The times., 1898-01-03
CAPITOL GOSSIP.


ent Federal building, and has caused an
act to be introduced in Congress ap-
propriating $4,000 for the purchase of
additional land in the square now 0c-
cupied by the custom house, and for the
erection of q new public building there
on for the accommodation of the Gov
ernment service. This, however does
not include the postoffice. This bill will
be one of several thousand similar ones
that will die an easy, noiseless death IN
the committee.
One of the most important bills to be
acted on by Congress during the pres
ent session is the one introduced in the
Senate by Mr.. Platt of Connecticut Ito
establish a division in the Treasury
Department for the regulation of in
Surance among the several States, and
for other purposes The act is only to
apply to corporations that do business
in States and Territories other than the
ones in which they are Incorporated.
The chief officer of the new bureau is
to be known as the United States com
missioner of insurance. He is to be un--
der the direction of the Secretary of the
Treasury, and to be appointed by the
President and confirmed by the Sen
ate. He will have two assistant COM
missioners, and the necessary number
of clerks. Corporations shall make
sworn annual statements to the COM
missioner, embodying the valuation and
number of policies and the financial
condition of the companies. The COM
missioner viii exercise a general super
vision of all insurance business, and
keep a record of all losses by fire, the
amount of insurance paid, and other
matters of Importance.
The heirs of the late lamented John
Roach are as usual on deck. This time
they ask Congress to appropriate the
trifie of $3.50, Isl AZ, for labor and mate
rial, dockage and detention, and oc-
cupation of yards and shops for the
gunboats Chicago. Boston and Atlanta
Ever since John Roach died these heirs
have annually put in an appearance at
the Capitol, with bills asking Congress
to pay this alleged claim. John Roach,
it Will be remembered, was President
Grants favorite shipbulding contrac-
tor, and he made vast sums by con-
structing naval vessels. His last VEN
ture in the naval line was pronounced
by the Secretary of the Navy to be a
failure. Roach made an assignment
and died soon afterward. His heirs
claimed that death was due to n broken
heart and the total loss of an immense
fortune, because the Government had
refused 10 pay for the last work per
formed by him. The wreck was not So
bad, however, as it might have been. for
his heirs divided about $1,000 900
among them some time after the de-
cease Ever since Secretary Whitney
refused TO accept Roach's last contract.
Congress has been appealed to for aid
and the present prospect is that these
heirs" will have an opportunity TO re-
lterate this appeal for many years to
come. The people have not yet forgot
ten the scandals in the Navy Depart
ment when Robeson and Roach were
its controlling spirits.
Mr.. Howe, of New York. has intro
duced in the House q bin which ap-
pears to have considerable merit. 1t
provides that "all contested seats in the
House OF Representatives shall be acted
upon and decided by its members dur
ing the first session of Congress-"
Members say that such law should be
in effect, for il is only just that men,
bers should be permitted to take their |
seats at the earliest possible moment. |
Governor McCreary, of the Eighth |
kentucky Congressional District, may |
come back TO Washington. His con- |
stituents are urging him To again be n |
candidate, they believing that through |
hlnl they can redeem the district and |
Wrest it from the Republicans, who |
carried 1t IN the last election, when the |
presidential campaign swept the State |
INTO the Republican column. Governor |
McCreary always had a good majority |
when he ran. He declined TO be can |
didate for the Fifty-tffth Congress. |
ne was shrewd enough to |
foresee the result cannot be told, but |
the fact remains that the district he |
had so long represented went Republi- |
,an by 2,500 majority. The Democrats |
are confidently counting upon ten |
members from Kentucky in the next |
House.
1t would be a difficult matter to find |
an Onioan of any political influence |
low in Washington. They have all |
gone to Columbus; not all of them.
however, voluntarily but in response
% peremptory orders from Hanna him
self. From Judge Day and Assistant |
secretary OF Agriculture Brigham
Town, there has been a general exodus.
Judge Thompson, chairman of the com
mission To codify the penal statutes of
ne United States is there, and so is
very republican member of Congress
With the exception of Messrs. Danford
md Shattuc. General Grosvenor was
It Hot Springs endeavoring to get rid
f the rheumatism when his summons
anne and he put Off on the first train
or Columbus. He is there now and |
ne OF the loudest shouters for Hanna
nd most emphatic in his predictions
+ success. All the secret agents of the
'reasury that could possibly be spared.
nd few that could not to say
othing of a dozen postofIice inspec-
ors, were ordered into the State ten
avs ago, and since their arrival have
ept an espionage in the movements of
ach of the anti-Hanna leaders Every !
ew postmaster and every man who
as been promised an office is likewise
4 Columbus making himself an often
i've partisan in violation of the reform
ivil service laws. These facts Illus
rate the desperate character of the
anne Hanna is playing. All his shout
rs and claquers could not force
trough the orga niZation slate Satur-
ay night and the opening bout in this
struggle shows that Mr.. |
lama wants still four votes before he
an read his title clear The question
J, Will he get them in the end?
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