The National tribune., 1896-01-30

guards adopted by our Bank of England t.
prevent robbery. Perhaps you don't neeC
them, and quite probably the Bank Of England
doesn't now. but il makes one feel bit more
easy TO know that its safeguards are about a
thorough and complete as human ingenuity
and mechanism can devise. So finely balanced
are its outer doors that clerk, by pressing
knob under his desk can close them instantly
and it requires q special process to open then
again. The bullion department is nightly sub
merged in several feet of water by the actor
/ of machinery, and in some of the banks thi!
department is connected with the managers
sleeping room, so that an entrance cannot be
effected without setting off an alarm near hi:
! head. If thief should during the day OF
night take even one from pile Of thousand
sovereigns the whole pile would instantly sink
and pool of water take its place, thus letting
everyone in the Office know of the theft"
Representative Lacey, during the discussion
last week in the House on the urgent de-
fciency bill, made protest against the cost OF
the United States Courts He cited an instance
where one man in the Western District of Ar
kansas held the positions of Clerk Of the United
States District Court Clerk of the Circuit Court
and Clerk to the United States Commissioner,
and drew over $4,000 in fees. As to the fees
Of Deputy Marshals he produced figures just
obtained from the Department of Justice show
ing that in a single district in Texas they drew
$4,000, as against $l.700 in New Jersey and
$4,000 in Delaware. In South Dakota $40 900
was expended; in the Middle District of Ala
bHms, S37 Geo; in Minnesota, $4,000. He de-
clared that the whole system was honeycombed
with fraud.
Representative Swanson, OF Virginia, also
had something 10 say on the subject in opposi-
ton to the system of paying United States
officials in fees, ia which he showed that great
deal of money is wasted annually in trivial
suits and prosecutions, which results in nothing
bnt an unnecessary expenditure of money Mr.
Swanson produced some interesting statistics,
compiled from the records of the courts The
figures were particularly interesting because
the greater portion of the appropriation carried
by the bill is 10 pay deficiencies Oh account of
the United States Courts
Dir. Swanson showed that last year there
were terminated in the United States Courts
259I9 suits of which 10,521 were dismissed,
discontinued or decided in favor of the defend
ants. There were also 3, 75I civil suits in which
the United States was party, Of which 40 per
cent. were either dismissed or decided against
the Government. There was spent during the
year for United States Marshals 81, 339, 6lO.5l
for jurors, 1892. 1907; for witnesses. SI.7l3-
l62.l7; for Commissioners s425. SCI. SO: for
Clerk fees, S29S, 96l.72, and for District At
torneys, 1927, 1867; making an aggregate of
over S5,20N,000.
Mr.. Swanson showed that over half of this
expense was unnecessary, aud was paid ont in
fees in suits that should never have been
brought. lie showed also that over 40 per cent
of the suits heard by the courts were of the
most frivolous character. All the Government
realized for the vast outlay of money was
Sl32, 05053 from fines, forfeitures and penalties,
and S37 6f7.6l received in the compromise of
suits. Mr.. Swanson made these figures the
basis OF strong argument against the fee sys-
TEN in favor of the passage of the bill he has
to make all Federal offices salaried
Offices
While Senator Stewart was making few
columns of remarks on silver the other day a
little kilt-skirted boy in the gallery leaned
forward over the rail and exclaimed "There
be is, mama. You said that couldn L see Santa
Claus only in my dreams, and | can see him
right now, with both my eyes v ide open. Say, |
mama. / am awake, ain'tT? Oh. but won't
sister be mad when / tell her that saw Santa
Claus and she didn't2" And the only way on |
earth to stop the child's clatter was to take him
put Of the gallery.
Hon. Grove /. johnson is a Congressman,
md knows good thing aud has the genuine |
spirit about progress. Said he. the |
oiher day: Il should like 10 see Congress APP |
propriate liberal sum for new White House. |
he present one is not creditable to a Nation Of
bur power aud wealth. and il is an Injustice to |
bur Presidents to compel them to inhabit IT, |
II might be well enough to let the building
stand as an Executive Office, but a magnificent
new White Honse should be erected for the pri.
Vate residence of the highest officer in the land
II is my firm belief that the people would
sanction such an appropriation, for the Ameri- |
,sn Nation would not begrudge money spent in |
the dignity of the Presidential |
'fhce. If the matter is properly managed, |
zee no reason why it could not be pushed TO a |
issue this session of Congress"
II
Representative G. ]. Long is the successor 10 |
Sockless" Jerry Simpson OF Kansas. in the
House. 1t took two political contests by Long
0 defeat Simpson in the Congressional election.
IN 1880 Simpson came to Congress with ma.
ority OF 1000. In 1892 Long contested the
lection with him and the majority was re-
iuced TO LOO, while last year the two men in
opposition had a very heated contest, with the
'esult that Long was the winner by 1000 ma
ority.
The good results Of Speaker Reeds new rule
gsinst smoking the floor of the House OF
are already apparent. The
ir in the old Legislative hall is vastly nurer
md fresher than it ever was in past Congresses,
md its increased salubrity is enjoyed not only
" the statesmen themselves but by the visit.
RS in the galleries. The atmosphere is now
transparent instead Of psle-blue Statesmen
.annot now be seen lounging on sofas and
standing in the aisles smoking vile cigars, and
he stale odor of bad tobacco is no longer no.
iceable
In the free and easy days Of the last Con.
yress one Of the Texas members used to dis.