The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-09-05

THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
| ing utensils, with 100 iuveptions; furniture,
with SIS; heating and washing or cleaning APP
paratus, with 40odd each; sewing and spinning
devices and building apparatus, with about 80
each, and educational and medical apparatus
toys and trunks, about 20 each. Many other
| lines women have been prominent in.
X
An incident, amusing to many Washington
people occurred last week, when Senator Don
Cameron, having failed in his en- deavor to pre-
vent the erection of a theatcr adjoining his
residence on Lafayette Square, decided to dis.
| pose of his house and move to another part of
the city. Cameron's residence adjoins what
was the Blaine house on Lafayette square, just
back of the Department of Justice. Last Win
ter, when Chicago syndicate secured the
Blaine property and announced that it would
erect thereon a roofgarden theater. Senator
Cameron brought all his social and political
| influence in the Senate TO bear to prevent the
scheme going through, for he realized it would
| injure the value of his property. But the Chi.
csgo syndicate succeeded in getting the upper
hand, at which all Washington theater lovers
| rejoiced, aud the theater is nearly finished.
The Senator has given the Y. u. c. A., recent
ly burned ont an option on his house, and the
| other amusing part of the matter is that the
members are now at odds over whether it is
proper for them to locate beside a theater.
4
The Bureau of Labor has recently under
taken an independent investigation in field
of inquiry which it has not before entered.
The work of American seamen in the mer-
chant marine service is the subject to which
the officials of the Bureau are devoting part
of their attention during the present season.
The terms upon which seamen are employed,
the wages paid them, the treatment accorded
to them at sea, and, incidentally, tho rations
and accommodations furnished on shipboard,
are being investigated. Particular attention
is being paid to the contracts made with sea-
men, and to the custom which largely pre-
I walls among ship captains of engaging the
services of middlemen to enlist their crews.
During the last Congress effort was made
by the National Seamen's Union to secure the
enactment of legislation to improve the con-
dition of the men in the merchant marine.
cations from the shippers organizations
of the country. and as strongly advocated
by representatives of the Seamen's Union.
None successful except the bill doing
away with imprisonment for failure to fulfil
contracts. Their advocacy by the Union
before Congress, however, called attention to
alleged conditions which seemed to furnish
proper field for investigation by the Labor
Bureau, and SO the matter was takon up.
Another investigation asked for by Congress
deals with the conditions of female labor The
report to be made upon the subject will be
comparative one, dealing with the employment
of women at two different periods. 10 years. or
perhaps 20 years. apart. Information is being
sought regarding work in factories, in shops,
in Offices, and homes Comparisons of wages, of
hours, aud of the classes of work open to women
will be made. The bureau is endeavoring to
reach the exact facts regarding the standing
presumption that women receive smaller wages
than men for work of similar class performed
by both sexes, and the reasons for existing
conditions.
One of the new Representatives is Gov |
Richard C. Mccormick. of New York. He has |
served in Congress before. but during his en-
tire term he never voted Oh any question. This |
is not reproach to him, for he was not while |
in the House entitled to vote. He was not !
there as Representative from New York. but |
was Delegate from Arizona, and Delegates do !
not have votes. lie is a man OF about 60. and |
is the son-in-law OF Allen q. Thurman. He is |
q good campaign speaker and will probably do |
well in the House. as he is not entirely without |
experience.
There two new members from 1owa-S. |
NJ. Clark, from Keokuk, and q. N. Curtis, from |
Clinton. Clark is man who will rival |
Wheeler. of Alabama, in nervousness and d.
minutiveness OF stature lie is scholar of fine
attainments. perfect bundle OF nerves-quick,
bright, with keen perception and ready under
standing During President uarrison's term
he was sent TO Europe 10 make an inspection of
school systems. He will at once drop into
bookish society in Washington. He is about SO
years old and widowcr. Curtis is spoken of
AS one OF the boys" or good fellow, six feet
tall, with plenty OF brains and cash. He is ex-
pected to be popular and successful in the
House. He is very rich lumber manufacturer,
who comes to Congress Republican from
the one district in Iowa which it was thought
could never be carried by any but Democrat
He is one of those men who looks savage and
isn't I'm arpearance he is pirate of romance |