The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-01-15
CHAT OLE TEE CORRIDORS,

CHAT OF THE GOhhlDOhSH
The gentry who "gambol on the green"
5n the city arc in the last stages Of despair
One veteran manipulation Of pastoboard re-
marked TO me the other night:
There's no us talking I've either got TO
skip this town on an early train or become an
object Of charity. III starye to death IL don't
leave. hate to go, for ] like the climate and
society Of Washington, and I've been here
good while But I've really got 10 hunt some
place where the police are not so internally
narrow-miudod and meddlesome. Like some
Others, j tried TO comply with the law by or
Pauizing a club for social intercourse and lit
erary improvement and fitted up a mighty
nice little place, with enc tables aud iayouts,
where gentlemen could drop in OF an afternoon
OF evening for a little quiet amusement But
you've seen that the police have raided several
Of these clubs, and Judge Miller has decided
that a few copies 81 the Police Gazette cannot be
considered a library for a social club and COM
pairing the value Of different hands Of cards
does not Oh the laws requirements Of literary
Improvement So, before the police call on
me, I'm sell my furniture for what can get
for IT, and bid the Goddess Of Liberty farewell
She's gone back on me in very low-down
fashion. I've seen the time here when j ran
ibe biggest faro game outside Of New York
right under her eye, which seemed to wink at
me approvingly, and I've dealt linen backed
cards to some Of the biggest men in the Nation
The police would have no more thought OF
bothering me than they would Of stopping Ben
Harrison from trundliug Baby Mckee about
the White House grounds. But those happy
days arc gone, and I'm afraid forever"
The "old sports wall has abundance of
reason. Repression Of gambling by the police
has steadily grown more effective for years.
until there is probably less of it going on in
Washington than in any city big or little, in
Che whole country. All forms, except that Of
pool-selling, have Wellnigh disappeared. Keno
has been a thing Of the past 50 long that most
people have forgotten what il was. Very little
faro has been played for years. and the public
playing Of poker has become entirely too risky
20 be attractive. Even the pleboian crap
shooting" so dear to the hearts Of the negroes
and low whites, has wellnigh disappeared. II
was Mlrd work breaking mp policy writing"
but il has been nearly done. Pool-solling would
have gone with the rest but President Harri-
son found defects in the act passed by Con-
Rress, which demanded his veto
.ta
I am gratifed by the emphatic way in which
Secretary Tracy has rebuked Commander Geo.
c. Reiter Tor bis share in the humilitating muir
der Of Gen. BarruudiA Gen. Tracy begins by
calling attention to the fact that il is the first
time in the history Of the Navy Department
that il has been necessary 10 censnre an officer
for q failure to do his duty in such matter,
and says that the Commanders action IN ask
ing OF the Guatemalan Government permits
sion TO offer an asylum TO Barrundia shows
that he has lesson to learn before he can be
safely Entrusted with the command Of ship
Of war; Tie Secretary lays down the law APP
plicable TO the case with the greatest clearness
and il will be an invaluable chart for Naval
officers in the future:
Whenever any passenger, whether American
OF foreign, is received on board an American
vessel he comes under the American flag and
is entitled 20 the protection aud security OF
which that flag is the guarantee. Al sea, this
inyiolability has IN the time OF peace no cxccp-
tion OF qualification, In foreign ports u Is
qualified only by the local exercise OF the ter
TitoriRl authority Whatever may nave been
ehOred within the port the American steamer
before she entered the port and Aitor she left
IL was as independent Of such authority your
own ship, or as the soil Of your own country.
il was within your Legitimate power, as it was
your imperative duty, 10 execute, by every
means legally az your command, the guarantee
Of protection which the United States gives 70
all vessels under its Gag Your ships were on
fhe spot; You had full knowledge Of
Gen. BurrundiRs approach; you were in
formed Of the intention to seize him as
political offender. he was not q fugitive
from the territory Of Guatemala seeking
20 escape from the territorial jurisdiction.
Neither was he c0nspirator attempting 10 re-
turn 10 his country 10 fOment revolution, lie
was q passenger on board an American ship,
and lac had thus obtained place under the flag
aud protection % the United States In this
situation you found him. HIS safety was threat
ened. Under these circumstances IL was your
plain duty TO proceed Ht Oree TO meet the
steamer before she cast ancae In the port, 10
WarH the Captain o. the cansor, md 10 offer TO
his passenger, should he desire it. an asylum on
board your ship lad you merely gone out TO
inform yourself personally Of the facts, you
would nave learned that Gen. Barrundia had
Lad no intention OF entering, voluntarily, the
GuatemalHn territory. Had you learned these
facts of which you would undoubtedly have
been appriscd Immediately upon reaching the
steamer, M Dr. impossible 20 suppose that you
would have failed 10 offer tho fugitive an
asylum. by remaining inactive, you neglected
your obvious duties. aud placed your Govern
ment Ia the position Of rcDOuHcing those who
had sheltered themselves under it, flag.
-
The investigation Of the Silver Pool still
halts-not because the Committee on Rules il
unwilling 10 investigate, but because il can
find nothing 10 investigate. Speaker Reed and
Representatives Cannon, Mckinley, Blonnt aud
Mcmillan, who constitute the Committee, are
very anxious 10 probe 10 the bottom The charge
that Senators and Representatives stood in with
the Silver ring and had large amounts Of the
precious meta carried for them. But 30 one
las been found, o. apparently can be, who will
stand father 10 such charge and point out
the Senators and Representatives implicated
Without this, the Committee can do nothing
D. cannot take cognizance Of nero reports that
such was the case. II must have some namos
aud facts 70 20 on. Representative C0ngel
lniimalod IN q speech 20 the House that som,
Senators aud Representatives had PERSONAL,
Irofted by the passage OF the Silver Bill, bui
heidi not absolutely say that this Was so, aud
Io b now absent IN Brazil, and cannot be heard
from before Congress adjouns. Ecprcsentativ,
Doclgery, who introduced the resolution calling
for an investigation has SO far failed 10 sunni,
the Committee with any names or facts, ane
the newspaper men are equally reticcut j
there is any gentleman in the country wht
really knows ANYTHING about Tie gnatfar