The Washington times., 1894-12-29
CLOAK ROOM AND GALLERY.

One of the early incidents In the history OF
the city of Washington. and one which is not
familiar to many people probably, was re-
called by Representative Cooper, of Florida,
yesterday. He was talking about national
bank currency-a subject which seems rather
foreign to early national history, yet his
story was extremely apropos.
"The national bank currency" said he, '1s
not prompt enough in the matter OF elasticity.
It does not give the national banks an op-
portunity TO increase their currency promptly
and readily in time of financial striDgency.
1t reminds me of the story of the officer in
the War Department when the British troops
were marching ON Washington, and they
needed every man at Bladensburg."
or course everybody was all attention, for
the battle Of Bladensburg and the burning OF
the Capitol and White House are all matters
OF intense interest to those familiar with tho
history of Washington.
II happened to rup across this statement
in an official report" said Mr.. Cooper, "and
thus feel justified in repeating 1t as an actual
fact They used fints for the guns IN those
days yet Well, when one particular regi-
ment was waiting to march to Blandensburg
TO meet the British troops there an official OF
the War Department actually required them
TO wait until the fiiDts for their guns could be
counted out to them. one by one thus deiain-
ing the regiment SO that it failed to arrive in
time for the battle. and, perhaps, thus permit
ting the British to march into Washington
and burn the White House and Capitol. So
with the national bank currency, it Is too
slow. It does not respond promptly In an
emergency"
"Personaly conducted tours are not pop
ular with The guides at the Capitol. One of
them was leaving the building in disgust yes
terday, although it was full oftourists.
PLENTY OF Brooklyn schoomarm5 there,
he said, "but, bless you. there's no money in
| them They are part OF q personally con-
Quoted tour, and we have to do business
with the railroad man who has them in
charge. We get a very low prlce for our
services and then have to take great big
parties besides. These personally conducted
parties are a humbug."
I" 'Cheese-p -pariug may not sound very nice
in relation 10 governmental affairs, said
Representative Holman, as he rode out Con-
nectcut avenue and wondered when the
horses on that car line would get rest il
ever. Cheese pairing IS not a popular word,
but sure az you live, the expenses OF this
government could be enormously cut down
yes. enormously-if that sort cf men were at
the head"
How cut down. Mr.. Holman?''
"Oh, a thousand ways. The expenditures
/ for the operation of the government are enor-
nous and excess We. There is DO other gov
/ ernment whrch spends so much in proportion
| TO its population. None"
How would you do it. Mr.. HomanY
"Do it? Why put men at the heads of the
departments, especially the Tresury, who
/ would slice down expenses with unsparing
/ hand and compel employees to put in some
/ thing like the time that other people do.
! Now, there's Senator Villas: if he bad been the
/ head OF the Treasury he could have saved
millions in expenses. But Mr.. Carlisle is no
cheese-parer.
The humane manner in which the Repub-
! licans are letting the Democrats off in the
matter of nagging over the recent election is
/ a subject of good deal OF comment. While
/ the late reversal of control was about the most
sweeping known to history. the subject has
scarcely been mentioned in debate in Con-
gress. and not in the rasping way that such
men as Reed. Burrows and others on the Re-
! publican side might use it. Ii is only in
times o. political legislation that this sort oi
thing is trotted out in savage wity.