The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-18
CAPITOL GOSSIP.

UAPlIUL GUSSlP.
Shamrock was plentiful about the Cap
itol yesterday. Before the House met
page distributed a large quantity among
the members, and all day long a sprig of
it graced the lapel of the coats of most
of the members, prominent among whom
was Gen. Grosvenor. Capt. Charley Mann,
the efficient custodian of the House press
gallery. observed the day by issuing
green copy paper to the correspondents,
and compelling them to use 1t or do
without. In his enthusiasm he even sup
pressed the yellow telegraph blanks of
the Postal and Western Union Com
panies, but condescendingly said they
might use all the yellow they desired on
July u.
There will be no session of the House
tonight, it having been postponed until
Monday, when an unusually large batch
of pension bills will be passed upon.
Barnum Bailey's circus went to
Europe last fail tolamuse and astonish
the natives. In making this trip they
ley law, are subject to heavy duty, and
discovered it only when preparations for
the return home were begun. 1t was
then learned that the duty on the men
agerie would, under the Dingley law.
reach the sum Of 100000. and the Barnum
& Bailey Company at once sent home
an agent to make an arrangement where
by the animals could be admitted free.
The result of the agents labors was APP
parent yesterday, when the House passed
bill admitting the menagerie free of
duty. Similar action had been previously
taken by the Senate.
Senator Cockrell of Missouri was ac-
costed in one of the Senate. corridors yes
terday by a friend. who asked the sena-
tor how he liked Senator Proctor's speech
on Cuba.
II was unable TO be in the Senate and
hear it. he said. what did he say or,
rather, what did he propose?'
He did not propose anything" was the
answer.
''Too bad, too bad" commented the sem
ator; 1--WE don't want much talk now; we
want action-good, strong action"
John Wanamaker said in a speech
Wednesday that there is but one Repub-
lican member of Congress from PennsyI-
vania who is not controlled by Senator
Quay. In the delegation from the Key
stone State there are twenty-seven Re
publicans. and yesterday each one of these
endeavored to create the impression that
he was the one exception referred to by
the former Postmaster General
1t is freely predicted by members of the
House that if the next Congress should
be Republican and Mr.. Reed should be
reelected Speaker, he will in naming his
committees remove Mr.. Loud from the
craftsmanship of the Postoffice Commit
tee and relieve Mr.. Boutelle of the cares
of the Naval Committee. Both Messrs
Loud and Boutelle have followed the
policy outlined for them by the Speaker,
but they have bungled too much in doing
so, and have created too much adverse
criticism to suit the Car.
The manner in which public men can
be educated to expend the public money
in new channels and along lines which
Will be of some practical benefit was il
Illustrated yesterday when the House in
creased the appropriation for the free de-
livery of mail in the rural districts from
the $4,000 recommended by the commit
tee TO 100000. -Four years ago the POST
office Department had a great deal Of
hard work on it's hands in securing an
appropriation of $4,000 for this expert
mental work. The next year it was in
creased to $4,000, and last year the APP
preparation was run up to $4,000. greatly
to the delight of tht postal authorities.
The result of these experiments was so
highly satisfactory that the rural constit-
uency of members from all over the coun-
try have demanded an increase of the
service. For once the farmers are get
ting what they demand and so far as
the House is concerned the appropriation
has Deen increased to the sum above
mentioned. Rural free delivery will be
greatly extended during the next year.