The Globe-republican., 1892-07-11
OUR 81. LOUIS LETTER.
Permanent National CoaventSon
Hall-lmproving the Mississippi River
Married Women A. Teachers

- 6Ohuooe1S Not1onA CO0ve0St00
HallElmproving the Mississippi River
Married Women A. Teachers
ST. LOUIS, June 80.
The Missouri State Democratic con-
vention which will meet in St Louis
judges of the supreme court will hold
its sessions in the building where
Grover Cleveland was nominated four
years ago This is the Exposition
building on Olive street In 1890, it
will be offered to both the Democrats
and the Republicans for their conven-
tions, and q strong effort will be made
to have one or both of the Presidential
nominations come from it The dele
gates who sweltered and got wet IN the
Chicago wigwam have not stopped
complaining yet, and the city will
enter the contest heavily handicapped
when it again applies for one of the
national conventions There was no
complaint whatever of the St. Louis ac-
commodations four years ago. The
Exposition building is a permanent
structure made of brick, stone and iron,
in the center of the city, and it can
seat 10000 people with ease. When
the Democratic convention was held
here, only one-third Of the hall space
in the building was used, and yet, more
than twenty-five thousand spectators
saw the proceedings
The city will begin its canvass early
in 90, and judging bv statements made
recently by the leaders of both parties,
it will be successful beyond the antici
pations of those who do not understand
how necessary to satisfactory conven-
ton work good hall is.
General Sherman did a good thing
for st. Louis before he gave up his
house here and went to New York to
live. Those who used to know him here
delight to this day in telling how he
once turned the hose on water rates
collector who presented bill to him
while he was sprinkling his
front lawn in the cool of
the afternoon. The incident made
a good deal of fun at the time, and it
called attention to the exhorbitant
prices that house owners had to pay
for the right to keep their grass green
in hot weather The high rates the
city charged had prevailed then for a
number of years, and nobody had ever
thought of objectiug. Since the en-
pha tic protest of General Sherman. the
rates have been lowered little each
year. This year, the water rates col
lector announces another reduction.
and house owners who sprinkle their
lawns will have to pay hereafter only
about half as much as they were doing
when the irascible old general aimed
the nozzil of the hose at the dun.
1t cost the st. Louis Merchants Ex-
change good round sum to get one
word into the platform OF the National
Democratic convention the other day.
The word was continuous" 1t des-
cribed the kind of appropriations that
should be made for the Mississippi
river. The money was spent in paying
the expenses of an energetic committee
of men who knew all about the river
and its needs. They were in Chicago
a week, and won their victory by never
letting the influential men of the plat
form committee get out Of their sight.
Congress has always done for the river
exactly what the platform asked it to
do, and not a thing more. Hitherto,
the platforms have suggested appro-
priations for the river in sort of per-
functory way, and Congress has appro-
priated in the same manner. The
money was given in scraps, and the
river was benefited very little. The
demand for the continuous" appro-
priation this time will result in putting
into the next river and harbor bill az
item that will cause millions to be
spent in deepening the channel.
A great school question controversy
is raging here. Should married
women, not dependent on their own
exertions TOR support, be allowed to
teach in the public schools? Some of
the school directors believe they should
not be, and a number of designations
have been demanded from teachers.
At the same time several school prin-
cipals, to whom there is objection on
there is proba bility that by the time
the big stone Office building on Locust
street is finished, many more of the
teachers who are now watching its erec-
tion interestedly will no longer feel
any concern in the pay-rolls to be
made out there. All of these teachers
have, of course. many friends, and the
directors who are trying to reform the
pedagogic corps are having an unpleas-
ant time.
Col L. A. Grant, the Assistant Sec
retary of war, has just left the city
after thorough examination of Jeffer-
son barracks. He says that for the
army St Louis is one of the most import
ant strategic points in the West, and
he returns to Washington intending to
have the work pushed on the improve
aent of the post. The appropriation
now being spent at the barracks is
$50. 600 only. Col. Grant states that
this will be supplemented at once by
a further some of SI15 200. which will
go in putting up buildings that are
needed at once to house the additional
troops that are to be sent here.
Senator Cockrell is preparing bill ap-
half million dollars more,
and Col. Grant SAYS this will be passed
without objection. as all the War de-
- o{1s sc;a L. vat