Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1890-04-12
From our regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON LETTER.

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Washington, D. c., April 7, 1890.
One of the most time honored Gus
toms to Washington is that of egg
rolling on Easter Monday, an anniver-
sary strictly observed by the juveniles.
For two hours this morning regiment
of mothers, and battalion Of Irish,
German and colored nurses, wearing
the inevitable French caps, marshalled
an army of pretty infantry toward the
White House grounds. The adjacent
streets were thronged. On the field of
battle the struggle for eggs was fierce
and prolonged, and when the camp
followers were left alone with the spoils,
thousands of eggs strewed the sward.
The children who come to the egg
breaking constitute and essentially
Democratic mob. No children are too
dainty, none to humble, and none too
young, to enjoy the sport. Between
"Baby" Mckee, who is of course eli
titled to the first place among society
infants during the present administra-
ton, down to the half clad colored
Youngsters from unknown alleys, is a
social distance as difficult of adequate
comprehension as the distance from
the most remote planet to the earth,
and yet for few hours they are parts
of the same picture. In fact, the ebon
youth has the better of most of the
wealthier children, for he is learned in
the art of breaking eggs, and generally
winds up with his stomach and pockets
alike full. | saw one colored boy
being attended by a friendly police
man, who stated that the lad claimed
to have eaten forty eggs, and choked
on the forty-first.
A history of White House children
would make an interesting volume,
there have been so many generations
of them in that building. The most
interesting one | recall was little Tad
Lincoln, who had full officers outfit
and used to make war all by himself
in the noiseiest possible way and whose
death, in this same house was sore
sorrow to his lion-hearted father. The
Hayes children were peculiarly prim
crew. There was only short season
of spring playing for the Garfield
Youngsters before their sorrow came,
bringing the longest season Of silence
the White House ever knew There
were no more children in the White
House until the present administra-
ton, when the Harrison family
brought enough and to spare. And
the one warm spot in President Harri-
sons otherwise cold nature, so aver his
enemies, is his love for the babies of
his household.
Mr.. Stone, of Missouri. had the I'M
comfortable experience on Friday of
feeling the wrath of both friends and
enemies. The question before the House
referred to certain private pension
bills favorably reported, but Mr.. Stone
spoke on the pension problem in gen
eral. He said that he was in favor OF
calling halt gin this extravagant
waste of public funds" He thought
the government had done enough, and
that everything that was now done
was for mere political efect-a use of
the Treasury for campaign purposes.
His speech was vehemently de-
nounced by Republicans and Demo
Gratis aEke-more especially by Demo
cratic members representing constitu-
encies with large soldier element.
The feeling against Mr.. Stone was so
noticeable during his remarks that he
closed with only mild protest against
further pension legislation.
Whether Mr. Stone be right or
wrong, Congress owes it to deserving
claimants to make provision for the
speedy adjudication of pension cases.
The Bureau as it exists, whether for
want of clerks, or want Of management
is woefully in arrears with work. A
letter written in a case is answered
perhaps in a year, perhaps never.
Testimony is considered sometimes
only after a years delay. In cases
that have once been rejected, re-
hearing on pertinent evidence is al
most unobtainable. The appeal board
in the Interior Department is twenty
nine months behind with its work.
| The claimants are not all deserving,
but the greater number are certainly
old and poor and it would be mercy
to decide their claims as early. as
possible one way or the other.
The man who doubts that advertis-
ing pays should see Chauncey M.
Depew. He had only few hours
here on his way North, this week from
two weeks of Southern travelling, but
in these few hours he was interviewed
! fourteen times and talked about every
thing, the twelve pounds he had gained
on the trip, the delightful climate of
North Carolina, the race proble",
Easter, and first and last-Depew.
He never comes here without occupy
ing large section in the newspapers.
A man who has always somebody to
talk to, when he wishes to talk, and
somebody to talk to him, when he
wishes to listen must have an enjoy
able time. Perhaps Depew gets too