Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-07-07
OUR ST. LOUIS LETTER.
A Permanent National Convention
IIaIl-Improving the Mississippi River
Married Women As Teachers.

Thc Missouri State Democratic con-
vention which will meet in st. Louis
early next month To nominate three
Judges of the suprC inc court will hold
lis sessions in the building where
Grover Cleveland was nominated four
years ago This is the Exposition
iuilding on olive street. In 1896, it
will be offered to both the Democrats
and the Republicans for their conven-
tons, and strong effort will be made
10 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 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 '96, and judging by statements made
recently by tie leaders of both parties,
it will be successful beyond the antici-
pations of those who do not understand
how necessary to satisfactory conven-
lion work good hail 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 toknow 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 sprintliDg his
front lawn in the cool of
the afternoon. The incident made
good deal of fun ut 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 objecting, Since the en-
phatic protest of General Sherman, the
rates have Lcen lowered q little each
year. This year, the water rates col
lector announces another reduction,
and house owners who sprinkle their
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 Nntional
Democratic convention the oJner day.
The word was continuous" 1t des-
cribcd 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
'orm committee get out of their sight.
Congress has always done for the river
exactly what the platform asked it to
do, and not thing more. Hitherto,
the platforms have suggested appro-
priations for the river in a 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 a.i
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 for 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
various scores, are being dismissed, and
there is probability that by the time
the big stone Office building on Locust
street is finished, many more of the
teachers who are now watching its cree
ton interestedly will no longer feel
any concern in the pay rolls to lie
made out there. All of these teachers
have, of course, many friends, and the
directors who are trying to reform the
pedagogiccorps are having an unpleas-
ant time.
Col. L. A. Grant, the Assistant Sec
rotary of war, has just left the city
after thorough examination of Jeffer-
son barracks. lie 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
ment of the post. The appropriation
now being spent at the barracks is
s5O,0O0 only. Col. Grant states that
this will be supplemented at once by
a further some of Sl75,000, which will
go in putting up buildings that are
needed at once to house the additional
troops that are to be sent here.
Senator Cockrelt is preparing u bill APP
propriating half n million dollars more,
and Col. Grant SAYS this will be passed
without objection. rs all the War de-
partment officials arr HOW coop rating
in advancing the post 90 II leading
position among the forts OF the
country.
Advice Is all right we can only get
enough different mis- 20 AXE our pick.
Position with ~ y SOP is merely a
soft place to sit down