Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1901-02-07
WASHINGTON LETTER
C-ongressmen and Their Hair-Dec0N
rati0ns and Buftons-Report
ON submarine Boats.

the house belongs unquestionably to
Representative McAleer of Philadel-
phia. 1t is rich and glossy. There has
been nothing like it since the days of
Breckinridge of Kentucky, whose
shock of silvery hair was at once b
admiration and the envy Of every MEM
Der. McAleer's hair has always been
white-unlike Findlay of Maryland,
who came to the house a perfect
blond and who gradually developed a
snowy crest of hair. There are very
few white haired men in the house.
Most of the members are b~aldheaded.
As MI. McAleer has the whitest HAIR,
SO Representative Curtis of Kansas
has the blacklist. It is said that Cur
tbs has an Indian strain in him, which
accounts for the inky color of his
locks, but whether this be true or not
his hair is a black as that worn by
McCreary Of Kentucky when that ami
able statesman was in the house. There
were dark and mysterious rumors that
McCreary's head was covered by : a
wig. No one yet has had the hardi-
hood to make that suggestion about
Congressman Curtis.
Red haired men are not numerous.
Shafroth Of Colorado, Hopkins of I'LL
nois, Lorimer of Illinois and Alexan-
der of New York complete the list. But
AleXander's hair is red enough for
two.
Decorations and Buttons.
1t is rather interesting to glance
over the floor Of the senate and house
and note the various decorations or
buttons which appear in the lapels Of
the coats of senators and represent
atives. Senator Warren of Wyoming,
for instance, is never without the tiny
bow Of red, white and blue ribbon
that denotes him to be b possessor
of a medal of honor awarded him by
congress for gallant action in battle,
a distinction which is only shared by
one other senator, General Sewell Of
New Jersey. Senator Quarles wears
the button eff the order of the Loyal
Legion, and quite a number of men,
bers Of both houses display h crescent
and scimiter of the Mystic Shrine.
Representative Richardson Of Tennes-
see is the only member who wears
conspiciously the starred n barred
flag of the Confederacy, showing him to
be a member of the Confederate vet
Grams, while Representative Louden-
slayer of New Jersey into
the house without a bright red car
nation in his b~uttonhole.
But the most interesting insignia is
that worn by Senator Mason 6f Illi-
nois. 1t is a miniature American flag
manufactured out of American silk.
1t is pinned upon the senator's hat,
, and when he comes Town the aisle he
? looks like an inaugural procession.
Report on Submarine Boats.
Construction of additional submarine
boats of the Holland type is strongly
> opposed by the board Of construction in
a report to Secretary Long which has
been sent to the senate and house
naval committees.
"Without desiring to discredit the
: Holland in any way" says the report,
7 "or to detract from her merits, the
board is of the opinion that the utility
of boats Of this class has not yet been
: sufficiently demonstrated to warrant
the construction Of others than those
e already authorized, eight in number,
which are considered a sufficient num-
. Der to experiment with.
A regards the cost Of the present
!. boats namely, $4,000 each - the
= board is of the opinion that if the cost
of construction, with a reasonable profit
to the contractors, is alone considered
. it is a very high price, out if the ex-
1 penses of developing the boat are TAX
7 IN in consideration the price is not ex-
c~essive.
"Should congress see fit to authorize
any more submarine boats the board
is of the opinion that no special type
= should be specified, but that the secre-
tary of the navy should be given dis
, erection to contract for such boats as
in his judgment are likely to prove the
most efficient and best suited for naval
purposes, thus opening up competition
and giving other inventors a chance"
Mutations of Politics.
= On New Years day a gentleman anG
e a lady and a child stopped on Pennsyl
vania avenue in front of the White
House and stood for some moments
. looking through the tall iron fence
Diplomats in much gold lace We're hur
rying out of the wide door. Carriages
- were dashing up and away. The ARM
re and navy, respondent in full dress uni
forms, were marching in. Down the
western walk to the gate and far be
yond the curving and angled column O.
the people stood waiting. The gentle
man, the lady and the little girl showed
no inclination to enter, but gaZed OF
the scene with evident interest. Hi
thoughts went back easily to the TIM
II when the head of the nation standin:
y to receive congratulations was his ia
1t Their. The lady if it pleased her to b
Z. reminiscent recalled when her father
~ a United States senator, passed low
- the line. And the child possibly had
dim recollection of having been "an ad
ministration baby" The group of tire
said little and when vision was salts