The age-herald., 1900-02-17
DAILY GOSSIP FROM
 NATIONAL CAPITAL
nv AIRERr HALsrEAD.

cratic congressman from Missouri, has
 some original and rather practical recom-
 mendation to make as to vice-presidential
 nominations by the two parties. He says:
 Both the democratic and republican par l ties have become too much accustomed to | nominate candidates for the vice-presiden- cy, not because of their peculiar fitness to perform the duties of the presidency in the event of the death of the president, but in order to satisfy or placate some dsgrunted faction. It occurs to me that it is a grave
 mistake to throw the viee-presidency as
 sop to the dfsgruntled. The two parties should make a point of choosing only men of presidential size for the vice-presidency,
 and I think if they would change the order
 of nomination in their convention, and
 name the presidential candidacy first,
 they would obtain men of far greater abil-
 ity.
 Do you know" continued MT. Clark,
 'that Tom Reed ought to have consented l to accept the vice-pr presidency the repub-
 lfcan ticket fin 1896? He would do well to ac-
 cept the nomination this year. He would
 mot have to preside much in the senate. ex-
 cept on very important occasions, and
 could devote himself exclusively to writing HIS TelIlnlSce1nSeS. 6OSWei l1lIo Ol JOIlH-
 son would not be in it with Tom Reeds
 Reminiscenses. He should tell what he
 thinks of the men he has met in public
 life, and express his exact opinion of tho
 measures that have come under his consid-
 eration, during his many years dn congress.
 You know think MT Reed Is one of our
 greatest men, and am glad to say I re- gard him as a personal friend"
 One of the most interesting and unusual
 characters in Washington is Colonel Isaac
 R. HiH, of Ohio, deputy sargeant-at-arms
 of the house of representatives, like" has
 been around Washington so long that the
 memory of man runeth not to the contrary
 He is democrat and holds his position as
 deputy sergeant-at-arms through the cour-
 tesy which always allows the party In the
 minority about three employees of the
 house. In the county of Licking, in which
 the attractive little town of Newark is sit
 uated, Colonel Ike is exceptionally popu-
 lar, and has large political influence. He is
 always important factor in gatherings of Ohio democrats, and has often been
 asked why he didn't run for congress. He
 has always said that he preferred his pres
 ent position to office, the tenure Of
 which would be of doubtful length. But
 in his old age. Colonel Ike finally has con- gressional ambition. He is now full ffedged candidate for the democratic nomin-
 ation in the seventeenth Ohio district. At
 the latest congressional election, McDowell,
 the democratic candidate, had a majority
 of 3,97S, so should Colonel Ike secure the
 nomination, he would be sure of election.
 He explains his position as follows;
 T am a candidate for congress- sure
 enough, and am going to be nominated
 You see, this is how it happened: There are about ten candidates for the nomina- ton in my district, and four of them come
 from my own county. I like the incumbent, Mcdowell, well enough, and several other of the candidates are friends of mine; but there are two or three fellows who ought
 never to go to congress, and am the man to prevent them from coming here. Why,
 I will get a majority of the votes in my
 own county, despite the four other candi-
 dates, and I will have large enough fol- lowing in Coshocton, Holmes. Tuscarawas and Wayne counties to pull off the nomi-
 nation after a ballot or two. You may
 think am not suited for congress, but I know as much how to vote as any fellow
 who ever stuck his snout in here"
 Tn ability Colonel Hill is equal to the average of congressman and though he is quite unusual character, he is certainly as we'll fitted to represent his district as the average congressman is.
 Postmaster General Charles Emory Smith has a scheme for having the large business interests of the country that are customers to send out large quantities of mail matter with stamped envelopes ask ing for replies. He has sent to Representa- tive Loud, chairman of the committee on postofices and post roads, a bill which, with the object named, would authorize the
 use of reply envelopes and postal cards. In hs letter transmitting the bill the post
 master general says:
 "There is demand throughout the coun- try on the part of merchants, publishers and others whose business prompts them
 to pay postage orders, subscriptions
 and other replies, for more economical
 postal facilities. At present many busi- ness establishments send to solicited and prospective patrons and correspondents prepaid cards and envelopes. Practical experience has shown that only about 10 per cent of these are returned, entailing loss of about 90 per cent. of the postage value of the cards and envelopes distrib-
 uted. The proposed change in the present
 law, as embodied in the bill which I sub
 init, provides that the postmaster general may arrange with private firms and cor porations for tGle use of reply cards and
 envelopes, the postage to be collected at regular rates when the envelopes or cards are returned to those who issued them. q propose" says the postmaster general, | "that the envelopes and cards shall be so marked to distinguish them, and that they be given the privilege of the regular system. The plan Is simple and effective.
 free from complications, and wiM require the employment of an additional force It 1 is nothing more than the extension of the | postage due system now in operation. The | government is secured against loss, as | those who use the envelopes and cards will | be required to make deposit that will be