The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-14
MANY WERE DISAPPOINTED
NOT ENOUGH OF 4 VALUABLE SE-
RES OF BOOKS TO co AROUND.
dents Are i'm Great Demand-Pe-
culfar Record in n Pension Case

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer
WASHINGTON. Feb iS.-Eiundreds OF
applications are being received by the SEN
ators and representatives OF Washington
state for that recently authorized and val
liable publication by the government
known as the Messages and Papers Of the
Presidents" In every case applicants at
the present time are doomed TO disappoint-
ment. The edition is a Very limited one.
and when FIRST authorized the number al
lotted TO each member was twenty-seyen.
and TO each senator about twice that.
Naturally enough. as soon as each senator
and member learned that he had these
books for distribution he picked out num-
Der o. friends corresponding TO the number
OF books allotted To him and designated
those persons as the proper individuals 10
receive the same. The first volumes of the
books were then sent out 10 these people.
and that they made a good impression
upon the reading community goes without
saying, Yor every man, 10 say nothing OF
women and children. who have seen them
has written to one or the other Of the sena-
TORS or members asking that he may be
also favored with a set The letters of ex-
PLANTATION. why the request could not be
complied with. that have since been writ
ten and are still 10 be written, for the let
still coming in. and probably will still con-
tinue to come as long as there remains a
man who has not seen them up to the pres
ent time-haye been enough to turn the
hair of every young member gray. and 10
bring premature badness to those already
gray.
This item may serve to explain to a great
many people Why 1t Is that their senator or
member, whom they have always supposed
would break his neck TO do them a favor.
has refused so simple request as getting
them a few books. or. in the words of the
vernacular, turned them down cold
These books are sold by the superintend-
ent of documents at 50 cents volume the
law having authorized the publication of
quite a number in addition TO those TO be
distributed by members of congress. which
makes the set something less than $40. as
ii is not yet known whether there will be
eleven or twelve volumes in the set. II X
is continued with each succeeding presi-
dent after the present time there is no
telling when the issue will end. II is prob
able, however. that it will close with the
papers of President Mckinley. and there
is a strong probability that after this
edition Is finished no more books viii be
printed by the government upon this SUBJ
ject. as congress has passed a law giving
possession of the stereotype plates to the
compiler, Hon. James D. Richardson
member Of congress from Tennessee. He
has also been permitted to protect them by
copyright, that II he chooses TO pub
fish them hereafter he can make pretty
penny. as there is little doubt they would
sell readily in the open market at $l5 or
$50 a set.
A peculiar condition of affairs has been
found by Representative Lewis. in search
ing the records OF the war department to
exist in regard to the record of the service
during the war of Jerome c. McGaghey.
of Spokane, Wash. The records show that
Mr.. McGashey enlisted In August. 1862.
at Camp Curtin. Pa. and when the COM
pany was mustered out. nine months later.
he was reported on the roll as having de-
serted at Antetam. Nd. one month after
enlistment. But that is not all. The rec
ords further show that he was discharged
from the service October 8. 1864 at Harris
burg. Pa. on surgeons certificate OF dis
ability. So that he must have continued
in the service for nearly year and a half
after he was reported as deserter. and in
that time have become disabled in the line
of duty so that he was no longer fit for
service. According TO that he Is clearly
entitled 10 pension. and yet when he ap-
piled for one he was met with that charge
of desertion standing against him. which
efforts are now being made TO have ex-
planned away and expunged from the rec
ords
The secretary OF war has written let.
ter 20 Mr. Lewis in which he states that
IL Mr.. McGaghcv viii send a sworn state
ment setting forth the circumstances in
detail under which he left his command.
his whereabouts during his absence and
the cause OF nis failure TO return 10 his
regiment il win he duly considered with
a view 10 determine whether the case
comes within the provisions OF the act
OF March ?, lSsa. the only law In force gov
ernng the subject Of removal Of charges
Of desertion. In case II does not a spe-
cial bill viii be introduced to clear up the
record
The fish commissioner has refused the
application of Thomas Ross for a supply
Of black bass for stocking the waters Of
Kitsap county. Wash. particularly the
numerous small lakes in that section. on
the ground that i. Is contrary 10 the pol
icy Of the commission 70 Introduce bass
inte any OF TIE lakes on the Pacific coast.
as Il woud probably result In harm 80
the important salmon fisheries % that Sec
ton Mr. Ross has been informed how
ever that upon filing a proper applica-
ton the commission viii take pleasure in
furnishing him with a liberal supply OF
trout fer the waters referred to during
the next distributions or the Pacific coast.
this being done At the request OF Repre-
sentative Lewis.
An argument IN favor ~ the Adjustment
OF the Federal penltenuary on McNeirs
island j. made So "a letter aled win the
attorney general written by Mr. Ernest
LISTER commissioner 4 public institutions
in Washington. Mr. Lister states that
Re understands that there are now less
thsn sixty prisoners AZ McNeirs island.
and fsat the cost % maintenance S. aT-
prox mately 81 80 day per capita. WHEN
IS extremely hish. owing 10 the small
number % prisoners
~ fae state peaitentlaTy as Wa}la
Wan1. Mr.. Lister says the cost per caplsa
does rot exceed & cents PER day. In tae
state peu5teajiaFy are about r. prisoners.
with ample room for a. least 5ao Mr..
Lister thinks Il would i,e good hss ness
policy for the Federal administration 20
Gia ke some sTTauEeFueut with the state
cG WasHlugfoa EoT tee Keeping Of Federal
sr-ssusrs. instead q conducting as at
ts~@gant q - narate neuftrutfarv EFe as