disturbed by
the laughter which followed this remark.
O'BRIEN-BAIN.
He Must Join the Shakers.
From the Boston Globe.1
MI Parnell Is reported to have decided to