The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-05-24

IL: WASHINGTON, D. G., TIE
been harnessed to sound, so that people may be
able to great distance, just as the telegraph
enables them to write and the telephone en-
ables them to speak at great distance.
Prof. Bell firmly believes that it will be pos
sibe some day to see from Washington to New
the voice that distance.
X
There has been much comment here about
the extraordinary mortality in the present
Congress. People recall in connection with it
the remarkable mortality at the beginning Of
the present Presidents other term made note
| worthy by the death of Vice-President Hen
| bricks. But what is particularly surprising
about The mortality of the past IL months is
the number of Senators who have died. With
in very brief period the Governors of three
the Senate caused by death. First Mr.. Colquitt
died and Gov. Northen appointed Mr.. Walsh
his successor. Then Mr. Vance died, and Mr..
McLaurin was appointed Finally Mr.. Stock
bridge died unexpectedly in Chicago. Added
to these vacancies filled by appointment are
those created by the resignation of Mr.. Wslthall,
of Mississippi to retire 10 private life, and later
of Mr.. White of Louisiana, to accept place on
the Supreme Bench.
4
The ridiculous and the sublime touch elbows
very frequently in Congress, especially in the
Senate during the present tariff debate. Mr..
A
stitutionality of high protective tariff the
other day. when Senator Palmer interrupted
with the remark that he had fought to make
the negro free, and that now he was fighting
to free him from the burden of taxation-to
give him shirts, breeches, and shoes as cheap
as possible.
Does the Senator know the price of a linen
shirt?" asked Senator Higgins, his idea being
TO show that clothing was cheaper now than it
ever had been.
81 really do not know" replied Mr.. Palmer,
in pathetically hopeless way, as if lie was
embarrassed by the question. 81 haven't
bought shirt for some time"
X
friend Of Bourke Cochran says that the
Tammany orator tells his friends that he warned
Speaker Crisp that if lie allowed tho income
tax feature to be incorporated in the Wilson
bill in the House it could not be passed through
the Senate without raising cain. But Mr..
Crisp considered that it was craftsmanship of
a high order and forged ahead. Now it seems
that it can't pass the Senate.
4
Washington will soon take the palm from
Chiraun FIR hn nup,ter If d;vnrces hot va
been granted within its precincts in proportion
to its population. The figures of the latest
census bulletin show that this city has more
people in per capita who have been through the
divorce court than has tho hustling Western
town, which has worldwide reputation for
the cheapness and dispatch with which separa-
ton OF the atrinonial bonds can be accom-
plished There is another peculiar thing about
the Districts percentage OF married people
is less than that which prevails throughout the
country. Taking the United States at-large
and nearly 50 per cent. of the inhabitants are
married. In the District less than 33 per cent.
have ventured upon wedock. Bot more alarm
ing than any of these figures is the presence of
widows in the District. There are actually
1929 widows here-dashing or otherwise; or
ure appears to be very large when it is consid-
cred that throughout the United States the
nun Der of both men aud women who have lost
their partners in life do not number more than
one to every 81 Of the inhabitants.
Il
Gustave Forsberg died here last week. He
one Of the few remaining witnesses Of the
attempted assassination OF Secretary Seward.
lie was the Secretary's steward. On the night
of the Lincoln assassination Forsberg had re-
tired when the villain Payne entered tho home
of Mr.. Seward, but he WAS aroused by the noise
made in the scuffle between the intruder and
Roberts and Haslig, the former Mr.. Stewards
army nurse aud tho latter messenger in the
Navy Department Dressing hurriedly Mr..
Forsberg reached the scene in time to restore
the Secretary to his bed after the other two at
tendants had been disabled in their struggle
with the intruder. For this and other serv-
ices IS translator of secret dispatches and for
the discovery and revelation OF PLOT against
the Government by some French sympathizers
with the Confederacy, Mr.. Forsberg was ap-
pointed to the place in the War Department.
that he held to the time of his death.
Il
Representative Bryan's letter declining to
be candidate for denomination has caused
good deal of comment at the Capitol. Some say
that they have long inclination to de-
sert his party affiliations. He Is net Bourbon,
who thinks what is good for the father is good
for the son. And SO the Populists are con-