The leader., 1899-12-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
what the senate Costs-Land For an
Experiment Farm-Timepieces
of the Senate.
rSpecial Correspondence.1


year ended last July. This included,
of course, the salaries of the senators,
the salaries OF the clerks, messengers,
private secretaries, capitol police on
the senate side, mileage and other ex-
penses, including the contingent fund.
Secretary Cox of the senate has made
his annual report, showing how this
money was expended. Some interest
ing items appear. Each senator Is al
lowed a certain amount for stationery
and newspapers. If he desires, he
may draw the allowance In cash. The
secretary's report shows that there has
been a great falling off in reading
among the senators, for a large num-
Der preferred to take cash.
1t costs $4,000 to report the senate
proceedings, and over $1,000 went for
the purchase of furniture, while $1,000
more was paid to repair it and over
1850 to clean it. 1t cost $1,000 to
keep the senate horses and wagons and
S1O,397 90 for newspapers and station
cry. During the year the vice presi-
tents room was retitted in the most
handsome style, the rug on the floor
costing over $3.50, while the hall clock
cost 5000. The lace curtains cost $500
and the antique desk $500. The sofas
and chairs cost $3.50. The most eX-
pensive thing in the room, however,
is silver inkstand, which cost $1,000,
and the desk pad OH which it stands
10 I1 I'd of Ia ct
February it cost $50 to clean the snow
off the senate roof and over $500 for
carriages to send the senators home
during the storm.
Fuel cost S14935.47, and ice averag-
ed about 1928 per month. The senators
seemed very fond of lemons, for during
one week In June $176 was paid for 80
boxes of this fruit. Another item Of
interest is $13764 for 2,510 pounds Of
sugar, while 116 cases of lithia water
cost $72o.2S. 1t is explained that dur
ing the hot months the senators drink
contains page after page of items for
kilograms sent by senators.
Land For an Experiment Farm.
Uncle Sam has 1,176 acres of land
over across the Potomac, and only 400
of it is used for the Arlington cemetery
and for the military fort. We want
big slice of it which cannot be used for
anything else turned over to the de-
partment of agriculture at least for
some years." said Representative Rix-
of ;,ia tctr tot 10,
to the capital than that of any other
member of the house save Representa-
tive Pearre of Maryland.
You will find that my bill, reintro-
duced in this congress, provides for the
use of this waste land. The govern
ment couldn't even use this land for a
camp for the volunteer soldiers during
the war with Spain, but had to rent
ground down at Camp Alger. The ag
ricultural department could make good
use of the land as an experiment farm.
Several secretaries have approved the
plan. In the last congress my bill car
ried a small appropriation. Now l
have struck out the appropriation. I
want to see the project started. We
can look out for the appropriation
later"
Timepieces of the Senate.
An accurate chronometer ticks away
the time in the marble room of the SEN
ate. 1t is tested at noon every day over
an electric wire which runs from the
Naval observatory. Its discrepancies
are measured by seconds. Generally it
Is on the dot.
Nearly all of the senators compare
their watches daily with this chronom-
eter, and an interesting rivalry exists
over the possession of the best time
pieces. Senator Stewart Of Nevada Is
said to own the most accurate watch
in the senate. 1t Is of American make
and was purchased by him in San
Francisco many years ago. He has
carried it under all conditions, but ev-
cry day the hour, minute and second
hands come together at the stroke of
II. Senator Thurston also has a relia-
BILE watch. 1t rarely varies a second
from the correct time and Is withal q
handsome example of artistic manu-
facture.
Swiss Minister'S Generosity.
The Swiss minister has acquired
pleasant notoriety by an act of Christ
mas generosity that was observed re-
Gently. Mrs. Mary Friedman, the wife
of poor laborer living at Anacostia, a
suburb of Washington, was in a Sew
enth street shop to make some pur-
chases. Mr.. Pioda arrived while she
was making known loss of IS with
some indications of distress.
He listened while she related with
great minuteness the circumstances of
her loss and saw her start to return
home in hysterical condition. He fol-
lowed her to the door and. stopping
her, pressed her to accept from him the
gift of S. bill to make good her loss.
Mr.. Pioda was not known by the wom-
an, but he was recognized by some Of
the clerks in the shop.
Instruction For Indians.
Miss Estelle Reel, general superin-
tendent of Indian schools, in her annu-
al report makes strong plea for COM
pulsory education and advocates strict
ly industrial training for Indian chill
dren. She says the Industrial branch
OF the work should be forced to the
front and that literary instruction be
narrowed to the simple. practical ele-
ments. The educational outlook for the
Indians is painted as very encouraging,
and better buildings and more facili-
ties for industrial training have been
provided this year. The report urges a
course Of cooking. nursing and econom-
ic housekeeping for girls. making them
home makers In the highest sense. and
farming. stock raising and the useful
trades should be added to the common
branches taught the boys.
CARL ScHoFIELD.
j. B. Clark, Peoria, ILL.,, says, .Sur-
geons wanted to operate on me for
piles, but cured them with DeWitt's