Mower County transcript., 1902-09-17
WASHING NGTON LETTER
Especial Gorrespondence.1 j

l.
The new justice Of the supreme
court, Oliver Wendell Holmes, lis re-
ported to have inherited from his IA
ther a sparkling Wit and very well
developed sense Of humor. Speculation
is already rife as to what viii happen
! if the new justice in an inadvertent.
moment attempts to exercise either
| while the court is engaged in it's de-
liberia tons. =
There has not been a flash of humor
in supreme court proceedings, for
which the court was responsible, since
I it's organization, and a>zjoke, if made
| by a member Of the bench with the
court in session, would certainly be at
tended by disastrous consequences.
i A joke or witticism calculated to
make a member Of the supreme court
smile would be like exploding a. bomb
shell In the courtroom. There are
few members who probably would not
recover from the shock. The others
would be safe only in case they were
utterly unable to comprehend the new
| members meaning.
Chief Justice Fuller, although an af-
fable man away from the court, is
anything but humorist. Justice Har-
Ian is man of broad sympathies, but
he has the serious cast of mind which
is molded>by long service on the bench.
Justice Gray probably never made a
joke in his life and considers levity in
bad taste. The late Senator Vance of
North Carolina once met Gray in Eu-
rope in some old Italian palace.
! :Hello, Graz" lid Vance cheerful
ly, "are you travelling for pleasure or
is your wife :: ong?"
| Mrs. Gray was SO much along that
she overheard the North Carolina
mans inquiry, and Gray never forgave
Vance. That may be why he detests
humorists.
One glance at Shiras, the member of
the court from Pennsylvania, would
satisfy the most casual observer that
he has no time to ponder over jests
and no interest in them 1t is not on
record that Shiras has laughed heartily
since he was accused, wrongfdlly, it is
now said, Of changing his mind upon
the income tax.
Justice Brown would discourage the
most inveterate joker, and Justice
Peckham of New York would frighten
him by the look Of amazement with
which he would receive the slightest
suggestion of frivolity.
Those who know the court best do
pof T,yafioo H11pooc WI ho h1o
to impress it with his sense of the lu-
| dtcrous or cause it to change for
moment it's habitual bearing of ex-
| treme gravity.
| A Launch With a History.
One Of the finest steam launches in
| use on the Potomac is the launch Mer-
cedes Of the fleet Of the quartermas-
ter's department, U. S. A., and detailed
for service as the pleasure launch of
the officials Of the war department.
She has during the past summer car
ried many Of the leading officials of the
government on pleasure excursions,
and all praise the beautiful little boat.
The Mercedes has history. Built in
England for the Spanish government,
she was made tender of the Spanish
Warship Reina Mercedes, and when
that vessel was captured the launch
fell into the hands of the war depart
ment. She was used for a short time
in Cuba and at the close of the war
was brought here and fitted out for her
present service. The boat is of supe-
rior workmanship, and she is perfect
in all her appointments. While quite
small craft, being but forty feet long,
she is admirably adapted for her pres
ent use.
| Our Coinmakers Go to China.
The Chinese emperor has compared
the money which is being turned out
of his m1nts with American coins and
has come to the conclusion that it is
not handsome. enough. A cable mes
sage was received from Minister Con-
ger recently asking that two Ameri-
cans skilled in the operation of mint
ing machinery be detailed to take
charge Of the Chinese mint for the
purpose Of introducing American meth
DDS. There had already been some cor
respondence on the subject, and on re-
ceipt of the cable Mint Director Rob
erts detailed Assistant Assay1st Ma
Uuder and Assistant Superintendent
Of Machinery Emory. both at the New
Orleans mint s.-.-. T. ~ :, =. -.
They were selected several weeks
ago, but there was q hitch on the mat
ter of salary. The Chinese officials
thought they came too high, but finally
consented to pay tbs amount asked. =.
I. !. Statesmen who Keep scrapbooks.
Nearly all members Of congress keep
scrapbooks. Even Mark Hanna has a.
full set Of all those pictures Of him
SELF. The late additions to his book,
by the way, are quite different from
the earlier pages Congressman Loud,
who apparently is as obifvious OF all
that is said OF him as anybody, keeps
complete serapbook.; For the period
Of time It covers the largest scrapbook
IS one kept by Senator Beveridge's
private secretary. II has already
reached two large volumes. numbering