The National tribune., 1903-12-10
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE WASHINGTON O. THURSDAY

THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
supposed to be nearly obsolete? There was
used during the year 337, $40. .603 pounds OF
snuff. which is an increase of 8bout TO-
100000 pounds over last year, and they
charge that women do ihost of the snuE.
taking and dipping Q, my!
The President gave dinner to Civil
Service Commissioner John II. Proctor,
Thursday night, that being the 10th ami
versary of his appointment to the high
position. At the dinner Mr.. Proctor was
presented with silver loving cup by the
dinner guests.
Here is a morceau from a recent speech
of Representative Sulzer of New York.
He is the fine young Irish gentleman who
looks like Henry Clay, combs his hair like
the picture of Henry Clay which hangs
in the House lobby, and who poses like
Henry Clay is said to have stood when he
made speeches, though Sulzer's are as
little like those made by Harry of the
West as oratory is like First Reader elo-
quence. Says Mr.. Henry Clay Sulzer:
THE trouble with the members OF the
House is that they are resting ON their
oars instead of applying the whip ana let
ting the chips fall where they may" And
if that isn't eloquence, now, just inform Us
what is.
Now they come back at Mr. Fourth As
sistant Postmaster-General Bristow and
say that his son was paid for sitting
around the Postmaster-Generals Office and
doing nothing during the interim of going
to school, and that for this rest cure" per-
formance he drew at the rate OF 500
year. And they also say that Mr.. Bris-
tow refuses to talk or discuss the matter"
The Civil Service Commission comes
back at Mr.. Bristow and charges that
what he said in his report about NJ. w.
Louis. former Chief of the Supply Divi-
sion, is erroneous. The Commission prom
ises to make things interesting for Mr..
BristOw.
Mr.. Lewis kempner. former Superinten-
dent of the Registry system, who is
charged by Mr.. Bristow with receiving ci-
gars from Cuba without paying duty on
them, comes out with what seems to be
plain explanation of the facts, which show
that Mr.. Bristow is in error in this in
stance also. Then Mr.. Kempner gets gay
and says that Frank Bacon, for years
delivery clerk in the Registry Division of
the w tSUliSlOu W., Hldut ilIudNvt
that Mr.. BristOw and Chief Inspector
Cochran received cigars from Cuba with
Ou: paying duty on them, and that MIR.
Bacon was Immediately removed from the
service for making this affidavit
Then Mr.. Kempner goes on to say:
This action resulted in intimidating em-
ployes, and prevents them from giving in
formation that would show that the inveA
fivatorS ara 4, nd have beep pIJiIty of Dr1a-
tices of which they accuse others and rec
Ommend dismissal from the service. By
these methods Mr.. Bristow has succeeded
in silencing those who possess information
and data which, if published, would show
Mr.. Bristow and his coadjutors in no en-
viable light"
1t really does look as though the Postal
Investigation had just had some of the
fringe trimmed off the ragged edges. Libel
suits are threatened. and so many counter
charges are made that nobody knows just
where things are at"
Mrs. Frederick A. Douglass, widow Of
the great negro leader died at her home
in Anacostia, Dec. 1. Mrs. Douglass was an
Ohio woman of mature years and pure
Caucasian blood, who became enamored
OF the famous negro orator and became his
second wife. She was wrapped up in him,
and it was the effort of her life to keep him
and his name before the world. The mar
riage was mistake, so far as Douglass's
fame was concerned. He lost caste, and
she was ostracised. 1t must always be
so, socially.
The District people have had a jolt
Speaker Cannon has announced that he
wants to place upon the District of Column
bia Committee good men who reside as
far as possible from Washington. Here
tofOre, the committee has usually been
comprised of a good many members who
live in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania
and other nearby States. A cold chill
creeps up the backs of the residents of
Washington every time bare possibility
of any one hostile to the interests Of
Washington is placed upon the committee,
which really acts as a board of Aldermen
for the District, which must get through
that Committee anything that Congress
will give it. This decision of the Speaker
sounds as though he thought men from
nearby States were too loyal to the in
alton and economy.
If Mr.. Cannon is inimical to the inter-
ests of the District, there is going to be
| rocky travelling for the District bill, and so
much is needed just now. There should
never be any cheeseparing on improve
| ments for Washington. 1t is the city in
which the choice statesmen of the Nation
spend at least six months in the year. 1t
| is the Mecca Of the people of the country,
and it should be the most beautiful city
| in the world. 1t will take money to make
it SO.
For years and years there has been a
deficiency in the Post Office Department
receipts, there being several million dol
| lars difference annually between receipts
and expenditures. 1t looks now as though
that Department might catch up if the At
torneyGenerars Department keeps on in
| its good work.
| The start Of the reform began last 4th
of July when Commissioner Macfarland
held personally conducted 4th of July
celebration in Washington which was
charged up to the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia. and for the dunning
letters to prominent citizens which Commits
sioner Macfarland sent out the District
frank was used. Commissioner West did
not believe that it was a lawful act-shis
using of the District franking privilege,
and so asked the Attorney-General for a
| decision in the matter. To the Surprise OF
everybody the Attorney General decided
that the District had no right to use a
frank for anything; that it should pay for
| its postage stamps exactly as all Terrific
rial officers do.
It was a dreadful jolt to the dignity of
the District officials, for they have always