The Saint Paul globe., 1900-03-27
capital Chat.
Washington 0osslp. Political and
Otherwise, for the Readers
OF the 0iObs.

WASHINGTON, March 26.-(Speclal.)-
1t has been decided TO have Murat Hal
stead edit the official souvenir of the Re
publican national convention which will
meet In Philadelphia on June 10. Mr.
Halstead has recently been in consulta-
tlon with the publishers OF the book
which. 1t IS said, Will be the finest OF it's
kind ever issued, In 1892 Charles w. john
son, former reading clerk OF the senate
had charge OF the publication of this book
at the Minneapolis convention which
nominated Benjamin Harrison for q sec
ond term. The men who Will be in charge
or the Philadelphia souvenir this year,
under the supervision of Mr.. Halstead
propose to make 1t so valuable that 1t
can be used as a campaign document for
the benefit of the Republican party In the
coming national campaign.
The souvenir will contain a complete
history of the Republican party. from It's
inception up to and including the con-
vention of 1900. 1t will include a sum
mary of the proceedings and platforms Of
the party. with historical sketches OF all
the partys candidates. Together with
this valuable information will be given
biographical sketches and portraits Of the
founders and prominent men of the party.
The book will be an edition de luxe. about
ten by twelve inches in size. bound In
engravings
The frontispiece will be a large engrav-
ing of the Republican party's first candi-
date. John c. Fremont. Then will fol-
low portraits Of all the other candidates
In the order OF their nomination. with
biographical sketches and the more prom
inent incidents connected with their po-
ntical lives. Following these Will come
portraits and sketches of eminent states
nryr fo onOA md
ings of the members of the present ma
tional Republican executive committee.
1t Is afso proposed to make the souvenir
an authentic Republican text book for
ready reference. The publication of the
book has been intrusted to the National
Souvenir Publishing company under an
agreement between Joseph A. Esler and
William NJ. Patton and the national Re-
publican executive committee.
The action of the house last Friday in
referring back to the committee on post
Offices and post roads the so-called Loud
b;lf was not surprising. in view of the de-
termined opposition against 1t from almost
every section of the United States 1t Is
doubtful now whether this measure can
pass the house before the adjournment of
this congress for the summer. In connec-
ton with the controversy over the Loud
G. o e is In receipt of very peculiar
communication from Philadelphia The
author Of 1t is Wilmer Atkinson. He heads
his communication Ike this:
LITERATURE AND HOGS.
An appeal for literature. Then
Mr. Atkinson's views. perhaps
somewhat peculiar. follow:
The rate for hauling hogs, and
sample hogs, from Chicago to
Philadelphia is $3.50 per ton, in
large or small quantities, one hog
deep, and the hogs have to be fed
and watered on the way. the
sick ones doctored and the dead
ones thrown out. The hogs are
weighed in bulk. The distance Is
a little over 800 miles.
TIE rate publishers pay for sec
ond class matter-sample copies of
newspapers and serial books-is $40
per ton average postal haul be-
ing little over 500 miles,. and the
mail bags do not have to be wa
tered, none get sick or die on the
way, and may rbe piled two or
three deep. ~ ~.
1t is proposed by the Loud bill
to increase the rate of the latter
class to $50 per ton, over fourteen
times as much as hogs, and sample
hogs pay. each individual piece to
be stamped, and nothing at all Is
said In the bill about increasing
the rate on hogs, nor of requiring
each hog, or fraction or a hog, or
sample hog, toA be" stamped, and
there is no difference in the rate
between hogs and sample hogs
Why this partiality for hogs?
Why this Discrimination. against
literature? Is it fair. is it right?
Upon what glorious principle Of
honor and patriotism can 1t be JUS
titled? None whatever-it Is all
wrong. The next step will be to
come anywhere and everywhere,
while books and newspapers will
not be allowed to travel at all.
This is class legislation. pure and
simple, and therefore inimical to
the constitution of the United
States. It certainly Is.
Seriously gentlemen, tls1 let EFT IT not not
twentieth century as people who
show favors to swine. whatever the
breed, but that we love literature
better than hogs.
It is doubtful, as I stated several days
ago, whether any of the pending bills pro-
viding for the laying of cables from the
Pacific coast to Alaska Hawaii, the Phil
ippines, Japan and China will becon'A :
laws before the close of the first session
of this congress. There Is just d bare
possibility that measure, reported from
the senate committee about a week ago,
may become law. 1t will be recalled
that it provides for the laying Of a cable
from San Francisco to Honolulu, and
that connections by this line can be made
with Seattle, Tacoma and Portland. The
provisions of the bill make 1t necessary
that this cable line be constructed by an
American company, and a subsidy will
be granted by the government If the bill
becomes a law. i
AS has heretofore been stated In Wash
ington dispatches to this paper. the laying
Of cable even to Honolulu will be high
ly beneficial to the West coast business
interests. AS this measure will be earn
estly advocated by Messrs Foster and
Turner of Washington, in the senate;
Cushman and Jones IN the house; by
Senators Simon and Mcbride, from Ore
gon, and the representatives from that
state in the lower house, and full dele
CATION from California. 1t may be sue
cessful in both houses, and If it is, 1t is
certain to become a law by the approval
of the president.
In speaking Of the distinguished visitors
the West coast will have this year it
might be interesting to again state the
fact that Admiral and Mrs. Dewey will
practically go over the same territory
as that to be traversed by Mckinley and
Bryan. The admiral of the navy Will go
TO Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth first.
After visiting the three large cities in
Minnesota. he will go to the West coast
over the Great Northwestern road, and
Will spend some time in Seattle. Portland
and San Francisco.
= j. S. Van Antwerp.