The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1898-01-13

MI
The Government Of the United States
owns in the city Of Washington ], 900, 900
volumes of literature OF these about one
half, or 787, 715, are in the congressional
library. The remainder are scattered
through the various executive depart
ments. The daily number Of readers in
the congressional library averages 1920.
About 700 persons, including the MEM
bers of both houses and high officials of
the Government, are entitled to draw
books and take them away from the build
ing, and the average number loaned out
in such way is / ,446. 1t is favorable
commentary upon the honesty and care OF
our public men that during period OF
thirty years the number of books lost or
not returned was only five in thousand.
Large numbers Of petitions, supported
by many signatures and uniform in their
phraseology, are being presented to the
House of Representatives. They ask the
passage Of a series of laws to protect the
morals of the public. For example, to
prohibit gambling in stocks, produce, rae
ing pools and other forms of speculation
by telegraph, to prohibit the transmission
of stock quotations for speculative pur-
poses, and the transmission in the mails
of newspapers containing pictures or de-
scriptions Of prize fights, to prohibit the
exhibition Of kaleidoscope reproductions OF
prize fights and other brutalizing specta-
cles, and to prohibit the transportation
from State to State of materials for such
exhibitions.
The ladies of the cabinet are decidedly
put out by the edict that forbade their
New Years receptions and the dinners
that were to precede and follow. They
do not see any occasion for it. The Pres
ident did not ask or even suggest sus-
pension of social affairs. He told the
members of his cabinet he should close the
White House for thirty days, although he
did not think it was necessary for them
to follow his example, but without con-
sulting their wives, they agreed to do so.
The husbands have since had an unhappy
time, and the Washington social world
has offered them no sympathy.
The opposition to the ratification of the
Hawaiian treaty has simmered down al
most entirely to the sugar trust, the Louis
lana planters and the beet-rOOt sugar
manufacturers. There are few Senators
who oppose the treaty on principle, as
they believe it inexpedient for the United
States to assume the responsibility of gov
erning any detached territory, and several
on the Democratic side have joined the
opposition because they regard annexa-
ton as q Renuhlican measure
Chairman Loud Of the House Commit
tee on Postoffices has been working during
the recess on the report of the committee
on the Loud bill, and has practically COM
pleted it. He believes that the measure
will effect saving of at least 100000
annually, and will wipe out the enormous
deficit that confronts the Potsofice De-
partment every year. Mr.. Loud believes
the bill is much stronger this session than
last, and, while not absolutely confident,
thinks it will finally carry.
The agents of the Cuban junta in
Washington justify the assassination of
Col. Ruiz as necessary to intimidate the
cowardly and corrupt men in their ranks
who are likely to be allured into making
terms with the Spanish authorities either
through fear or bribery. They say that
hereafter no Spanish agent will dare ap-
proach an insurgent camp, and that 1t will
be dangerous for any stranger to do so.
The distressing death of Miss Leila Her
bert has caused a shock to her many
friends and acquaintances in Washing
ton. She was a young woman of beau
tiful character, gentle, amiable and gen.
erous, and was generally beloved and ad-
mired. Those who knew her best believe
that her suicide was due to fear that she
might be permanent cripple.
The 2ension certificate of the Rev. L.
J. Keith Of Vincennes, Ind, will be can
celed because the holder has informed
the bureau that he does not consider him.
self longer entitled to a pension, his dis
ability having disappeared, and has asked
that his name be dropped from the rolls
There is only one other such case on rec
ord.
Secretary Wilson is greatly interested
| in legislation for the establishment Of
postal savings banks because he believes
| they are necessary to the prosperity of
| the farmers 1t is sometimes an all days
| job, he says, for a farmer to go to the
| town where the nearest bank is situated,
while there is a postoff1ce in every village.
| The copyright department is most inn
portant branch Of the Government, and
| indicates an enormous increase in literary
| and musical compositions and in designs
which are susceptible to copyright. In
| 1870 the number Of copyrights granted
was 5,621; in 1880, 2O,686; in 1890, A.
758; in 1896, 72,47O.
The recent report Of the Comptroller Of
| the Currency shows that the savings
| banks of the United States are mostly
confined to the northeastern section of the
country. Nearly 80 per cent of the num-
| Der of banks and amount of deposits is
represented by New York and New Egg
| land.
The committee appointed by the Society
Of the Army Of the Tennessee to secure
| the erection Of a monument to Gen.
| George B. Mcclellan at Washington has
| held its first meeting and elected Adjt
Gen. Ruggles chairman.
| Ink erasers are not allowed in either the
| War or the Navy Department except un-
der the direction of chief of bureau, and
no one is allowed to erase an entry in any
official record book without explanations
and express permission.
/ r