The state herald., 1898-01-28
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Items OF Interest About People Mt the
CapItaL

who came in November, and Mr.. Cam.
bon, the ambassador from France,
who came few days ago.
Representative Howard of Alabama.
n Populist, is affording the courts an
opportunity of determining whether n
member of Congress can be compelled
to pay his debts by judicial process.
Under section q of the constitution of
the United States senators and repre-
sentatives are privileged from arrest
for all crimes and oiTenses except
treason. felony and breach of the
peace, during their attendance at the
session Of their respective houses and
going to and returning from the same"
But there Is no provision relieving
them from the responsibility Of refund
Ing borrowed money, paying their
boarding-hOuse bills or protecting
them against judgments and processes
OF the civil courts. In the case of Mr..
Howard judgment was obtained in
Alabama, an attachment was issued
and certain property was seized. His
attorneys moved to qunsh the attach
ment on the grounds that he is exempt
from suit as n member of Congress act
ually attending session when the
summons was served upon him. The
matter has been carried to the Court
of Appeals.
An urgent appeal has been made to
Congress to pass n bill introduced by
Representative Hubbard OF Missouri,
providing the death penalty or imprs-
onment In the penitentlary at hard la
Dor for term of not less than ten
years for wrecking and robbing or at
tempting to wreck and rob railway
trains. 1t has been shown that during
the last eight years there have been POS
train robberles in the United States, in
which seventy-eight persons We're
killed and slxty-sevcn injured. In 1890
there Were Twelve hold-ups, in 1891, six.
Teen; In 1892, sixteen; in 1893. thirty.
three: in 1901, thirty-four; in 1895,
foriy-nine; in 1896 twenty-eight; In
1897, thirty. During the last year there
was only one hold-up in the republic
OF Mexico. and that was unsuccessful,
which is accounted for by the deter
mined policy of President Diaz, who
sent message to Congress saying that
pirates on land should receive the
same punishment as pirates at sea. and
announcing that he had given instruc-
lions to have all train-wreckers shot oil
sight without taking the trouble 10
bring them into court, That summary
action put an end 10 train-robbing in
Mexico.
Speaker Reed has not been nj the
White House since Congress met in
December. He has been there only
once since Mckinley was inaugurated
and that was last spring 10 talk over
the policy 10 be pursued during the
special session. Publicly he has of
fered no criticism upon the conduct or
policy OF the administration, but occa.
sionally he shoots an arrow tipped
with satire In the direction OF the cN-
ecutlve mansion.
Members OF the House OF Represeu
tatives are receiving many protests
against the enactment of the law which
passed the Senate the other day impos.
Ing an educational test upon immi.
grants. but almost without exception
they come from foreign.bo citizens
who are recent Immigrants themselves,
and the greater number are from the
natives OF countries where the average
OF illiteracy Is the highest. The agents
OF the steamship companies declare
that they are not opposing the bill.
A ST. Louis miller has offered the see
retary OF state n carload OF flour fol-
the starving Cubans; II has been CRATE.
fully accepted and viii be shipped by
the first steamer after It reaches New
York. Other contributions OF the same
kind will be appreciated.
There Will be no surprise In Wash.
ington II the next serious Incident o!
the Cuban problem occurs In Spain
| Advlces which come through diplomat
ic channels represcn, the situation there
I 10 be very grave. The Spanish govern
ment has been obliged TO resor, to the
same precautions that Blanco has EN-.
! ployed In Havana last week TO restrain
manifestations OF popular dIssatlsfac
lion. The time Is recognized ms pccu.
linrly 1T for revolt against the esiab.
lished order. The only question seems
TO be whether Don Carlos Is fully pre-.
| pared 10 take advantage OF the condl.
/ lions. A revolution in Spain would
mean an uprising In Cuba against
Blanco. The presence OF American
warships in the harbor OF Havana 10
the Interest OF law and order, by some
not altogether unexpected turn, may
become welcome 10 those who would
at this Immediate time resent their
coming.
The people OF the United States dc
not drink so much whisky as they did
years ago. The annual average con.
sumption per capita In 1850 was 2.SC
gallons and Notwithstanding the cnor.
moul increase In the use OF whisky 10
manufactures the average hns been re.
duced TO .o5 Of gallon. During the
four yenrs after the war. from 1864 {,
lsGs, when the whisky tax was 81 n
gallon. the consumption dropped TO less
than one.thlrd Of gallon per capita.
hut with the exception of those years
there has been steady decrease IN
the Use OF the beverage. until the aver.
age lns, year reached low.watcr mark.
This decrease Is attributed TO nn I'm.
provcmeni IN the habits OF the people
and 10 the Increased usc OF beer, wines
and other lighter liquors. The In
creased tax ANA the hard times also
probably Ind their influence. While
the secretary of the treasury aud the
commissioner NJ Internal revenue rec.
ommcnds nm Increase of 10" lax OH
beer, they favor u decrease IN the INK
on whisky ~ means NJ stimulating
It's manufacture nni increasing tile
revenues of the government. Int THE
records show that high taxes have pro.
NOTED temperance, ~ 4, least caused n
decrease In iho cnnsumpi0 lon. The II.
luor men fnvur decrease IN tic lax
on whisky nnd the brewers oppose mn
Increase IN The tnN on beer.
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