The morning call., 1891-03-08
Ruhamdh'S Notes About The Closing
Days Of Congress.
The Conventions of Women One Incident That
Was Net Pleasant = General Lew Wal.
lace's Mission-The New Secretary.

bupSIlSuI LeHSue, tHe w OTiu falr OilcerS
those interested in the Shipping Bill, the
people Of the District Of Columbia-all are
raging at the niggardly spirit with which
the great delheratiye body has dealt with
their interests.
With the appropriations for the Columbian
Exposition the course of Congress has been
as un-Amerlcan and unpatriotic as Que could
be SURPRISED by. II the ambitious citizens
holding higher positions did vote themselves
salaries paid by life insurance and railroad
companies, Secretary Window long agp re-
du ed them, and Congress had 10 need to
virtually cut the exposition off with shil-
ling, cripple it and try TO rob it of its
national character. With our merchant
marine held in check by foreign ship-build-
ers and foreign subsidies, reciprocity will be
chiefly to the benefit OF foreign steamship
lines and alien tramp ships. All this buster
about the first great cargo now on its
way 10 Brazil being the first fruit of
The reciprocity arrangement Is made absurd
by the fact that the cargo Is on British
ship. as all future caTgoes will be until
more IN elligent and far-seeing minds do the
voting at the capital. The merchant
marine and the new navy have little ex-
pectatiOnS OF being cOmprehended and
aided by the next Congress, with all its
reform members, SO that the present stua-
ton is the more discOurasing The District
of Columbia, whose affairs are managed BY
Congress, suffers most of all. After years
and years Of effort it was allowed to pur-
chase ground for public park. Then adj
joining it was acquired land for q national
geological garden, such as every capital in
the world enjoys. The reason and moving
cause for having a zoo started was that
the Government had already acquired il
Large collection of animals IN connection
with the work Of the Smithsonian and Ma
tlOnal Museum, and with
SUCH A BEGINNING
Il seemed an easy thing to continue the
work When the wise men began to appro-
pirate they put one-hHlf of the cost and
maintenance of the geological garden upon
the District, and the District. whose appro-
prlatiun is limited enough, does not feel
pleased at having to forego needed pave
mentS, increased police force and Fire De
partment in order that the Government may
offer another show place to the sight-SeerS
from all parts OF the country. But Wash
lnGtun Is always fun OF wrongs and griey
ancrs and 10 listen TO tie chorus that ac-
companies the last hours Of Congress one
might believe that the whole country was
going wrong.
TIE National Council of Women, composed
OF delegates from the different associations
OF women throughout the country, held Al
bauSh's Iheater for three days this week
snd the Woman'S Suffrage Convention has
succeeded them for three days. The coun-
Gil had not SO much
THE GRIEVANCES OF WOMEN
To consider as 10 celebrate the achievements
and progress of the sex, and for three ses-
slouS OF each day woman alter woman arose
and related the philan thrOpic, educational.
professional WORK conducted by their organ
lzatienS. Many Of The papers and addresses
were ably done and betokened unusual
NH Nor nj iii Oh,
ditfuse and far away rom their subject, but
on tie whole the average was above the
usual tarft speeches and routine debates of
the legis iators On the bill. Only once was
there an GHense against the decorum and
good taste Of the assemblage, and that was
when Mrs. Lease of Kansas told of her
work. Mrs. Leases tremendous voice. her
brusque manner and violent gestures
shocked her audience, and when she
began pouring her Walls OF wrath
upon Senate! Iugail' head Miss Fran
ces Z. Willard called her TO order and
many in the audience Kissed. None of the
council! had any idea Of the sentiments and
manner of Mrs. Lease. and all were mOrti-
iled at such an incident marrlng the other
wise high aud diSnltied character OF the pro-
ceedlngS. Mrs. Lease expressed the most
cOiumunIstic and revolutionary ideas. and
induleed in the most bitter personalities.
She was carried off to n Triumphant supper
at the Arlington by tho II Oh. Jerry Simp-
son and others. AT the very antipodeS from
Mrs. Lease was the manner and matter of
Mrs. Potter Palmer the following night,
when she set forth the plans and aims of the
wotnen's exhibit at the Worlds Fair. Mrs.
Palmer is a very beautiful woman, with all
the tine finish ana elegance OF manner of one
used to the best associations and
FROM THE DRAWING ROOM
To the platform she made a graceful transi-
ton. With very good voice she read her
brief explanation OF her plans, and warmly
invited the cooperation of all the women
and the associations they represented Mrs.
Palmer called to her here all the lady man
ayers from the nearest States and room
full Of her lieutenautS consulted with her
two and four hours day. The ladies made
To the Congressional Commuters
and subcommittee having the affairs of the |
exhibition in charge and worked energeti-
caliy during the week. Their visit created |
great interest in the part of the great exhibit |
which those ia0les have cCarge of, and now
that there is something definite aud tangible |
"a 100000 building is to be devoted to their |
uses the women's share in the great fair is |
bound to be given all credit and assistance. |
The economy OF Congress makes it still I'M |
certain whether tile ladies' board can hold |
their intended meeting this spring, but by
HER VISIT HERE
AT this time Mrs. Palmer pnt herself I'm |
with so many of her man |
ayers that in the absence of a meeting an al |
most equal result has been attained
General Lew Wallace has been one of the |
visitors much sought after, and the hours |
that he had intended to devote 10 research |
in the Congressional Library have been
sadly interfered with. He is soon about to
appear before the courts in a test case to
decide whether another person has a right
to quote and compile from "Ben Hur''
scenes and dialogues sufficient for con-
nected series Of tableaux and recitations
Illustrative OF the narrative and to copyright
such compilation. as has recently been
done. The work upon which General Wal
lace is now engaged is a novel whose scenes
are laid at the time of the fall of ConstaDti-
nOrle. He has laughingly assured his
friends that there are no chariot races in il.
nor other scenes which the tragic younr
woman may declaim with effect. General
Wallace has grown stouter and broader
since the days when he was Governor of
New Mexico, but his abundant hair shows
few more silver lines and his god-bowe
,pectacies give him still the scholarly air.
He is an old Indiana friend of the Presi-
lent and with no political ends or axes in
view his frequent visits at the White House
IRE most enjoyable affairs for the whole
family
The appointment of Secretary Foster was
nothing of surprise when it finally came.
md Secretary Foster, having been here SO
MANY YEARS IN CONGRESS.
And having kept up his intimacy with bis
I'D friends of those days, dropped ouietIv
nto his place here, as naturally at nome rs
f he had been here all along. Immediately
ipon his confirmation Secretary Foster
,ane to Washington, took the oath OF offire
md took charge of his department. Next
week he goes to Ohio to settle his private
lffairs, and his wife and daughter viii ac.
company him on his return. As the Presi-
lent will be much out of town this summer
md several Of the Cabinet officers will nc.
him on his Western tour, the adj
circle will be much broken for
he next few months. Secretary Foster and
lis family will not establish themselves ner-
until next fall. but make their
stay at some hotel while they are in the cltv
secretary Foster and Secretary Risk were
most closely associated together when thsv
we're in Congress together. Both have since
'een Governors of their respective States
md both are now in the same Cabinet. The
OF the men extended TO their
antilles as well and the wives and dauch-
ers are made equally happy by being
brought closely together again. ""
The California delegation are all prenar-
ng for their departure westward soon after
nd IL, =