The state herald., 1892-07-08
OUR ST. LOUIS LETTER.
A Permanent National Convention
IaiI-Improving tho MIssissippi River
Married Women As Teachers.

Mufricu women As IouChSrs.
ST. LOUIS, June 30.
Tho Missouri State Democratic con-
vention which will meet in st. Louis
early next month TO nominate three
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 1900, it
will be offered to both the Democrats
and the Republicans for their conven-
tons, and u strong effort will be nado
TO have one or both Of the Presidential
nominations come from ii. The dele
gates who sweltored and got wet III the
Chicago wigwnm have not stopped
complaining yet, and the city will
enter the contest heavily handicapped
when 1t again applies for one Of the
national conventions, There was no
complaint whatever OF the St Louis ac-
commodations fcar !,ars ago. The
Exposition building is permanent
structure made ofbrick, stone and iron,
in the center of the city, and it can
seat $4,000 people with ease. When
the Democratic convention was held
here, only one-third of the hall space
In the building was used, md 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,
1t 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 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 u water intes
collector who presented bill to him
while he was sprinkling 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 cxhorbitant
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 n
number of years, and nobody had ever
thought Of objecting 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 hive TO pay hereafter only
about half MS much as they were doing
when the irnscible old general aimed
the nozzil of the hose ut the dun.
II 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" II 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
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 IL TO
do, and not n thing more. Hitherto,
the platforms have suggested nppro-
priations for the river In . sort Of per-
functosy way. aud Coagrsas has appro-
prlsted h the same manner. The
money wss give. in scrap AID the
liver was 6enedted very little. The
dsuand iCss It's ''centinaoss" sPpro-
pristioa this time viii :esslt IN putting
into the next river and hsrbor bas e.
item that will cause miilsoas 70 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 q 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, md
there is probability that by the time
the big stone Office building on Locust
street is finished. many more OF tho
teachers who are now watching its cree
tion inierestedly 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
pcdngogic corps nrc having an unpleas-
mt time.
Col. l.. A. Grant, the Assistant Sec
Rotary OF war, has just left the city
aftera thorough examination OF Jeff-r-
son barracks. lie says that for tho
army St Louis is one OF tho most import
ant Strategic points Ia the West. and
he feturns to Washington Intending to
have the work pushed on the improve
ment OF the post. The appropriation
now being spent ut the barracks Is
$4,000 only. Col. Grant states that
this will be supplemented at once by
n further some OF si75. 900. which will
go In putting up buildings that are
needed Mt once to house the additional
troops that are to he sent here.
senator cocltrell is preparing u bill APP
propriating hnif IA million dollars more.
and Col. Grant says this will be passed
without objection. rs all the War de-
pnrtmcnt officials are now cooperating
In advancing the post TO n leading
position among the forts of the
country.