The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-11-09

Clerk of the Committee on Printing has large
| number of additions. Biographies are included
OF the President and Cabinet, and the Supreme
| Court, maps of the Congressional Districts of
all the States are now in the body of the vol
| ume. and there are few reference books of
81 pages likely to be more frequently con-
suited by the working journalist.
ga
| Now that the crysanthemum is blooming
| like the cabbage, in size at least while SINH
| larlty In color must sometimes be confessed, a
new name has been coined for the correctly
| dressed young men of the Capital city who
| adorn their button holes with blossoms the
size of dinner-plate. They are called the
| cole slaw chappies," of course only by the
common herd, who have no aesthetic tastes or
perhaps no credit with the florist Still the
phrase sticks, and lest anyone should seek to
escape by wearing yellow blossom. they are
| termed "cole slaw with mustard" Later. it
is to be presumed. we will have Halford,
Worcestershire and Tobasco sauces to suit the
varieties, for nothing can escape the sidewalk
| wits.
State Department officials have been uneasy
ever since they sent their exhibit to the Worlds
Fair because of dread that some calamity
might befall some of the precious historical
documents included in il. Many of these
papers, such as the original copy of the Declar-
alton OF Independence and the characterization
reclamation, bear close relation to important
epochs in the history of the country, and their
loss would be irreparable. Every preeaution
for their safety and preservation was taken,
and their transfer from place to place was
guarded as an important diplomatic secret.
They served their patriotic purpose at the
great Fair. and were restored last week to their
| accustomed places in the State Department.,
having suffered no damage whatever by their
recent experience.
The Committee on Rules of the Senate
maintains general supervision of the Senate
restaurant. 1t regulates the prices and makes
the conditions to which the restaurant keeper
aust subscribe. Capitol habitues who patron
ize it do not generally know that there was
time when only Senators and Representatives
were permitted to secure their meals in the
building. Prior to 1856 there was but one eat
ing place in the Capitol. 1t bore the attractive
title of The Hole in the WALL" aud was stu
ated beneath the rotunda. The kitchen was in
the basement, near the present quarters of the
Architect of the Capitol The name was very
appropriate. for the space was small aud the
accommodations far from good. When the
Senate and House wings were built, restaurants
were authorized TO be operated in BOTH The
House restaurant is controlled by the House
Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds
~
Secretary Carlisle. now that the silver fight
is ended, will address himself to accumulated
Department business. There are 300 Presiden-
tial Offices under the Treasury Department in
which no changes have been made. These in.
Guide such important places as Collectors of Gus
toms, Collectors of Internal Revenue Surveyors
oil Customs, and United States Mint officers Ac-
tual vacancies exist already TO the number of 40
and other officials, while they have not actually
resigned, have signifcd their willingness to do
SO when requested. which will swell the vacan-
cies, actual aud prospective, to 81 or 20. As
each appointee will have from five to $50 en-
ployees under him, the Secretary will exercise
great care in making recommendations for ap-
pointment. There are some fine plums here
ready to drop, but there are more hands up-
lifted to catch them than there are fruit to
come down.
The man. whoever he was who designed the
doors on the floor Of the House of Representa-
tives up 1T the Capitol was very inconsiderate
| individual 1t need not be inferred that all the
members Of what the pages irrcverently refer
to as The Cave of the Winds" are in the habit
| OF getting into condition where they need the
| Speaker to remind them where they are at but
it is said that even some very good men will
occasionally get up in the morning with deep,
dark-blue metallic taste in their threats and a
! certain unsteadiness of nerves that i'll COM
| ports with sudden shocks. Now, in getting
| into the House they are much more than likely
| to use the side doors from the north and south
corridors. and it is here that the architect has
| put in his fine work. for on both pairs of doors
there are elaborate ornaments of twisting
snakes. cleverly cast which leer at the passers-
by Indignantly and life-like.
So
Some surprise is expressed in the War De-
partment aud generally that the present extra
session of Congress closed without the nomi-
nation by the President of an Assistant Score
tary of War to succeed the present Republican
incumbent Of that Office, Gen. L. A. Grant, of
Minnesota. Secretary Lamont has made no
secret of his desire to find an assistant of his
own political faith, who could relieve him
practically Of all the military details of the
Office, leaving him free to attend to other
matters. Some time ago, Secretary Lamont il
is said, offered the place TO gentleman in
whose abilities in this line he had thoroug h
confidence, but he declined this offer. 1t was
learned to-day that this person referred to is
Mr.. Uhl, of Michigan, the new Assistant Secre-
tary of State. From present indications il
would appear that Gen. Grant would be allowed
to remain Assistant Secretary for some time
yet.
There is q solemn. lonely, and altogether
after the-ball atmosphere about the Capitol
presenting a striking contrast to the scenes Of
the past three months. Save for the few
hrysanthemum-decked brides who strayed
through the cherries corridors with sheepish-
looking male attachments on their arms, the
element of curious humanity WAS almost lack
| inc The army Of office-saeke ara has a is.nna,r