New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-18
GOSSIP OF THE CAPITAL.
MR. LITTLEFIELD. OF MAINE WHO WILL
STAND WITHOUT HITCHING."
TOO MUCH TECHNICALITY IN GOVERNMENT PUB
=. RIGHTEOUSNESS SARTORIs AND MRS.
GRANT-INDIAN DELEGATIONS.


Washington. March 17.-"LttIefeld," said
well known citizen from that members district,
who has come to the capital to look after the
Maine delegation bit lis the idol of the farm
ers all about his home, who profess for him
much admiration as Yankees allow them
selves to profess. that gentry feeling it rather
weak to admit thes- have a real liking admi-
ration for anybody or anything, and he has a
hold upon the confidence of his constituency that
will insure his return to Congress until the year
1000 if he lives so long His speeches last sum-
full of quaint humor and never failed
to elicit the applause of his hearers I not
afraid of the electric cars he said to audi
ence of bucolics, commenting on the fact that
he might he chosen to go to Washington. and l
think | stand without hitching.' This re-
mark became the shibboleth of his supporters,
and was told from end of the district to the
other. invariably bringing forth the remark L
guess he amt fraid of the electric cars, an I
guess it 'ud take mighty sly teamster to
hitch Charles Lttlefield.' That he neither needs
or would stand h:tching, his response to the
query made of him after his speech on the
Puerto Rican bill: Aren't you afraid if you
break through the traces in this way your con-
stituency will not return you to Congress?' that
it was matter of absolute Indifference to him
whether he came back to the House or not and
ne WAS sure III was equally lnElferent to his
pie abundantly proves"
Complaints reach Washington from all over
the country that the publications issued by the
various departments are too technical to be of
use 10 those for whose education and guidance
they are intended. This is doubtless true in the
main, since the men who are employed in the
scientific bureaus of the Government are schol-
ars of hieh attainments enthusiasts in their
several branches, to whom scientific terms in
their specialtes as a. b. C's to people gener-
ally and who. absorbed in their work. lose sight
Of the fact that they required to make their
knowl edge Of unitarian value to the neopIe of
all classes who interested in their line of
research and study.
"Why,' said Maine lumberman an aIumnus
Of Bowdoin and the law department of SIAM
ford. complaining of the limitations of the
pamphlets sent out by the Government to in
form and instruct the growers and bev,ers IF
timber. while the Government publications that
come to me are extremely interesting they are
so erudite that find ii next to inpossible ouita
to understand them at the first reading What
the poor lumbermen up in the woods who have
hardly mastered the three Rs do with the scion
thc terms cannot imagine. It seems to mo tbe
academic manner of treating the subject really
defeats the object for which the papers and as
says are ISSUED, and would advocate that every
scientific term in them be replaced bv sinple
language and that all papers not especially in
tended for advanced students and universities
Sh"uli be written so that intelligent lad of
twelve could understand them"
rms is not true of Mr.. Gannett's recent report
on the American forests. which is plainly and