The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-08-29
INTERESTING TO KNOW.
Extra sessIon-Pay of European Repre-
sOntatiVes.

sGntatiVss,
Aaraarei CrompiOH N Inter OCEAN
This is only the eleventh "extra"
session OF Congress since 1859, We
Americans believe in attending to BUSH
ness and then going about our BUSH
ness. The most important extra" ses'
sion ever held was that summoned by
President Lincoln, which met July 4,
1861, and which voted supplies for the
carrying on Of the civil war
Complaint ia often made about our
senators and representatives absentlng
themselves from Washington while
congress is in session. But we are much
better served than England, for out OF
go members of tho house OF Commons
seldom more than 400 are present, and
are evidently never expected to be pres
ent, for there is only seating accom-
mediation for 800.
The members OF the house oil COM
mons and OF tho Teichstag in Germany
receive no pay for their services, while
those in Italy are given simply q Tree.
pass over the railroads, This means, OF
course, that "the people" stand no
chance OF being represented, Tor only
rich men can afford to give their time
to the country, In some few cases in
England poor men have been elected
and money has been subscribed to sup
port them, but the Overwhelming ma
jority are gentlemen OF independent
fortunes, who eau be relied upon never
to pass u law that shall interfere with
the traditional rights OF rich men.
Some one has suggested that as the
gold and silver men cannot agree u coin
be made OF gold and silver. A bright
boy asks, "What would it look likeY'
Such coin has been made and was in
circulation for years. 1t was u sovereign
coined in Australia, and one could be
picked up instantly from heap OF gold
coins because OF its color. 1t was not
pretty, having a decidedly brasSy APP
pearance. 1t was. however, more valu'
able than the English sovereign, which
was alleged with copper; for this reason
the Australian coin Is more rare, as 1t
has paid TO melt 1t,
Those who have been over any Of the
great railroads this summer must have
noticed that the spaces between the
ties were filed with broken stones.
These roads are said to DO "well ball
lasted" because the rails are securely
held in place. since the earth between
the ties cannot be washed rs formerly.
But the stones have served other pur-
poses which never occurred to those
who recommended their use. They
have lessened the business OF the roads,
and have also reduced the number OF
accidents because they have made the
railroads tracks uncomfortable for foot
passengers. In England any one other
than an employe OF the road found
upon the track Is heavily fined. !
once had a funny hut very humiiating
adventure because OF this regulation.
Finding myself on the wrong side at a
little country station, l Jumped from
the platform upon the track and was
climbing up the other side when an
Official ordered me back. was tired
and the distance would have to walk,
down one platform and up the other,
was considerable, so l protested; but
tho man vowed that ii dared to get up
on the platform or did not return imme'
diately he would take me before mag
istrate and have me fined for getting
upon the track, so there was no other
way than for me to obey.
Vacation is all over and most have
added one or moro "red letter days" to
their lives. Our English cousin calls
such pleasant memories "red letter
days aud bonfire nights" Does every.
body know why We use the term cred
letter day." It is because in Europe
holidays are for the most part what
their name implies, "holy days." OF
saints days, which are always marked
with red letter on the church calen'
dara.
Does anyone know that we have no
such thing rs a National holiday" in
America? Not even the Fourth OF July
can claim that title, although it is q
legal holiday in all the states. The
President issues proclamation calling
upon tho people TO keep Thanksgiving
Day, but no cannot make it q legal
holiday outside OF tho territories. A
special proclamation must be issued by
the governor OF each state, else the
banks could not close, although bust
ness might be suspended by general
consent. The first run on bank" Of
which we have any record took place
in London in 1867. In that year some
London bankers were unable to meet
the unexpected demands Of their de-
positors for money and closed theil
doors. The people supposed they we're
to be swindled, riot ensued, and four
bankers were dragged from their offices
and hung in their own doorways. The
military had to be called out before
order wasNrestored.
Although this is the first recorded
"run," such affairs could not have been
OF unusual occurrence, as the word
bankrupt plainly shows. 1t is de-
rived from two Italian words meaning
"broken bench" The money changers
and money lenders did business al
counters in the market places Of Ital'
ian cities, and mob would often rush
into the square, overturn the counters
or benches and steal the cash. Hence
n "bankrupt," or one whose bench was
broken, came to mean q man without
cash.
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