The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-07-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Signing Ofncial DOcuments-Chinese
Struggled From Canada-Tried
II the other Way.
Especial Correspondence

1.-The president devotes specified
time daily TO affiXlng his signature to
papers Of state and the commissions Of
army, navy and other officers bearing
presidential appointments and presi-
dental postmasters. Of whom there
are about $500, changing with each
administration or recommissloned II
reappointed. Mr.. Lincoln evidently
found that II consumed too much time
to write his name in full. and this is
the reason no doubt why he abbreviat-
ed II.
at cannot be said with exactness
which Of the cabinet officers signs his
name the most frequently. believe,
however, that II is the postmaster gen.
eral. Not only does he atiix his sigma
ture to the countless official papers Of
the department I'm common with his
confreres, but he signs the commits
sions Of all of the pOstmasters Of the
fourth class, and they approximate
10000. Sometimes one postoffice will
be commission d several times during
the term Of the Incumbent postmaster
general, and 1t would not be far out Of
the way to say that he signs from So
600 to 100000 fourth class postmasters'
commissions during his term.
Cabinet officers acquire great rapid
lty In making these formal signatures,
and they hurry through with 1t, as It is
a task and blocks other more impor-
tant work. Messengers stand by the
side Of the chief presenting the COM
missions or papers with one hand while
they quickly blot each signature as
made with the other"
Chinese Struggled From Canada
The collector of customs at Buffalo
has been called upon by the treasury
department for report on the subject
Of the smuggling of Cinnamon across
the Niagara river.
The commissioner general Of immi-
grafton, Mr.. POwderly, has directed
Inspector De Barry to inform the bu-
reau of immigration Of Illegal entry Of
Cinnamon in the Buffalo district, and
as the immigration bureau now has the
administration of the Chinese exclu-
sion act as part of its duties an order
will be given for a strict watch TO be
maintained.
Just at this time the news that great
numbers of Cinnamon are getting into
the country Illegally has stirred the
immigration bureau into prompt ac-
ton. Congress placed the powers of
Chinese exclusion among the duties Of
the commissioner general of immigra-
ton, and Mr.. Powderly wants his men
to understand that the vigilance which
has characterized the service hereto
fore must from now on apply to de-
tecting the many ways in which the
Mongolians manage to elude the law.
Immigrant Inspector John Thomas
at Clifton, Ont, has been ordered to
Queenston, Ont, for the purpose of in
speeding aliens who arrive on boats
that ply between Toronto and Lewis
ton.
Tried IL the other Way.
A certain young congressman has
gone back to Tennessee with the repu-
tation of having made himself quite
conspicuous in the house with the help
Of a ready tongue, much persistence
and a series Of brilliant neckties. In
the cloakrOOm one day two or three OF
the older members were commenting
on the career Of the Tennesseean. One
Of them told a story When the young
man was nominated for congress, a
hard headed old Democratic farmer
leader Of the party In bis locality, came
to Nashville to demonstrate. why"
said he, you don't mean to say you
are going to send that boy to congress7
He's darn fool" YES" was the an
swer; 1--WE know he is darn fool, Un-
Gle John. But, you see, it's like this:
We've been sending smart fellows to
congress from this district, and they've
come back regularly darn fools. So we
thought we'd send a darn fool to con-
gress and see If 1t wouldn't work the
other way"
Bailey of Texas.
Somebody was inquiring for a pic
ture of Bailey of Texas. go and ask
him for It," was suggested. "BIt 1
don't know him." was the reply. GO
and buy one, then" was the second
suggestion. Il have tried and find the
photographers have sold all they had
printed" was explained. The truth Is
that the picture Of Bailey of Texas is
more sought after than that Of any
other representative in congress. To
pulchritude Of striking character the
Texan adds a most interesting person
atty. His picture is sought after by
visitors in Washington and especially
by ladies' whose admiration is aroused
by the big figure, the smooth, mobile |
face, the laughing eyes and the well
kept appearance, from the Byronic hair !
to the patent feathers. Bailey's picture |
is so much In demand that the usual |
stock of portraits of public men carried
by local photographers fails to meet IT.
The District commissioners have an
nounced the appointment Of the fol
lowing persons as members Of the |
board of education, which board, pur-
suant to the provision of the District
appropriation act approved June 9,
1900, succeeds July the board of trus-
tees Of public schools: Charles ]. Bell,
]. Holdsworth Gordon, DR., Richard
Kingsman, George H. Harries, Mrs.
Henry Litchfeld West, James r. Bun
dy and Mrs ]. r. Francis, the two last
named being the colored members of
the board. CARL SCHoF1ELD.
Cuba has more than $4,000 negroes
who speak the Spanish tongue and
who are as benighted as when they or
their ancestors arrived from Africa, be-
etAaa anofhor 100 000 mr. oO0 O00 WIN