The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-24
In GOOD SPIRIT YET
Silver ken in Congress Who Don't
Intend to Give Up.
ODDS AND ENDS IN GOSSIP
Montana Ladies' Who We're Guests
at a Very Swell Party-Top-
les That Are Discussed
at the Capital.


pose that the vote of last week in the
house on silver would depress the silver
| men. but that is not appreciably the
/ case. They were disappointed. as Hart
man promised they would be. as they
| had seen their vote diminish from above
| 100 to less than that figure. If three or
| four days could have been spent in pro-
| tracted debate the influences that served
| TO reduce the vote to 80 might have cut
IL down still more. IL has not been sug-
gested that patronage or any other i'm
| proper influence was exerted to bring
| about the result. The men who were most
| instrumental were the. older members of
| the democratic party. who regarded with
dismay the prospect of the dissolution of
the old parties with the inevitable result,
in the fall election, of the selection in
the house of the republican candidate at
st. Louis. whoever that may be.
One OF the finest dances of the season,
which has been one of many splendid
dances and innumerable dinners, with
very small supply of receptions, which
take in too many of the common people,
was that given last week by Mrs. Gibson
10 Mrs. Thornton of Butte. and her three
daughters. Mrs. Thornton and her daugh-
tiers have been in New York for the win
ter and came over here for a season of
enjoyment of the gayeties of the national
capital. They had a good time, seeing
the sights from day TO day, and joining
theater and dance parties at night. SEN
ator Mantle escorted the ladies about the
senate one afternoon, pointing out to
them the men and things that are likely
TO entertain the visitor. When they were
about to depart the ball was given.
Nothing more lavish than the floral
adornments at the Shoreham have been
seen this season. The ballroom was deco
rat cd prOfnSalV C)nitp little for
tune in flowers occupied the eyes and the
ina ginations of the guests. Where in the
world all the roses and carnations and
orchids have come from that have been
cut and allowed to wither this winter,
and incidentally to enrich the florists, 1t
would be difficult to say. Flowers are
never so abundant in summer as they are
here now with the thermometer down to
the neighborhood of Zero-for we had
zero on Monday, just for a few hours, to
let us know what II means, and it means
a create degree of discomfort here,
close to the level of the sea, than 1t does
in Anaconda. But flowers are cheap
enough, too, for 1 saw a dude buy tray
full of violets last night at the theater
for half a dollar.
1t is impossible to find anything in the
republican newspapers to explain the
conduct of the Japanese and Chinese
since the leTHlndtlOI Ol the wal DtlWten
those countries. 1t can be easily recalled
that while that war was going on the re-
publicans asserted that the United
States government was h - in contempt
on both sides, in consequence of the sup
posed feebleness of our representatives
and representation at Picking and Toxic.
Ii was out of the question to have these
reports contradicted by authority. All
the time that the row was going on Sec
retaYy Gresham was being wined and
dined alternately by the two ministers,
who were determined that one should not
Guido the other in holding on to our
friendship. This was not stated in the
republican papers. Gresham was losing
his digestion fast and was finally COM
PEELED to decline invitations from both
ministers on the source of ill-health,
which was true one. But japan was not
satisfied with the dinners. Mrs. Gresham
has since received some handsome ia
pestries from the emperor. sent through
Minister Kurino. and they are waiting in
the newspaper offices for a note from the
Chinese legation to say that the emperor
of the Flowery Kingdom has picked out
fine lot of jade vases and sent them to
Mrs. Gresham to testify the Chinese re-
gard for the man who held the balance
even between the two countries and help
ed to bring the war to an early close.
Well, Gresham deserves all that he can
office was to be exactly just, and he was
averse to any promise of war.
Secretary Morton scarcely found an ad-
vocate in the senate or the house to sup
port his course in refusing to distribute
seeds to the country. Yet he should have
been defended. The failure to assist him
in stopping that old abuse was indefensi-
BILE. The old law provided that seeds rare
and valuable" should be distributed the
purpose plainly being to introduce va
rieties not yet proved but which were be-
leved to be good and worth producing
The seed distribution has descended to
be mere purchase of some tons of com
mon seeds. which were packed up in so
many packages for each member of the
senate and the house, and distributed
with the compliments of the members
This pleased the constituents, IL en-
ployed large number of clerks, who
were also pleased. and IT helped members
who were not necessarily of much use to
become acceptable for a second term. Mr.
Morton Is now commanded to buy seeds
and distribute them. and he will possibly
but not probably, repeat the old practice
of sending seeds TO Maine that should
have gone to the Gulf of Mexico. and of
sending TO the gulf the seeds and plants
Intended for severer climate.
This was very different from Secretary
Rusk's way. lie never attempted to stop
any old practices. but he instituted many
new and expensive ones increasing the
employees of the department, increasing
it's expenses and increasing It's powers
practical and political. Morton has been
intensely business-like. That may be good
in private affairs, but the people OF this
country are apt TO forget that the gov
eminent upon which they prey is main
tanned out Of their own pockets. and tina
wasteful offices and eXtravagant officers
are luxuries for which they pay a much
larger share than the richer people who
do not care anything about the Injuries
to which the poor make the mistake
sometimes, of giving their countenance
This seed money-si5O 600 a year-wiu 20 |
to several seed firms. from whom the mon
who really need seeds could buy them
much more cheaply and conveniently
than the government can buy them And
il costs more TO distribute the seeds than |
to buy them.