The National tribune., 1899-05-04
CHAT oFs ftE CORRIDORS

There are no more beautiful breathing
spots in the lwota than the parks and
circles of Washington, and they are now
taking on theh most inviting aspect, and
we coming back their regular habitues,
who have forsaken thSm since last No
vembcr. Neyer htkore in the history of
the city has there been such a protracted
period OF compulsory indoor stay ing.
Each of these Beauty spots has its own
peculiar set Of freduenters, who are easily
recognized hy thy citizens. The little
children of the rch and well-to do neigh
borhoods fill Farragut Square and Dupont
and Iowa Circles. Elderly men and women,
with strong, thoughtful faces, and books
and papers in hand, fill up Lafayette and
Franklin Parks, and Mcpherson Square.
Workingmen and women, retail clerks,
men out of employment, and some who
do not want employment, abound in Mt
Vernon Park, the Capitol Grounds, and
those OF the Museum. Lovers throng
Stanton Park, in the eastern part of the
city.
The last act Of the war was performed
on Monday in the payment to ambassador
Cambon of the S20,05O,000 agreed to be
given Spain for the Philippines. The
ceremonies were quite simple. Four war
rants. each about the size of a bank note,
had been prepared at the Treasury. Each
OF these directed the Treasurer OF the
United States to pay Jules Cambon or
order 100000 They were signed by F..
A. Vanderlip, Assistant Secretary; Il. j..
Tracewell, Controller, and C. NJ. Force,
Chief Clerk. On the warrants was an
order by Treasurer Roberts to the Assist
ant Treasurer at New York to pay the
amount. The warrants were taken by
Secretary Vanderlip to the State Depart
ment, where they were delivered to Secre-
tary Hay. ambassador Cambon strOlled
in about II O'Clock, and showed the au-
thority of the Spanish Government to re-
ceive the warrants. Secretary Hay then
handed them to him, and he took them
carelessiy, folded them up, put them in
his card case, and after a little chat with
Secretary Hay, signed receipts for them
and strolled out. The money will be nomi-
naIly paid in gold coin, but probably in
reality will take the form OF "yellow
tickets" by which the value will be trans
mitted to Spain through several Spanish
houses doing business in New York.
x&k
Up to 1876 the Government had expended
SIC, ,00O, coo on buildings, etc., for the i'm
provement of Washington. Since 1876 it
has expended over s1OO, 600, 900. or more in
23 years than in the previous 10.
xxx
The Speakership fight grows interesting.
AT present it has1hardly begun to shape
up so as to give any indication as to the
outcome. Nearly every State has one or
more candidates, who are going through
a little trial pacing, ito show the time they
could probably make. Several Of them
have evidently Como out merely to put
themselves in evidence, and get the con-
sideration which will insure them good
Chairmanships. There has been some
talk of drawing sectional lines, and get
ting all the Western men together on
some candidate fIpnI west OF the Ale
games. This, is not likely to go farther
than to insure, no difference who is
elected, that the interior and west Of the
country will Have more influence on legis-
IatiOn than they we're allowed under Reed.
The present DEVELOPMENT is that the great
mass of thor Representatives will not
pledge themselves to any candidate at
present, but wait until there, is as'further
canvass and development of the strength
and fitness Of the different men. A month
from now the number of real candidates
will be considerably reduced, and then
the real tug Of war will begin.