Gilpin observer., 1900-12-20
WHAT IS BEING DONE AT
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL

gress met in private dwellings. 1t was
not until 1927 that the two wings were
completed and not until 1867 that the
dome was finished. The total expendi-
lures up to that time reached $13,OOO,-
900. Since that date two wings have
been added, with n marble terrace,
which have brought the entire cost Of
the building to $19,OOO,0OO, which is a
small sum compared with that expend-
ed upon several of the state capitols,
which do not approach it in magnitude,
dignity or beauty.
Mr.. Madden, third assistant post
master general, has introduced an in
novation in his annual report to the
President. He commendS by name ten
postmasters out of the $4,000 in the SER
vice as worthy of distinguished notice
because of their efficiency. The name
of Charles U. Gordon, postmaster at
Chicago, leads the list, and the others
are: George A. Hibbard, postmaster
at Boston; F. B. Dickerson at Detroit,
Il. w. Baumhoff at st. Louis, @. @.
Dewstoe Mt Cleveland, George l.. Holli-
day at Pittsburg, Richard Hayward at
Providence, II. II. Baker at Louisville,
A. w. Mills at Nashville, Fred G. With
oft at Dayton, Ohio.
In discussing the ship subsidy bill
in the Senate, Mr.. Hanna maintained
that in order to build up the American
merchant marine it was necessary to
have not only capital and experience,
but it was necessary likewise Ito at
ford our foreign carrying trade pro-
tection-some kind of fundamentally
law" If this protection should be af-
forded, said Mr.. Hanna, the growth of
the American merchant marine would
be on n par with the growth of the
shipping industry of the great lakes.
Discussing the rise and fall of the
American merchant marine. Mr.. Han
ma declared that the beginning of the
decline in the industry was co1ncident
with the outbreak of the Civil War.
Strong opposition will develop to any
attempt that may be made to reduce
the tax of 10 cents pound upon tea.
Republican members of the ways and
means committee explain that when
the war revenue bill was under con-
sideration the principal importers Of
tea and merchants appeared and ex-
planned that only the refuse or poorer
grades of tea We're being sent to this
country, and advocated a tax upon the
ground that it would insure the impor-
tation of better and purer article. 1t
is asserted that the tax has had the ef-
feet desired, and that the tea now i'm
ported is not deleterious to health. but
is nutritious and of good quality.
The Senate has confirmed the follow
ing presidential appointments: Mineral
land commissioners in Idaho. G. A.
Black of Washington, T. A. Davis of
Idaho, II. B. King of Idaho; also Hunt
ington Wilson of Illinois, to be secre-
tary of the legation Of the United
States to Japan; William d. Bynum of
Indiana, to be commissioner to revise
and codify the criminal and penal laws
of the United States; B. II. Tatem of
Montana. to be assayer in charge of the
assay office at Helena, Montana; Dan
iel H. Mcmillan of New York, to be as
sociate justice of the Supreme Court of
New Mexico; to be major generals:
Brigadier General Lloyd Wheaton and
States volunteers.
The cornerstone of the capitol was
laid by General Washing ton with Ma
sonic ceremonies and n barbecue feast
on September 1S, 1893. Seven years
later, in November, the building was
sufficiently completed for Mr.. Jeffer-
son, then vice president, to call joint
session in the original senate chamber,
which was in the basement under what
is now the Supreme Court. The House
Of Representatives met III temporary
quarters in the basement opposite,
which is now occupied by offices at
tached to the Supreme Court. A few
months later better accommodations
We're prepared in a temporary building
on the capitol grounds, called "the
oven" because of its lack of ventila-
ton. The first permanent hall of rep
resentatives. which is now the statu-
ary hall of the capitol, was occupied in
October, 1907.
Hubert Vos, the famous Dutch artist.
has recently returned from a tour in
the East, where he painted the most
striking type of the several races he
was able to find, and portraits of the
king of Korea and prominent men of
that nation and several of the most
noted princes of the Chinese court. He
invited the Chinese and Korean minis
ters to private view of the collection
and they We're naturally delighted to
find the familiar faces of their friends
upon the walls Of the art gallery. But
Minister WI turned out to be as sharp
critic of our art as he Is of our
morals and religion, and his comments
upon the pictures of his countrymen
were both amusing and instructive.
While he was viewing the collection
the art school in the adjoining room
was dismissed and n hundred or more
students came pouring into the room to
see the famous Vos collection. With
these young people as an audience Min.
lister WI delivered an impromptu lee.
ture upon American art that afforded
| them immense entertainment.
No Gain for Colorado.