The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-15

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14-Special.)-
A characteristic scene occurred last
Thursday in the house. Mr.. Dockery,
of Missouri, had just finished an i'm
pressive speech on the revenues, or the
lack Thereof, in which he showed that,
without allowing for any extraordinary
expenditures, such as those in the ma
Wy personnel bill, the twelve new ships
to be asked for in the navy appropria-
ton bill, the payment Of claims which
we assume under the treaty of peace
and the construction Of a trans-isth-
milan canal, there would be deficit
for the next fiscal year of over $50, 000,-
600. 81 do not expect" he said in con-
clusion, that the other side will heed
my words. I speak to the people Of the
country, and they will heed them"
Mr. Dockery was right in his expec-
tations. Scarcely had the echoes of his
warning died away when Mr.. Hepburn,
Of Iowa, amid applause from the Re
publicans, gave notice that he would
attach the Nicaraguan canal bill to the
sundry civil appropriation bill as RI
der. A demand for the instant author
ization Of a work which must consume
an indefinite number Of hundreds Of
millions is thus the answer of the Re-
publlcans, who have already made this
two billion congress, to the cry of the
overtaxed for economical reform 1t
is not hard to say who they are that
the gods are seeking to destroy.
On the same day historic scene &C.
Cured at the melting OF the cabinet.
The president and the secretaries SOL
EMMY inspected and discussed can Of
roast beef and pronounced it good. On
the walls of the capitol there hangs a
famous painting, which depicts Presi-
dent Lincoln presenting to his cabinet
his draft Of the emancipation proclaim
alton. Now the subject is furnished
to some genius of the present day for
a companion picture, accentuating the
keynote Of the Spanish war even as
that of Lincoln and his associates does
that of the Great Rebellion. One can
fancy the dramatic details of this truly
historic incident: the eager expectation
on the faces of the cabinet; the punctil-
ious eXactness with which Alger par
celed out to each his proper share of
the precious morsel, and the president
with uplifted hands nlurmuring: "For
what we are about to receive, good
Lord, make us duly thankful" Such an
addition to the National Gallery would
preserve-we might almost say en-
balm-for all time the memories of he
role achievements, even as single
chord Of music may recall the swing
and swell Of some grand anthem.
The house committee on ventilation
and acoustics, Of which Mr.. Heatwole,
OF Minnesota is chairman, after incubat-
ing for three sessions in it's sung and
shady retreat under the terrace of the
capitol, has brought forth bill to the
delight, no less than the surprise, Of
all interested friends. This peculiarly
gratifying event occurred last Wednes-
day, and Mr.. Heatwole is looking as
self-satisfed as can be expected.
This measure, which is in the form
of a resolution. provides for remodel
Ing of the hall of representatives, in
the interest of acoustics and Ventila-
ton. and the plans were drawn, it is
said, by Mr.. HeatwoIe himself. The
Improvement suggested is much need
ed. The desks are to be removed, the
chamber is to be diminished in size
and the latest devices for the procur-
ance of good air to be utilized all at
an expense of 100000 This resolution
will doubtless be adopted, and by the
time the F'ifty-siXth congress meets in
regular session the capitol will contain
an eternal memorial to that love of
the beautiful which so distinctively
characterizes the member from the
Third district of Minnesota. eff you
seek his monument, look around YOU"
The house committee on civil service,
Of which Mr.. Tawney is a member,
has favOrably reported a bill relative
to the retention in the government of
veterans of the Civil war. Under the
present law the right of preference in
favor of soldiers is based upon disabil-
ity. Under the proposed bill this right
is based upon the service of the soldier
who has served during the war and
has an honorable discharge. The pres
ent law has caused much dissatisfac-
ton among those who zerved honora-
bly,, perhaps enduring the dangers and
hardships from the beginning of hos
tilities to the end. and yet incurred
no permanent disability: for they have
seen those preferred to them who may
not have served thirty days The prog
posed bill also applies to promotions
as well as to appointments, and if pass
ed will prevent the removal Of any
soldier or sailor except for good cause
and upon charges and after hearing.
This measure has far more chance
Of becoming law than did Mr.. Taw-
ney's serio-comic bill providing an in
surance fund for government clerks,
which. like many another happy
thought of that aspiring gentleman,
OlSC LII lie DOTu1uS.
Apropos Of Mr.. Tawney's energetic
ineffectness. the Anglo-American COM
mission to which the president did not
appoint him, is still struggling with
the Alaskan boundary. Protests in
Vulnerable have arrived from the Pa
cific slope against any cession to Can
ada of port on the Southern Alaskan
coast The question has become al
most as hopeless of settlement as the
bemuddlement of free lumber, pulp and
paper which the American Publishers
association did so much to bring about.
Already the commission is discounting
a fruitless ending to all it's labors by
giving out inspired lamentations that
the adjournment of congress and the
long vacation will initiate against the
ratification of the treaty upon which
it may agree.
Speaking of wood-pulp, there Is a
copyright provision in the legislative
appropriation bill which seems to be
aimed against the somewhat friable
paper produced from it. The clause
forbids copyright unless the copies of
books or photographs filed are of such
substantial substance or paper as shah
be established and approved by the
librarian of congress.
The statistician of the treasury de-
partment reports that the expectations
from the United States to Great Brit
ain during 1898 amounted to $5S8, 661, 1877,
against 1882, 695, G24 in 1897, while the
imports during 1898 were nearly fifty
million less than during 1897. The re-
duction in our imports from the United